repairs & maintenance
Home safety - increase in burglary We were told at the last police meeting in Bishop’s Cleeve the number of burglaries in the area has gone up since the last quarter, particular shed and distraction burglaries. Is your home protected from crime? There are plenty of ways that you can prevent your home from being targeted for theft. Here are some of our tips.
Always lock the door and close windows when you go out, even if you’ll only be out for a short time. In 3 out of 10 burglaries, thieves do not have to use force. They get in through an open door or window. Use deadlocks if you have them - they make it more difficult for thieves to get out again. Don’t leave spare keys outside or in a garage or shed. Keep garden sheds and garages locked and think about using a battery operated alarm.
Keep car and garage keys out of sight in the house.
Don’t leave window and door keys in their locks.
Always draw your curtains at night and make sure valuable items cannot be easily seen from outside.
Make sure that garden tools or ladders that could be used to force entry into your home, are not left lying around. Keep them stored in a shed, garage or locked away out of sight.
New repairs handbook out now! We have listened to your comments and feedback and have replaced our repairs handbook with a new, easy to follow edition. You may have already received your copy of the new booklet, but if not do not worry they are on their way, or pick up one when you next pop into the office. The repairs handbook helps you to understand what you are responsible for in your home, your rights, and how to report a repair. We’ve included some helpful advice 10
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and tips to help avoid having costly repairs such as, condensation, blockages and how to reset your trip switch. You’ll also find a section with our service standards and code of conduct. We hope you enjoy the new handbook, and find it useful for maintaining your home. If you have any questions or feedback do get in touch, call 01684 272727 or email info@svhs.org.uk
58% of burglaries take place in the evening or night, and 34% occur at the weekend. Use timers for a light and radio if you will be out of the house overnight. They create the impression that someone is at home (it’s not recommended to use TVs for this purpose).
Mark your belongings with a property marking product.
Neighbourhood Watch and other ‘watch’ schemes are excellent ways for communities to fight burglary.