How to deal with a burglary
Responding to a burglary involves prioritising safety, contacting law enforcement, documenting for insurance, and seeking community support
Unfortunately, even if you take every single precaution, there is a chance you could still be the victim of a burglary. Should you experience this, we recommend following our four step process:
1. Report the break-in to the police immediatelyAs well as giving them the opportunity to catch the criminals, they’ll be able to provide you with a crime reference number. You will need this number for insurance purposes.
2. Secure the propertyIf doors or windows have been smashed or broken, they’ll need to be fixed. In the interim, you may need to board up any damage to make the property secure.
3. Take time-stamped photosThis will help with your insurance claim.
4. Contact your insurersOnce you’ve notified them of the burglary, they can begin your claim process and advise you on what you need to do next.
If your property has been damaged as a result of criminal activity, it’s your responsibility as the landlord to repair it.
However, landlords aren’t responsible for contents belonging to the tenant.
The only time the responsibility could shift to your tenant is if they have broken the terms of the tenancy agreement and acted in a way that resulted in the break-intaking place.
For example, if your tenant left a window open on the ground floor while they were out or failed to lock a door, then they will have broken the terms of the lease.
If this is the case, in addition to your tenant being potentially liable for the repairs, you will also need to review the terms of the tenancy agreement with them.
Going forward, it’s crucial that both parties (landlord and tenant) understand their responsibilities.
As mentioned previously, the first thing you should do (after calling the police)is secure the property.
This will prevent further intrusion and, importantly, make your tenants feel secure and safe.
Apart from the physical damage and loss of property, burglary has a significant psychological impact on people.
Your tenants are likely to feel unsafe and scared, so you need to do everything you can to make them feel more secure.
Board up broken doors or windows and make sure they are repaired as soon as possible.
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