According to a survey carried out by an insurance agency, more than 55% of homeowners do not change their locks after moving into a new house. We understand how stressful it can be moving into your new home. The whole excitement and topsy turvy. Unpacking, scrubbing, looking for where you kept your comb or hairbrush. But there is one highly crucial thing to do when you move to your new home. It should be among the first activities you should carry out: change the locks.
Why should you change the lock?
The fact is that you are not aware of the number of key duplicates the former owners of the house may have made and is still in possession of strangers. So, the security and safety of your home should be your utmost priority. Experts refer to this concept as ‘key control. Key control is a way of ensuring keys are accounted for and used by persons you may have authorised to have them. It is a very easy task for professional locksmiths, and it shouldn’t take up to 45 minutes for them to get your new house secured.
The big risk of not changing locks when you move to a new house
One of your very first tasks on moving into your new home is to change the lock. You have spent a lot of money to make the change of apartment. All your belongings, furniture, family and even your lovely pet will stay in that new home of yours. With time, they will get comfortable with the new place. How would you feel if you suddenly discovered a stranger has a duplicate of the house key?
As we have mentioned earlier, you may not be aware of the number of duplicate keys are with unauthorised persons or strangers. Don’t sit back and relax. We have heard stories of burglary and theft carried out by old employees or previous owners of a house. How then did they get the keys?
In the case where your property has been burgled, and you want to make claims of forced entry to your insurance firm, it may be unsuccessful because most insurance companies will request evidence of forced entry before paying compensation. This means that neglecting to change your locks can invalidate your home insurance because if a criminal enters your home using key duplicate, it will be almost impossible to show evidence for forced entry.
What if the lock of your new house does not meet the BS3621 lock standards? This lock is difficult to drill or pick. No wonder it is the insurance approved lock.
Not yet convinced yet about changing the lock when moving into your new house? Okay. Answer the following questions:
- Can you account for the number of previous owners your house may have had?
- Do you know how many times your house has been rented?
- Can you account for the last time the window or door lock was changed?
- Do you know if the house has been under the care of a third party?
- Are you sure if all the key duplicates have been collected from the former occupant?
If you can’t answer affirmatively to all of the above questions, do not hesitate to change the lock of your new house immediately.
Read: How Long Does It Take to Change a Lock
What information should you supply to the locksmith when you call for a change of lock?
To help save your time and ensure a smooth communication when you call the locksmith to change your lock, here’s the information you should give him:
- What is the total number of locks you will want to change? Find out the number of entry doors to the home. Is there a back door? How about the garage?
- What kind of lock is installed on the door? Is it a deadbolt? Euro profile cylinder? Mortise lock?
- Are you looking for a more cost-efficient and affordable solution? Do you prefer rekeying your lock to a total change of lock?
- Do you want the locksmith’s advice on the most appropriate lock for your property?
If the locksmith has this information, it will simplify the whole process of changing the locks.
Read: What Does Rekeying A Lock Mean
We offer quality lock services for new homes
Congratulations on moving to your new home. Let us help to make you feel secured with our quality and affordable lock services. LocksmithQuickfix provides the best locksmith services for home around the UK. For additional information or enquiries, contact us today at 0800788765
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