Security Tips For Your Home
13 proven security tips to protect your home from burglars:
Your home is more than just a property - it's where your family feels safe, where your most valuable possessions live and for many people, their single biggest financial asset. Yet burglary remains one of the most common crimes in the UK, with one in five homeowners having experienced a break-in at some point. That's a sobering statistic, and it underlines just how important it is to take home security seriously.
The good news? You don't have to spend a fortune to make your home significantly harder to burgle. Most break-ins are opportunistic - a thief spots an easy target and takes their chance. That means even simple, low-cost changes to your home's security can be enough to send them elsewhere. From smarter locks and outdoor lighting to garden hedges and smart home tech, this guide covers everything you need to know.
We'll also look at the insurance side of things - because protecting your home isn't just about deterrence. Knowing that your insurer will actually pay out if the worst happens is just as important as making sure it doesn't happen in the first place.
Lock Your Doors and Windows
It sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised how many burglaries happen simply because a door or window was left unlocked — or even open. A casual opportunist won't take risks. If they try your door and it's locked, they'll move on. If it's open, you've just handed them an invitation.
Make a habit of locking up every time you leave the house, even for a short trip to the shops. And don't just think about it when you're going out — keep doors and windows locked when you're home too, particularly if you're in the garden or upstairs. Ground-floor windows and rear doors are common entry points.
Insurance implication: Leaving doors or windows unlocked could actually invalidate your home insurance policy. Most insurers include a 'reasonable care' clause - if you haven't taken basic precautions to secure your home, they may refuse to pay out on a burglary claim.
Make Sure Your Locks Are Up to Standard
It's not enough to just have locks — they need to be in good working order and meet your insurer's minimum standards. Loose, dated, or broken locks are a vulnerability, both physically and legally. Check your policy documents to see what standard of lock your insurer requires (often a five-lever mortice deadlock for external doors, and key-operated window locks). If you've recently moved in, change the locks as a matter of course. Previous owners, tradespeople, or neighbours may have copies of keys you don't know about.
A modern alternative worth considering is smart key systems. These use a re-keying process rather than a full lock replacement, making it quick and easy to change access whenever a key goes missing or you want to update who has entry to your home.
Keep Your Keys Secure - Including Your Car Keys
Leaving your keys on a hook or table near the front door is a habit many homeowners have without realising it's a risk. Thieves know this. Using a wire or hook through your letterbox to fish out keys is a well-documented technique — and it only takes seconds.
Store your house keys and car keys in a locked key cabinet or drawer well away from the front door. This is especially important for car keys. Vehicle theft via key relay — where thieves use electronic devices to amplify your key's signal and unlock or start your car without physically possessing the key — has grown significantly in recent years.
Cost-effective fix: A basic key cabinet or key safe for inside the home costs under £20 and takes minutes to install. For relay attack protection, store your car keys in a Faraday pouch (signal-blocking wallet), which you can pick up for a few pounds online.
Invest in Smart Home Security
Smart home technology has transformed what's possible in home security — and the costs have come down dramatically. You no longer need a professionally installed, contract-based security system to get serious protection. Affordable smart devices can give you eyes on your property around the clock, from anywhere in the world.
Smart Doorbells
A video doorbell lets you see, hear, and speak to anyone at your front door, whether you're in the kitchen or on the other side of the world. Many models record motion-triggered footage and store it in the cloud, giving you evidence if anything does happen. Brands like Ring, Nest, and Arlo offer reliable options at a range of price points.
Smart Outdoor Lighting
Automating your outdoor lights is one of the most effective deterrents available. You can set them to come on at dusk and go off at dawn, or hook them up to motion sensors so they activate the moment someone approaches. Thieves hate being illuminated — it draws attention and removes the cover of darkness they rely on.
Indoor Cameras and Smart Alarms
Indoor security cameras and smart alarm systems can be linked to your smartphone for real-time alerts. Many modern systems don't require a professional installation — they're designed for self-install and connect via Wi-Fi. Some insurers will also offer a discount on your home insurance premium if you have an approved alarm system in place, so it can pay for itself over time.
Insurance implication: Always check whether your insurer recognises a particular alarm system. An alarm that meets the NSI or SSAIB-approved standard may qualify you for a premium reduction. An unapproved system still has deterrent value, but may not count towards your policy terms.
Secure Your Garden and Outdoor Spaces
Burglars often case properties from the outside before making their move. Your garden, outbuildings, and boundary lines can either make you an easy target or a difficult one. Garden security is frequently overlooked by homeowners, but it's a critical layer of your overall protection.
Fencing, Gates, and Hedgerows
Proper boundary security creates both a physical and psychological barrier. Crimestoppers recommend a fence or hedge of around one metre at the front of your property — high enough to define the boundary, but low enough that any suspicious activity is visible to neighbours and passers-by. At the rear, go for something closer to 1.8 metres to make it harder to access or escape from your garden.
Anti-climb toppings on fences — such as plastic spike strips — add another layer of difficulty. Dense, thorny hedges are an even more natural solution. Planting species like Pyracantha (Firethorn), Holly, or Blackthorn creates a prickly barrier that's also attractive year-round. These plants can grow to form genuinely impenetrable hedges over time, and they require no maintenance beyond the occasional trim.
