Your home is a place to retreat after a long day at the office – or at least it was before the coronavirus pandemic!

During lockdown, crime rates have seemingly dropped in the UK. But being at home more doesn’t necessarily equate to better protection against theft and you should definitely consider tightening up your home security systems. Although easily overlooked, the best place to start is with your front door.

A secure door lock is the first line of defence against burglars and intruders in your property. So, if you feel your home security may be compromised or in need of an upgrade, you must make sure you replace your door locks.

Here we look at 5 tell-tale signs it’s time to swap your existing locks for new:

1. Wear and tear

Unfortunately – as much as we would love them to – door locks don’t last forever. As locks get older, they become worn. When this happens, they tend to perform less efficiently and develop weaknesses which could make it easier for a burglar to pick and damage – making your home less secure.

Take a look at your door locks. Do they show any apparent signs of damage, rust or wear? If so, then we suggest replacing them.

2. Stolen or missing keys

Ok…so we’ve all been there before and misplaced our door keys – only to find them hours later after not looking hard enough. But for times where keys are stolen or lost, you must make sure you replace your door locks, as someone may have picked them up (either out of your bag, pocket or even off the pavement).

If you’re forever losing your keys, why not upgrade your current door locks to smart locks? These don’t need a key, so instantly save you the hassle of remembering where you last put them or to pick them up before you leave, and instead, use a numerical code.

3. Someone moved out

Have you been letting your property to tenants? Had a roommate or family member staying who’s moving on to pastures new? Perhaps you’ve recently split from your long-term partner?

Whatever it may be, as soon as someone who previously shared or rented your property moves out, it’s recommended that you change your door locks. Why? Well, even though spare keys are meant to be handed back to you, you can never be too sure whether copies of the spare have been made. And, this can increase the risk of a break-in.

4. Moving into a new house

Moving house can be stressful. From packing everything up and trying to remember what you put in each box to arranging removal teams and buying furniture for your new place, there is so much to think about. But before you crack open the bubbly and welcome people round, it’s good practice to change the door locks.

Although you’ll be handed the keys on ‘moving in day’ – when it’s officially yours – there is no way of knowing whether previous tenants have made copies of the key and whether they handed them in. Even if your house is a new-build, you still might want to replace the locks for your own peace of mind or to fit door chains or smart locks as an extra line of defence.

5. After a break-in

In the unfortunate event of a break-in – it’s best to assume that your keys have ended up in the wrong hands, therefore – it’s critical you change all the locks as soon as possible.

Burglars could have tampered with your locks to gain entry and, in doing so, damaged your lock so it no longer fits in the door rebate. This can leave your home vulnerable to repeat burglary if not replaced. Luckily, we have an extensive range of door locks to offer from leading security brands, such as Briton, Era, Union and Yale. With so many to choose from, we are confident that we have the perfect solution to upgrade your home security.