Ding-dong ditch, ditched: 4.2 million British households have video doorbells

• Video doorbells are the most popular home safety tech on the market 
• 50% of Brits still don’t trust new home safety gadgets 
• Only 3% of British households are using a smart lock

Video doorbells are leading the next generation of home security, as 4.2 million British households have installed this modern safety technology, new research from GoCompare Home Insurance has revealed.[1]

Wireless security cameras are also in demand in the UK, being used in 3.9 million households. Although security cameras have been available for longer, this high number can likely be somewhat accredited to devices becoming better connected across the world.

Video doorbells, on the other hand, were only introduced to the market in 2013, showing that the popularity of these systems has grown at a staggering rate. As they sweep the nation, however, not everyone is convinced. 

Of those surveyed, 50% said that they don’t trust smart home technology. Interestingly, this split in opinion found that younger Brits are the least likely to trust the technology, with 54% of 18-34-year-olds stating this. Older millennials (35-54-year-olds) find these products slightly more dependable, with only 46% declaring distrust, whereas those aged 55 and over were an even 50/50 split on trusting/not trusting the devices. 

Smart locks are one of the least used smart home security devices, as the vast majority (97%) are yet to add this technology to their homes. These devices are one of the most expensive smart technologies on the market – an issue that’s exacerbated by their additional installation fees. 

Cost was the largest barrier for those without a smart home safety device, with 44% stating this as the reason they didn’t have any of this cutting edge tech. Hacking was also a large concern, as almost a third (30%) named it as a reason they didn’t use the gadgets. 

Ceri McMillan, home insurance expert at GoCompare said: “Tech over the last few years has made huge advancements to making people’s lives easier and that is no different with smart home technology. We have seen the introduction of smart doorbells, smart thermostats and leak detection devices within UK households, all with the aim of making life simpler, safer and potentially cheaper.”

“Should a consumer be comfortable with adapting to the technology and have the funds to do so, then there are a lot of positives to smart technology. But of course, there have been some negatives associated with smart tech in the home, mainly centred around smart doorbells and how they could be susceptible to being hacked.”

For more information on smart home safety technology, visit GoCompare’s website.