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Security For Apartment And Condominium Residents:
Windows:
Check the windows, especially sliding glass doors that open to the balcony. Even on an upper floor in a high rise, a daring burglar can gain access, especially if balconies are close to each other. For additional security, invest in portable door and window alarms or a wireless system that you can take with you when you move out.
Other Concerns:
Check the security of the building’s public areas. Look for adequate lighting in the parking lot, in hallways, and in the laundry room and storage areas. Make sure the emergency phone in the elevator works.
If your building has an intercom system, make sure it works. Never buzz in someone you don’t know. Instead, refer them to the manager. Don’t put your first name or initial on your mailbox or apartment door; strangers don’t need to know your gender or to assume only one adult is living there.
Think about fire safety, too. Be sure your apartment or condo has working smoke detectors, and that public areas have smoke detectors, as well. Know the best way to get out of the building in case of a fire.
Check the windows, especially sliding glass doors that open to the balcony. Even on an upper floor in a high rise, a daring burglar can gain access, especially if balconies are close to each other. For additional security, invest in portable door and window alarms or a wireless system that you can take with you when you move out.
Other Concerns:
Check the security of the building’s public areas. Look for adequate lighting in the parking lot, in hallways, and in the laundry room and storage areas. Make sure the emergency phone in the elevator works.
If your building has an intercom system, make sure it works. Never buzz in someone you don’t know. Instead, refer them to the manager. Don’t put your first name or initial on your mailbox or apartment door; strangers don’t need to know your gender or to assume only one adult is living there.
Think about fire safety, too. Be sure your apartment or condo has working smoke detectors, and that public areas have smoke detectors, as well. Know the best way to get out of the building in case of a fire.
Since you can’t do much in the way of improvements, your best option is to evaluate an apartment for security before you sign the lease.
Doors And Locks:
Start at the front door-check the lock on the door to the building. And, make sure the door to your apartment has at least two locks-one should be a dead bolt-and a good chain.
Doors And Locks:
Start at the front door-check the lock on the door to the building. And, make sure the door to your apartment has at least two locks-one should be a dead bolt-and a good chain.
Security
in an apartment or condo complex rests largely in the hands of your
landlord or condominium association, but common sense precautions on
your part can also make a big difference.
A solid-core door
is just as essential on an apartment as it is on a house. Ask to
have one installed if the existing door is hollow core. Many
newer apartments have solid core doors for fire safety.
Never open the door of your unit to a stranger. Most communities have building codes that require peephole viewers in apartment doors; get in the habit of using yours. Above all, never leave the door to your apartment unlocked, whether you are home or not.
Never open the door of your unit to a stranger. Most communities have building codes that require peephole viewers in apartment doors; get in the habit of using yours. Above all, never leave the door to your apartment unlocked, whether you are home or not.
When you
move in, insist that the locks be changed. (Swapping the cylinder with
one from another vacant unit costs nothing and takes just a few
minutes). If you don’t like what’s provided, consider
adding a surface mounted deadbolt lock. Be sure to get management approval before you install it, or ask that they do it for you.
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