Park Home Security

When it comes to our own private properties, we all want the best in park home security.  After all, there is nowhere that we would all rather be to feel safe, warm and secure!  Park homes give us incredible security and peace of mind.  Residential parks make sure homeowners are completely safe from outside threats.  That’s partly why they are so popular with retirees and people over the age of 50.

As we get older, our need for personal security increases.  Many of us feel less secure as we head towards retirement.  Therefore, having a simple lock and key isn’t enough.  As we get less mobile and less steady on our feet, we all need extra protection in our daily lives.

Sadly, older people are also at risk of crime.  Many criminals approach older people as they see them as easy targets!  Therefore, it makes sense to look for a park home.  But how can we make sure park homes are as safe and secure as they can be?

Park Homes are Safe by Design

When you move to a park home, you are instantly safer!  That’s because you become part of a gated, exclusive community.  Not only do you move into a neighbourhood that’s locked to the outside world, but you get to move close to like-minded people.  Residential parks have fantastic community spirit.  Therefore, you can always rely on your neighbours to look out for you.

Not all parks have full gates, but it’s becoming a more common sight.  Gated communities only allow access to residents and their guests.  Therefore, there is never any risk of unauthorised visitors.  This will give you a lot of peace of mind.  What’s more, park staff will always keep a close eye on who comes in and out.  You don’t get this protection if you live out in the suburbs!

All visitors to park communities should receive special badges or passes.  This will definitely be the case if they need to sign in to get through gates.

But what if your residential park doesn’t have gates?  Are there ways you can improve park home security on your own?  At SellMyGroup, we care deeply about the safety of all our customers.  Therefore, we’ve put together a guide for you below to give you a few ideas on how to make things even safer in your own park property.

How Can We Improve Park Home Security?

Residential parks should already be very safe to live in and enjoy.  However, you can never be too secure!  As well as relying on residential park security, you should also take full control of your own home safety.  Your park agreement may even ask that you do so!

Here are a few fantastic ways to secure your park home even further.

Check Your Locks and Bolts

Of course, the best way to secure your home is with top quality bolts and locks.  Most park homes should come with quality locks as standard.  However, you should always make sure to check your bolts regularly.  While the best locks and bolts are built to last, they can break down after years of use.  Some locks and bolts deteriorate and break by accident.  That could lead to a nightmare scenario later!

As well as making sure that your home warranty covers you for locks and bolts breaking down, you should think about using more bolts.  As we said above, you can never be too careful.  The good news is that top quality bolts and locks are very easy to find and install.  They are also very reasonable in terms of price.  Your park owner may even recommend locks and bolts you can use to upgrade your home.

You should also make sure to check your windows!  Even if you live at a gated community, you should be on the lookout for burglars and intruders.  Many people who want to break in will choose a window.  That’s because they often aren’t as secure as doors.  Therefore, be sure to bolt your windows, too, if you haven’t already.

Always ask your park owner and your warranty supplier for help and advice on bolts.  They will know some of the best choices on the market.

Choose an Alarm System

A lock and bolt will help to secure your home, but will they deter criminals?  A fantastic alarm system will give you great peace of mind.  However, there are many different types available!  Some will cover the whole home, while others will even call the police if an intruder approaches!  Many park homes will work with alarm providers.  Others may be happy to recommend alarm fitters to you if appropriate.

If you don’t want an alarm to cover your whole home, there are cheaper choices available.  For example, you could fit alarms to your main windows and doors.  Some will attach to door frames and windowsills.  They are magnetic systems, which means that when a magnetic field breaks, an alarm will call out.  They work a little bit like a laser grid.  However, do always make sure you shut your alarms off when you’re at home!

You can even buy doorstep alarms.  These alarms will fit under your door so that if you open your door to a stranger and you feel unsafe, they will trigger if they force entry.  Doorstep alarms are very popular with people who dislike cold callers.  With more and more people getting unwanted attention on their doorstep, this type of alarm is only growing in popularity!

Install a Safe

When it comes to protecting your valuable items, you should consider installing a safe.  A safe is a common way to hide items and to secure them away.  However, many burglars know what safes look like!  Therefore, they are likely to be one of the first things people look for when they break into a property.

It’s, therefore, a good idea to buy a safe which looks like an everyday household object.  Therefore, your safe will blend in with your other possessions.  It can then be harder for intruders to know what to look for when they break in.  You could buy a safe that looks like tinned food, or even a book or a picture frame.

Naturally, you don’t want people to break into your home at all!  However, one of the best park home security tips we can give is to hide anything tempting from clear display.  Don’t give burglars any opportunities to get what they want!

Other Park Home Security Tips

There are plenty of other things you can do to secure your home!  Here are few extra ideas to keep in mind.

• Always close your blinds and curtains at night.  If burglars see lights or a TV on through a window, they may see the chance to break in.  Don’t put anything on display!  Close curtains – shut the world out at night.
• Invest in a light timer.  You can attach these to lights in your home so that they activate at specific times of the day.  This can work as a great deterrent for any would-be intruders.  Unfortunately, some burglars are likely to break in when it looks like you’re at homes, while others will avoid you!  The best thing to do is to avoid giving away any opportunities.
• You should be extra careful if you leave your home for even a short period.  Make sure to close your curtains and use light timers if you need to leave.  You should also ask your neighbours to keep a close eye on things.  One of the best things about park communities is that they are very close-knit!
• If you trust your neighbour enough, you may even ask them to hold a key for you.  However, do not do this if you have just moved in, or if you don’t feel you know your neighbours well enough.  If you trust them, they could pop in occasionally to check everything is ok.
• Be vigilant! You never know when intruders may be lurking around.  You also never know what they look like.  Be sure to take everything valuable off display, and to try and deter crime as much as you can.  One of the best park home security tips is to keep things quiet, discreet, and to lock up whenever you leave.

Taking Park Home Security Seriously

All the parks we list here at SellMyGroup take park home security very seriously.  Even if the park you move to doesn’t have a gate, it will still receive protection from on-site staff and patrols.  Therefore, don’t worry.  If you have any safety or security concerns, be sure to ask your new park owners for help and advice.

A great park home should be warm, safe and secure for you to enjoy.  Why should you spend your retirement worrying about intruders?  Make sure you protect everything you care about.  In addition, take a look at our complete guide park home insurance,