We’ve all heard the horror stories of friends and neighbours getting broken into, but we never think it will happen to us.

On average the crime rate in student areas is much, much higher than the surrounding estates. And with big groups of mates living under one roof, all with their own laptops, TVs, tablets and phones, you can see why.

Here’s a few tips and tricks to prevent crime in your student house - and make sure you’re prepped should the worst happen.

Keep valuables in a safe place

This may seem an obvious one, but we’re all guilty of ignoring it. How many times have you rushed off to meet friends with your laptop on display, left a tablet or phone in the lounge, or forgot to move the expensive jewellery on your dressing table? Burglars want to get in and out of your house quickly and are unlikely to look long and hard for valuables. Keep them in a safe place, or buy a safe between you and your housemates - a great place to stash your booze when you throw a house party too.

Ask your landlord

You may already have a security system in place that you don’t know about or just needs updating. Sift through that stack of letting documents you got given at the start of your tenancy and check the sheet called inventory for an alarm system. Then give your landlord a nudge to secure your property properly. Chances are they won’t want the cost and the hassle of the house being broken into either.

Go smart

Smart tech can make it look like you’re home, even when you’re on a night out. Devices like Smart Plugs can turn lamps and TVs on and off on a timer. While smart apps help you access, set and unset cameras and alarm systems when you’re not home. Find out more about our ADT Smart Home package.

Get Insured

You may think you don’t need it, but contents insurance is a must for any student. As long as you have photos of your stuff, they’ll often replace items like for like - meaning more money for enjoying uni life, and less on replacing your valuables. You can sometimes get insurance included in your banking package, or failing that buy it pretty cheaply online.

Take photos of everything

Which leads us nicely onto our next point – photograph all your valuables. It gives your insurance evidence of what you have and the police a point of reference should it get stolen. Make sure to get any distinguishing marks and serial numbers too.

Back up your tech

If the worst were to happen and your laptop or tablet gets stolen, your work and photos don’t have to go with it. Invest in an external hard drive and back up those devices. And if you buy one with a big enough memory you can share it – and the cost, with your housemates too.

You can find out more about ADT and our bespoke Home Security packages today.