Post-lockdown Wales will need to lock-up or lose out

– over 2/3 of Wales at risk of burglary this Summer 

      Freedom day is finally around the corner, but as the UK flocks to full capacity pubs and newly opened clubs, home security must rise to the top of homeowners agendas.

      New data from Quotezone.co.uk, insurance comparison website, shows that over two thirds (84%) of people in Wales do not have a burglar alarm system in their homes. More worryingly still is that the findings, which are based on a sample size of more than 350,000 home insurance policies collated over three years, shows that 72% of neighbourhoods in Yorkshire do not currently have a neighbourhood watch in operation.

      It’s clear that home security has fallen down the priority list for many and now couldn’t be a better time to rectify this. Burglaries reduced by 28%* as a result of lockdown as more people stayed at home, suggesting that without the right measures in place a rebound post-lockdown is very likely. What’s more, this coincides with studies which show that during the months of June-August home burglaries are the highest with a spike of 10% compared with the rest of the year.**

     Therefore, a surge of people spending more time outside of their homes as well as abroad on holiday, alongside a seasonal spike in crime means that now is most definitely the time to be thinking about simple steps to keep you home protected this Summer. Some top tips from Quotezone.co.uk below:

• Do invest in light timers to switch on your lights as it approaches dusk for an hour or two to give the appearance that someone is home. The light sensors that switch on when someone approaches the property illuminates intruders and act as a deterrent.
• Do not broadcast your plans on social media and if you do want to post holiday snaps, make sure your settings are set to private to avoid alerting strangers to your location.
• Do make any security or alarm systems you do have noticeable to potential burglars with key positioning at the front or back of the house. If you do not have a system then you can pick up CCTV signs from your local police station.
• Do check your insurance policy before you travel, look out for limits on leaving your property unoccupied and how long you can be away and still make a claim.

Greg Wilson, Founder of Quotezone.co.uk comments: “It does seem as if we could be heading towards a perfect storm in which more people spend time outside for the first time in 18 months, alongside a seasonal spike in crime, leading to a wave of burglaries throughout July and August”

“It is surprising that so few people across the UK have alarm systems or are involved in neighbourhood watch groups. Now is a good time to rethink the way they households are protecting their homes. Even if an alarm system is not something people can invest in right now, there are many other tips and tricks to secure your home and leave you feeling safer this Summer.”

      About Quotezone.co.uk:

• Launched in 2005, Quotezone.co.uk has grown to become one of the UK’s leading insurance comparison platforms. An early pioneer of price comparison systems, the Quotezone.co.uk platform continues to use proprietary comparison technology to help millions of people find better deals on their insurance each year.
• Quotezone.co.uk’s parent company, Seopa, was founded by the Northern Irish entrepreneur, Greg Wilson, in 2003.
• From its headquarters in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Greg Wilson, CEO, and Ian Wilson, Managing Director, have grown the company to more than 50 team members spread across two European offices.
• The company has been recognised with six Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Awards, and has been awarded a Deloitte Best Managed Company Award each year for the past three years – topped by the Gold Standard Deloitte Award for Best Managed Company this year (2020) – making it four consecutive wins.