Sealing up a letterbox

googler

ChapelGirl wrote: »

We have a house which at the moment is unoccupied pending sale. All of the insurers I have approached about insuring it make it a condition of the policy that I seal up the letterbox. It's a standard metal flap letterbox in a wooden door.

Does the flap open outward to the street, or inward toward the house?

ChapelGirl

Sally_A wrote: »

What's the reason behind the insurers request?

To stop junk mail being posted and piling up?
To stop yobbos, squirting petrol through the letter box and setting fire to the place? If you know what the insurers are trying to avoid, it may help you to seal the letter box to suit.

Probably both. Junk mail advertises that a property is empty and makes it a target for vandals, squatters etc. It's also a source of combustibles if kids put lighted materials through the letterbox.

Sally_A wrote: »

Good luck...most will just advise "It says it in the unoccupancy wording" without knowing the reason why.

Yes. Tell me about it! That's why I'm asking on this Forum. Sigh!

ChapelGirl

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Have you asked the insurance company what they have in mind? I wouldn't do a dodge it, bodge it and scarper job, any idiot with a knife or pair of sharp scissors can cut through duct tape or cardboard and burn the place to the ground. If they smash a window or break a metal panel there are clear signs of forced entry for forensics, if cardboard burns into a tiny bit of ash there may be no proof you ever sealed with letterbox. I'm with Propertyman.

http://www.neighbourhoodwatch.net/index.php?func=PageStory&Type=Feature&StoryId=4988
http://www.insight-direct.co.uk/shop.php?viewcategory=24
http://www.home-security-store.co.uk/product_info.php?product_id=230&cat=1

I take your point, but I think it would have to be quite some fire to destroy all evidence of copious quantities of duct tape and cardboard, for example. At that point there probably wouldn't be much left of the door either!

Fire_Fox

ChapelGirl wrote: »

I take your point, but I think it would have to be quite some fire to destroy all evidence of copious quantities of duct tape and cardboard, for example. At that point there probably wouldn't be much left of the door either!

Up to you, I wouldn't risk it for the sake of a tenner! When it is 'quite some fire' is when you need insurance most, I assume you could cover a minor fire confined to the hall but not a full rebuild. There miight well not be much left of the door if someone pours petrol through.

propertyman

ChapelGirl wrote: »

If I were to alter the appearance of the outside of the door such as by removing the letter flap that might actually make the security worse, as people would guess the house was empty. I reckon it needs to be done from the inside only.

then cut the wood to fit the wood inside the hole and refix the letter box.....:wall:

googler

ChapelGirl wrote: »

If I were to alter the appearance of the outside of the door such as by removing the letter flap that might actually make the security worse, as people would guess the house was empty. I reckon it needs to be done from the inside only.

If the flap hinges in toward the house, cut a piece of wood the size of the slot in the door, place it in the slot and secure it with screws driven sideways at an angle to the inner sides of the letterbox slot.

If it hinges out, drill a hole in the flap, and pass a blank-headed 'security' bolt (from B&Q or the like) through, and secure this behind the door, through a piece of wood overlapping the letterbox, with a couple of locknuts to prevent it being unscrewed.

Both solutions will leave the visible surfaces of the door undamaged. The latter leaves a hole in the flap, but that can be replaced more easily than the door.