Don't forget your garden gate. A solid gate with a good-quality padlock at the rear of the property is one of the simplest ways to prevent unauthorised access. Make sure it can't easily be opened from the outside by reaching over.
Sheds, Garages, and Outbuildings
Garden tools, bikes, and outdoor equipment are popular targets because they're easy to sell on. Always lock sheds and outbuildings with a quality padlock — and consider anchoring the shed itself to the ground or wall if possible to prevent the whole structure being removed. If your garage connects internally to your home, treat that door with the same seriousness as your front door. Always lock it, and make sure any door between the garage and your home is solid and secure.
Parking your car across the front of the garage also acts as an informal deterrent - it's one more obstacle between a thief and easy access.
Gravel Paths and Motion Lighting
Laying gravel around the perimeter of your home or in pathways serves a practical purpose most people don't consider — it's noisy. A burglar stepping onto gravel is immediately at risk of being heard, which is a significant deterrent. Pair this with motion-activated security lights and you've created an environment where staying unseen is very difficult.
Insurance implication: Most home insurance policies do cover contents stored in outbuildings and gardens, but limits often apply — and items like bikes may need to be specified separately. Always read your policy documents carefully, and consider declaring high-value items explicitly.
Make Your Home Look Occupied
One of the simplest things you can do to deter burglars is to make your home look lived in, even when it isn't. An empty house is an opportunity. A house where the lights are on and there's visible activity is far less appealing.
Smart plugs or timer switches let you automate indoor lights to come on and go off at different times throughout the evening. Some smart systems can randomise this pattern so it looks more natural. If you're going away for longer, ask a trusted neighbour or friend to collect post, move bins and occasionally park in the driveway.
Be careful about social media. Posting holiday photos or check-ins while you're away is essentially advertising to anyone watching that your home is empty. Save the holiday updates for when you're back, or adjust your privacy settings so only people you genuinely trust can see your location.
Protect Your Valuables
Even with the best security in place, no home is completely impenetrable. Having a plan for your most important valuables gives you a second line of defence.
Install a Home Safe
A decent home safe protects not just valuable jewellery or cash, but critical documents — passports, birth certificates, insurance documents, and property deeds. These are often more damaging to lose than the cash value of your belongings, because thieves can use them to steal your identity. Make sure the safe is bolted to the floor or fixed to the wall so it can't simply be carried off.
Keep Valuables Away From Windows
Burglars will often look through windows to assess whether a property is worth the risk. Keep laptops, tablets, jewellery, and other high-value items away from ground-floor windowsills and tables visible from the street. Also be mindful of what you put in your recycling bin — a large TV box or appliance packaging advertises exactly what's inside your home.
Cost-effective tip: Photographing or videoing your valuables for insurance purposes takes about 10 minutes and could save you significant hassle in a claim. Store the record in the cloud or with your insurer so you can access it even if your devices are stolen.
Change Your Alarm Code Regularly
If you have a home alarm, changing the code every six months is considered best practice by security experts. Beyond the routine refresh, you should also update it any time there's been a change in circumstances — a relationship breakdown, a key departure from a household, or a previous security incident.
If you've ever had workmen, cleaners, or letting agents in your home and shared the alarm code with them, change it afterwards. It only takes a minute and closes off a potential vulnerability that's easy to overlook.
Making It Work Together: A Layered Approach to Home Security
The most effective home security isn't a single expensive system — it's multiple overlapping layers that each make it harder, riskier, and less rewarding for a would-be burglar to target your property. Think of it like an onion: the more layers they have to get through, the more likely they are to give up and move on.
Start with the fundamentals — good locks, secured windows, keys stored safely. Layer in deterrents — outdoor lighting, smart doorbells, gravel paths, thorny hedges. Back this up with smart technology where your budget allows. And finally, make sure your insurance is solid: review your policy regularly, make sure your locks meet your insurer's requirements, and declare high-value items.
Home security doesn't have to be overwhelming or expensive. Most of the measures in this guide cost very little — some cost nothing at all beyond a change in habit. But together, they can make a very real difference to your risk of being burgled and to your peace of mind.
Quick checklist:
Doors and windows locked? ✓
Keys stored safely? ✓
Alarm code up to date? ✓
Outbuildings locked? ✓
Outdoor lighting working? ✓
Valuables away from windows? ✓
What to Do If You're Burgled
Despite your best efforts, burglaries can still happen. If you come home to signs of a break-in, don't go inside - the burglar may still be on the premises. Call 999 immediately from a safe location. Once police have attended and cleared the scene, contact your insurer to begin the claims process as soon as possible.
Having a home inventory - a record of your belongings and their estimated value, this makes the claims process much smoother. Store it digitally somewhere accessible, ideally with photographs.
Burglary can feel like a deeply personal violation beyond the financial impact. Many homeowners report feelings of anxiety and insecurity long after the event. If this affects you or your family, your GP or organisations like Victim Support can provide guidance and practical help.