Private renting and burgled

Slinky

If the landlord won't fit an alarm, why don't you get and fix a dummy bellbox to the wall outside. It will provide a visual deterrant against being done again. Additionally you can get things like "shed alarms" to fit to doors. You could fix this to your back door and remove it when you leave the property.

firsttimetom

Sounds like a horrible experience. We got a basic alarm (link 1 below) when some people in our village were held by a madman who broke in and tied them up and waved a shotgun at them!! It really helped us sleep better at night.

What you could do though is get something like link 2 below. You can put the magnetic door alarms on the doors, there are some PIR sensors and best of all it will phone your mobile if you are broken into. That way you can go home every night knowing you are fine because the alarm hasn't rang your mobile. You can put the PIRs on at night so if someone breaks in then, you will be woken and this is usually enough to make any intruder run.

They are expensive (ish) at £130, and there may be cheaper alternatives out there (this was just the first thing I found on eBay), but you are going to have to pay £150 + VAT minimum to get out of there and even more if you cannot find a replacement tenant.

An Alarm system should allow you to enjoy your property without feeling so nervous about living there. You were really unlucky for it to happen so soon after moving in, it sounds like it was just a chancer, and it could have happened to anyone on the street. You could live there for another 40 years without being burgled again. You could move to another street opposite the police station and get burgled tomorrow. Burglary is largely oppurtunistic and even basic detterents will work wonders.

Link 1: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-WIRELESS-PIR-MOTION-SENSOR-ALARM-c-w-REMOTE-CONTROL-/270480737409?pt=UK_Burglar_Alarms&hash=item3ef9e88481

Link 2: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SECURITY-WIRELESS-GSM-HOUSE-BURGLAR-INTRUDER-FIRE-ALARM-/150543789257?pt=UK_Burglar_Alarms&hash=item230d1becc9

KILL_BILL

about 6 months ago my flat was broken into whilst i was at work... i didnt think of it at the time but i think now 99.9% that i was my next door neighbour even though i have never had an issues with them prior to this. The thing is that there is 3 seperate flats in out block which has a communal front door and my flat is on the top floor was the only one broken into. my neighbour front door is on the same floor as mine and therefore gave them ample oppouruntiy to break in whilst i was out.

as ususal the police took no interest in the matter and closed the case of without discussing with me.

Fortunatly i had contents insurance which i got when i first moved into the property.

Now i know obv there are worst burglarys that take place but still kinda knowing that the neightbour is the culprit makes it hard to not flip out

rentergirl

Am I dreaming this, but if the door was so easy to kick down, shouldn't the landlord take steps to really re-inforce and strengthen it. Again, more in hope than...legality, you should be able to reasonably give notice having been through such a horrible experience and find that he's not doing his best ie the alarm story rubbish. Anyone?

KiKi

rentergirl wrote: »

Am I dreaming this, but if the door was so easy to kick down, shouldn't the landlord take steps to really re-inforce and strengthen it. Again, more in hope than...legality, you should be able to reasonably give notice having been through such a horrible experience and find that he's not doing his best ie the alarm story rubbish. Anyone?

As it was more than 4 months ago I imagine it's dealt with by now.