If you’ve invested in a property of any shape or size, it makes sense to make it as secure and safe as possible, not only for the sake of your bank balance, but for the safety and peace of mind of your tenants as well.

With so much to take into account when you first purchase a property for investment, including purchasing unlimited insurance cover in some cases, it can be difficult to know where to start when safeguarding the building itself, but it really shouldn’t be a tricky process.

Firstly, the main entrance door to the property needs to be fitted with a mortice deadlock of at least five levers or rim deadlock which conforms to the appropriate industry standards. Any other single external doors need to have either a mortice deadlock or rim deadlock as with the main entrance door, but you also have the option here of fitting a key-operated lock with a bolt at the top and bottom.

Obviously the material of your door will affect which lock you choose to use. For example, doors made of glass panels suit key-operated mortice rack bolts, so make sure you bear this in mind. The thickness of the door will also affect your choice.

If you have patio doors, make sure each door has a key-operated patio door lock at the top and bottom as well as the main lock fitted by the manufacturer.

The world of windows security is a little simpler to understand; just make sure all windows that can be opened are fitted with key-operated locks designed especially for windows.

Follow these simple tips and you’ll be well on your way to turning your property into a safe haven for your tenants, while making sure your building contents insurance policy premium is kept as low as possible.

Another British winter, another flurry of warnings that this one is going to be even worse than the last, and we all know how bad the depressing winter months of 2010 were!

One insurance company has taken this opportunity to warn property investors that they should be making significant modifications to their properties in order to make sure their tenants (especially their most vulnerable tenants) don’t face a winter of hardship and misery as the snow, wind, hail, and rain become permanent fixtures on the UK’s weather map.

The main points of concern for anyone who rents out a property include issues with the water pipe insulation. Burst water pipes over the winter lie behind one of the most popular reasons for claims made on home buildings contents insurance policies. Now is the time to check the pipes throughout your property, and take action immediately if you notice any torn or damaged insulation, even if it doesn’t look too bad from first glance.

Furthermore, any loose tiles on the roof or dodgy fixtures on or around the chimney can cause untold damage to the property as a whole in high winds, so set aside an hour or so this weekend to get up onto the roof to have a good look around.

The insurance company also warned property investors that they should be double checking their home and contents insurance policies to make sure that every potential eventuality is covered before it’s too late.

Although this advice was issued for property investors, it represents sound advice for anyone who owns a house; the main tip to follow is to act now, be proactive, and double check your policy in detail, or pay much, much more in the long-run.