If you were ruling out the idea of buying a basement flat because you are worried about home security, and are worried that it is an easier target for burglaries, then rest assured that recent research carried out by new London magazine Basement Flats shows that ground floor flats are just as secure as first floor flats – or those higher up the building.
The magazine used an unusual but interesting method of finding out their results. Rather than trawling through figures and statistics they took advice from the ‘experts’ and gathered the information by speaking to ex police officers and former burglars.
During their interviews they spoke to recently retired Metropolitan police officer, Calvin Beckford, who said:
“There is absolutely no evidence to suggest that basement flats are at greater risk of burglary than any other property type. It all boils down to putting the right security measures into place. 90% of the time burglars make a spontaneous decision to break in and enter.”
From the opposite side of the fence, ex-offender Bill who is now working at Bounce Back, a charity which supports former convicts, said:
“Security in basement flats is very tight with many having more locks than other parts of a building. Flats on second and third floors reached by a communal door can arguably pose more of a risk for owners because a burglar has time to break a lock without being seen, whereas basements flats usually have their own access onto a street and their gardens and terraces are often overlooked.”
Tim Day who is the Managing Director of London estate agent Cutler & Bond which specilises in basement flats, was pleased to hear the reports. He said:
“Concerns about security have been a reason given by buyers to turn down the chance to buy a basement flat – but it would appear that their fears are unfounded. In fact, lower ground floor flats have many advantages, including direct access into a private outdoor space.”
If you are looking for some tips on home security why not check out our project on installing a sliding bolt which also features an instructional video or find out about fitting a security light with an integral motion camera in the video below.
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