Getting your home security right

The main function of your home security is twofold. It needs to be a deterrent to intruders and where it fails to deter a would-be burglar it needs to prevent entry to your property.

There is a third aspect to your security, monitoring your property to alert either you or the emergency services of attempts at illicit entry. Nowadays it’s all about being Smart.

The basis of home security is a good set of locks on doors and windows.

There are several types of lock to choose from.

The mortice deadlock is one of the most common types of door lock. It needs a key to lock it and to open it. Mortice denotes that the lock is set into the door. The levers inside the lock are pushed up in relation to the shape of the key to allow the bolt to move. The more levers the better but five is the maximum for residential locks currently. The deadlock is the bolt that slides into the doorframe to secure the door.

Mortice sash locks have a deadlock, but they also have a latch bolt. This means that the door can be opened from the inside with a latch when the deadlock is not engaged. It is still secure from the outside.

Rim locks are like mortice deadbolts but are surface mounted rather than recessed into the door. The box contains a lock and a latch. Rim locks are usually fitted where the door is too thin to admit a mortice and are less secure.

Key operated multi-point locking systems are found on modern uPVC and composite doors. The system bolts the door into the frame and locks it at various points.

Night latches – sometimes referred to as Yale Locks although Yale is a brand name – secure the door as soon as it’s closed. They can be opened from the outside by a key and can be deadlocked from the inside by sliding a ‘snib’ button into place. This type of lock is fitted to the surface of the door.

Securing doors

Fit a five-lever mortice dead lock which conforms to British Standard 3621 or European Standard EN 12209.

Avoid glazed panels if you can and ensure that where you have glazed panels they are laminated or toughened glass.

Fit a spy hole and a chain limiter.

Fit a five-lever sash lock half way up the back door and make sure it conforms to the appropriate British or European standard. Supplement the lock with mortice sash bolts at the top and bottom of the door.

Use extra locks on French windows and patio doors, such as multi-locking system. These kinds of doors are a burglar’s favourite way to get into your home.

Securing windows

Modern windows will probably have latches that are already fitted with locks. Older windows may not so you may need to retro-fit locks. Sash locks are fine, but you will need to keep the keys to hand in case of emergency.

Fit window alarms - much cheaper than a full-on alarm system. They are triggered by vibrations on the window glass and have sirens which emit 100 decibels.

Good deterrents include a visible alarm box connected to a good alarm system, CCTV camera systems and exterior lighting.

There are several types of alarms. These are bells-only alarms, dialler burglar alarms, smart-house security systems and monitoring contracts. They can either be traditional wired systems, or wireless. What you choose will depend on budget and location. You could also install exterior dummy alarm boxes. You need to make them look as authentic as possible. Make sure it has an LED light. Which has some great advice on alarms. 

CCTV systems fitted in a visible location make a great deterrent. You can keep an eye on your home and loved ones as well as monitoring for intruders. You can buy cameras on their own, or as part of a whole security package. Costs range from around £20 for one wired camera with a night-vision range of 5 metres, to around £450 for a vandal-proof camera. You will need to purchase equipment to accompany the camera, depending on what type you choose, such as connectors and a digital video recorder (DVR) to store and view footage. Again, Which has some great advice on the topic.

Exterior lighting provides a great night-time deterrent. Security lighting can be passive infrared, which illuminates when triggered by movement to deter intruders. Dusk to dawn lamps can remain on all night to provide added protection. Exterior lighting will light up fences and paths for safety and help to keep sheds and outbuildings secure.

It’s always a good idea to have alarm systems, CCTV systems and exterior lighting professionally installed for best results. This will also help the next time you are negotiating premiums with your insurance company.

There are now alternatives to the traditional burglar alarm system. A new wave of smart home security systems has hit the market. Smart systems combine many of the features of a traditional burglar alarm with the ability to monitor, control and interact with your home from an app on your smartphone or tablet. A smart home security system is a set of an internet-connected security gadgets, which typically include a combination of wireless security cameras, sirens, motion detectors, door locks, and sensors that detect when a door or window has been opened. You can also connect lighting, heating, blinds etc.

Welcome to the future of home security!

