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04/28/09   |   By

Apartment Safety Basics | DC Metro Area Personal Injury Law Blog

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Apartment safety may begin with renter’s insurance, but it certainly doesn’t end there, as recently reported in Apartments.com.  To protect yourself and your belongings, experts recommend the following simple guidelines:

DO…

  • Write only your last name or initials on your mailbox.
  • Make sure the locks on all doors leading into your apartment have been changed since the last tenant was living there.
  • Ask your landlord to install a peephole in your front door.
  • Stay alert when entering your apartment.  Avoid talking on your cell phone or looking preoccupied when walking toward your building.
  • Report bad lighting or overgrown shrubbery to your landlord.
  • Inventory the description, serial number and cost of your valuables.  Keep a copy of your records online, in a fireproof locked box or in a safe deposit box in a bank.  Take pictures of your most valuable items and attach those to your receipts to make any insurance claims run as smoothly as possible.
  • Keep a broom handle or other long stick in the track of sliding glass doors, to deter break-ins.
  • Purchase light timers and set them so that your lights turn on while you’re away in the evening.
  • Take in your newspapers and packages daily.
  • Call 9-1-1 any time you sense danger.
  • Get to know the people in your building.  Attend a neighborhood watch meeting.
  • Notify a trusted neighbor if you are going to be gone for more than a couple of days.
  • Lock your windows when you go to bed or leave the apartment.  Unlocked windows are the easiest way for criminals to enter a building.
  • Check your smoke alarms to ensure they are working properly, and practice using fire extinguishers.  Replace the batteries in your smoke detector every six months.

DON’T…

  • Leave valuables in the windows of your apartment or car.  Place valuables in a secure place or in storage whenever possible.
  • Leave your clothing unattended in the laundry room.
  • Prop the lobby door open or allow others to do so.
  • Leave your car or apartment door unlocked, not even for a minute.
Regan Zambri Long
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