The survey, which asked people to provide details on the security and safety they have in their homes, has shown an increase in the number of people with home security features. Nearly 90% of us have a smoke alarm, 85% have window locks and 72% good quality door locks. However, of those that are putting off home maintenance, 37% one in five, 21% are delaying plans to repair broken or malfunctioning window and door locks and 11% are ignoring faulty alarm systems*. This means that the safety and security of many UK homes could be at risk.
For example, nearly 40% mentioned that they had an intruder alarm fitted, but less than half, 44% admitted that they had actually checked that it was in working order.
Listed below are the top five safety and security features that people admitted they had never checked;
Fire extinguishers 69%
Intruder alarm 56%
Electrical wiring 54%
Gas pipes 51%
Roof and chimney 42%
Where do we feel safest?
All those who lived in remote countryside, 100%, said that they felt safe in their home all the time compared with just over half, 52%, of those who lived in a city centre.
People who live on main road feel the least safe, with just over two fifths, 41% mentioning that they felt safe all of the time. This is despite good street lighting on the majority of main roads, 94%. Interestingly, maybe knowing our neighbours may make us feel safer. 80% of those people who live in the remote countryside said they knew their neighbours very well or quite well.
When compared with those who live in a city centre or on a main road, who do not feel so safe in their homes, 54% and 62% mentioned that they did not know their neighbours at all or not very well. These were also the areas where there was unlikely to be a Neighbourhood Watch scheme in place, 72% and 85% which could actually help people to feel safer in their homes.
Ruth Wilkins, Head of communications for Legal & General's general insurance business said: "It is very encouraging that there has been an increase on last year in the number of people that have security measures in their homes. People mentioned that they've made their homes more secure with new windows and quality locks. Although there were still a small number, 13%, who mentioned that they still rely on a dog to protect their property.
Although 76% stated that they feel just as safe in their home as they did five years ago, if people are not checking their safety and security measures, they may not be as safe as they think. A few simple checks could mean that our properties are safer and so prevent the need to make a claim under a household insurance policy.
Installing an intruder alarm, good quality locks or living in a Neighbourhood Watch area are all good preventative measures to help keep our homes secure. Plus using approved security measures could also result in a discount on the cost of household insurance cover."
To help improve awareness of the precautions and checks we all should take to protect our homes Legal & General has prepared a special guide, Safeguarding your home**. It outlines useful tips and explains home security features to help homeowners and those in rented accommodation protect their property and possessions.
As part of the household buildings insurance cover provided to customers, Legal & General include home emergency cover as standard so if customers do experience a problem such as a burst pipe, they may call an approved tradesperson to carry out an emergency repair, up to the value of £150.