Allison Homes sponsors First Time Buyers Readers' Awards

We were delighted to sponsor the ‘Best estate agent for first time buyers’ category at yesterday’s First Time Buyers Readers' Awards at the Waldorf Hotel in London.

A panel of expert judges shortlisted three entries from estate agents who offer ‘that little bit extra’ for first time buyers – and the readers of First Time Buyer magazine voted for the winner.

Their choice was SiteSales Property Group, a London-based agent which has worked with developers of some ‘big name’ schemes such as the former 2012 London Olympics Athletes Village, the redevelopment of Walthamstow Stadium and the redevelopment of the former Dr Barnardo’s children’s home in Barkingside (which also won an award yesterday as the ‘most innovative redevelopment of an existing property’).

Runner up in the ‘Best estate agent for first time buyers’ category was Belvoir Bromley.

Allison Homes director of marketing Helen Jones was at the awards event to present the winners and runners-up with their trophies. That's Helen on the right in our photo with celebrity host at the event Jonnie Irwin (presenter of TV shows such as A Place in the Sun) on the left with representatives of SiteSales Property Group.

Want to help shape the future of housing – and net yourself £1000? Read on!

We have launched a survey to get the thoughts and experiences of house buyers. We are keen to hear from anyone currently searching for a new house or who has purchased a new house in the past twelve months. 

Complete our survey and we will enter you into our prize draw for a chance to win £500. Agree to a follow up interview and you will be entered in a second draw to win a further £500.

Go to www.tiny.cc/larkfleet-survey to take part in the survey.

The team at Allison Homes – and at our sister company Larkfleet Homes - is always working to develop new ways to provide the best possible products and services to our customers. We want to know what house buyers really think of the housing market and what they want from housebuilders like us.

Whether your search and purchase involved a brand-new home or an established property, and whether you looked at an Allison home or not, your views will help to shape the way we meet the needs of home buyers in the future.

We have teamed up with leading media organisations First Time Buyer Magazine, What House and What Mortgage to develop and deliver this comprehensive survey to find out what you, our customer, is really looking for in a new home.

The survey covers everything from the type of property people are looking to buy or have bought (whether it’s for their own use or an investment) through to topics such as location, size and energy efficiency.

It takes less than ten minutes to complete at www.tiny.cc/larkfleet-survey. The survey is being managed by independent marketing company OlsenMetrix Marketing and all the data collected will be anonymous.

Why buying new is your best option

According to the Homebuilders’ Federation, over 90 per cent of new homebuyers said that they would buy a new build home again; while over 86 per cent said they would recommend their home builder to a friend.

Customer satisfaction levels for new homes compare favourably with any other industry or product and help explain why demand for new homes continues to increase.

Just like the rest of the industry Allison Homes is committed to addressing customer service and building up quality levels.

As part of this process we are undertaking our own customer satisfaction survey. Click here to take the survey and help us to raise our customer service levels even further.

But why buy new in the first place? A new home is fresh, bright, clean and untouched by previous owners’ choice of décor. It is a blank canvas on whichyou can stamp your own style and personality.

New homes are also much more energy efficient than older homes. This means they are not only better for the environment but can also save their owners hundreds of pounds a year in energy bills.

There are lots of ways to buy a new home! Sometimes, buying a house can seem like an impossible dream. But people looking to buy new have a range of options, such as Help to Buy or part exchange schemes. These can help make the goal of homeownership more affordable and completely achievable.

You can be sure that you will get a high build quality. New homes are built to a higher standard than ever before. From state-of-the-art kitchens to modern double and triple glazing, the quality of a new home compared to old is evident in many ways.

New homes are designed for modern living. They incorporate a range of modern designs and technologies to provide for the needs of today’s home owner. To upgrade an older house to the standards of a new build home could cost up to £45,000.

New homes are also more economical to manage. New homes built in the UK are roughly 50 per cent cheaper to run per year than the equivalent Victorian house. That could mean an annual saving of £440 for a 1-bed ground floor flat, and £1,410 for a 4-bed detached house.

