Moving is a Big Thing. When you move house there’s a lot for you to think about, a lot that can go wrong and a lot that you’re just going to forget. In fact, moving is one of the most stressful things you go through in life, along with weddings and funerals.
But it’s also one of the most common, with the average person moving 7 times in their life. And during all of that stress there’s one thing that’s often forgotten – changing your locks. Which isn’t great, given that it’s the most important thing you do!
Security
The biggest reason to get new locks with your new house is security. Houses have history, and unless you’re buying a new build that they’ve just finished putting the roof tiles on, you don’t really know how many people have lived there before you, or how many copies of your keys are floating around. Especially if it used to be a rental property!
New locks with new keys mean you know your home will be secure. I recommend getting at least your front and back door locks changed, but ideally, you want brand new locks on every single window and door on the property. Just to be sure.
Insurance
You have a home, so you have insurance, right? Homeowners and contents insurance in an ideal world. Presumably you have that insurance because if something were to happen, you want to be able to claim on that insurance to make you whole again. But instance companies are slippery so-and-so’s, and we all know they like to avoid paying out if they can. Not changing the locks when you move in gives them just the excuse they need.
That’s because they don’t deem your home secure, since you have assumed that all of the keys to your home have been handed to you. Pretty much echoing the point above. Insurance companies like to see some evidence of forced entry on burglary claims, so if there is no evidence of brute force and you didn’t have the locks changed, they would assume the burglar used a key and invalidate your insurance claim. But if you can prove you changed the locks, then you stand a better chance of a payout.
Making Sure they Work
I can’t tell you how many call-outs I’ve been to where the lock I’m replacing is old, damaged or just not up to code. Some of them have even been there since the house was built in the 50s! Believe it or not, there are certain standards that locks in the UK have to meet, and they get updated every now and then too. Which means if you have older locks in your home they may very well not be up to the current codes. If you’ve bought an older house then those locks could be decades old, making them only slightly better than having no locks at all. This goes for newer properties as well!!
Looks
Finally, you might want to change your locks purely for looks. It’s your new home after all, and you want to put your stamp on it and make it your own. Changing our the hardware in your door is an easy way to change the look and feel of your home and give it a bit more personality at the same time. See? It’s not all doom and gloom! Sometimes there are perfectly wholesome reasons to change your locks!
At My Locks, changing out locks on your new home is our bread and butter. I carry a wide range of hardware at all times, so I can repair or replace any lock with something secure and just to your taste. If you’ve not changed your locks yet, give us a call to fine out more.