Sharing the kitchen, waiting for your turn in the shower, handing over control of the TV remote - living with others can sometimes be trying, but it can also be a lot of fun. However, it's important to insure your valuables from potential thieves - both inside and outside your home.
Here are 8 top tips to protecting you property while living with others:
1. Get some cover
First things first: check out insurance deals online for a competitive quote. Make sure you read the small print - does your policy cover the whole house or just your room, and what does that include: fire, theft, damage? It might be that everyone in the house has to get their own policy, or that you can all go under one and split the cost.
2. Lock up
Get a good lock on all doors and windows. In a shared house, you might want to put a lock on your bedroom door too. Think about extra security locks, chains or deadlocks on your front and back doors. Ask your landlord to install these if necessary.
3. Hide valuables
Keep valuables away from windows. Shiny objects left out in the open will be irresistible to burglars. If you leave jewellery or gadgets lying around in the open, some
home insurance policies won't pay out.
4. Do a full inventory
If you're moving into a furnished or part-furnished place, you'll get a list of everything in the house when you move in. Make a note of any dents, chips and damage to the décor and let the landlord know so you don't have to worry about covering the costs out of your own pocket.
5. Ask for evidence
Ask for copies of all relevant safety certificates, i.e. gas and electric. If you don't have these items and an appliance causes damage that leads to a home insurance claim, it could be dismissed. Keep documents (such as insurance policy, copy of tenancy agreement, safety certificates, inventory) together in a file and in a safe place.
6. Magic marker
Get an invisible pen - that's not a pen you can't see, but one filled with ink that's visible only in the glare of an ultra violet lamp. Write your name and postcode on items around the house - for example, on the inside of your phone's battery cover, or the bottom of your TV. If your items are stolen, all you'll need is a UV light to prove they're yours.
7. Bland is best
Don't leave telltale signs of your personality on the outside of your house. A life-size cut-out of Han Solo might look cool, but anyone casing your house might assume you're a student - one of the most targeted groups for burglars as they tend to have little money to spend on home security. A well-kept house frontage displays the maturity that comes with being security conscious.
8. Join Neighbourhood Watch
It may sound like an old cliché, but joining a neighbourhood watch scheme can reduce your home insurance premiums and also ward off potential burglars. If they see a sticker in the window suggesting everyone looks out for each other in the area, they might just think twice about breaking in.
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