By buying a new home you will be doing your bit for the environment. New homes are environmentally friendly. Energy efficiency standards and CO2 emissions in new homes are some of the best in the world. On average, this equates to them being roughly 65 per cent more energy efficient than an equivalent Victorian house.

Lastly, the peace of mind you get with a new home is more than just knowing you’re buying quality and getting excellent value for money. It’s also about being confident in the product you’re buying and knowing that you’re protected should anything happen. New homebuyers are protected by their builder’s guarantee as well an independent 10-year warranty. Customers also benefit from the peace of mind given by Consumer Codes.

Water water everywhere

It seems that it’s been raining since Christmas. There’s water everywhere. The rivers are overflowing their banks. Out in the countryside the dykes and ditches are flowing torrents in many places and fields are waterlogged. 

Waterlogging in the garden can cause over-watering for plants, drowning them. The soil can become compacted, making drainage worse and these conditions are ideal for various fungal conditions to flourish.


For many off us the wet weather has kept us out of the garden – neglect causing problems with the soil, plants and lawns.

But don’t despair, even in wet weather there are things we can do in the garden to keep it looking great when the dry weather eventually comes. Here is a list of some of the things you can do to keep your garden in tip top nick in the wet:

• Dig up waterlogged potted plants, tidy them up, remove dead or dying roots and stems and repot them in fresh well-drained soil filled pots.
• Apply mulch to beds to protect against heavy rainfall.
• Incorporate plenty of organic matter into clay soils to improve drainage.
• Plant water-loving plants like willows, dogwoods, birch, and ash.
• Install water butts and rainwater kits to save and recycle rainwater.
• Wet weather will encourage pests such as slugs and snails so try to keep on top of these - but remember to use slug pellets responsibly.

For more tips on gardening in all weathers visit the Royal Horticultural Society’s website.

As the spring gets on hopefully the current conditions should give way to some warmer, drier conditions. Fingers crossed!

Rainy days and Mondays

To paraphrase the lyrics of the Carpenters’ hit song; ‘rainy days and Mondays always get us down’, and there seems to have been an awful lot of them recently – rainy days that is, not Mondays.

When the weather is consistently dreary it can be difficult to stay upbeat. But have no fear; the team at Allison Homes has been putting heads together to come up with some favourite ways to keep on the bright side:

• Get some exercise. Try to get out in natural light during the day as much as possible and remember, there’s no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing, so wrap up and take your waterproofs.
• If you really can’t get outside because it’s raining cats and dogs, try doing a pleasurable activity. Watch a funny film, read a good book, play a game or do something creative.
• Use bright, full spectrum bulbs in overhead lighting at home. Only use these in the morning though. Use muted lights at night because bright lighting will affect the quality of your sleep.
• Have your vitamin D levels checked. Low levels of this vitamin can indicate you’re not exposing yourself to sufficient sunlight. To help cheer yourself up take supplements if you find you are not getting enough vitamin D naturally.
• Eat a healthy diet low in carbohydrates with plenty of fruit and vegetables, lean meat, fish (especially fish rich in omega 3).
• Get lots of sleep.

If you are affected by depression or Seasonal Affective Disorder, in the first instance you should seek the advice of your GP.

Take heart, we’re heading towards May now and the Met Office tells us that good weather is just around the corner so happy days will be here again.

Express yourself through painting

Series 2 of the BBC’s Big Painting Challenge started on BBC One last weekend. In the programme, passionate amateur artists undertake an intensive six-week painting 'boot camp' to hone their skills in a bid to become the overall champion.

Artists, whether amateur or professional, will have a certain style with which they are comfortable. This can say a lot about their personalities.

Many of us, though, are less keen to put brush to canvass and prefer to buy the art that brightens up the walls of our homes. But what we choose can still say a lot about us.

A study that was carried out by the University of Amsterdam found that people who like abstract art are most likely to be risk-taking sensation seekers. Those who prefer traditional figurative pictures tend towards order, rules and hierarchy at home and in the workplace.

This piece in the Huffington Post  is a bit of fun and shows how famous paintings can reflect your personality.

And if you have a creative streak and enjoy creating certain types of images, your personality may be broadly similar depending on the style you adopt.

If you are looking for artwork to brighten up your walls have a look here for some inspiration.