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5 Home Security Tips Every Oxford Resident Should Know
Free and low cost habits that make the locks you already own do their job, from the nightly lock up to where you leave your car fob, written for Oxford homes, flats and student houses.
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Lift the handle, turn the key
A uPVC door on the latch alone is not locked, whatever the cylinder costs
Keys away from the letterbox
Fobs and house keys kept out of reach and out of sight of the door
Bikes and sheds covered
Oxford cycling habits that keep bikes and tools where you left them
Student house routines
Simple rules for shared houses and the long vacation weeks
The most useful home security tips cost nothing: lock a uPVC door properly by lifting the handle and turning the key, keep house keys and car fobs well away from the front door, light the dark corners, run a holiday routine and lock up bikes and sheds. As a 24 hour Oxford locksmith based in North Oxford, we see plenty of homes with good locks that were simply not used properly on the night it mattered.
This guide is about habits. If you want to know which locks to fit on each door, our door by door security checklist covers the hardware.
Tip 1: Build a Nightly Lock Up Routine That Actually Locks
Closing a uPVC or composite door is not the same as locking it. Until you lift the handle and turn the key, only the spring latch is holding the door, and a latch alone gives far less resistance than the full set of hooks and bolts along the edge. Some insurers may also question a claim if a door was left on the latch, so check your policy wording.
Make the same checks every night, in the same order, so it becomes automatic.
| Check | Why it matters | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Front door: handle up, key turned, key removed | Engages the multipoint lock, not just the latch | 5 seconds |
| Back and patio doors locked with the key | Rear doors are out of sight from the street | 20 seconds |
| Downstairs windows shut and locked | An open fanlight can be reached through | 30 seconds |
| Side gate bolted | Stops private access to the back of the house | 20 seconds |
| Keys and fob in their safe spot | Away from the door and letterbox | 5 seconds |
If you have to push, pull or lean on the door to get the handle up, do not ignore it. That stiffness is the early sign of a dropped door and, left alone, it can end with the mechanism failing. A uPVC door lock check is cheaper before it breaks than after.
Tip 2: Keep Keys and Car Fobs Away From the Door
Many of us drop keys on a hook or a table right by the front door. That is convenient for you and for anyone else too.
Letterbox fishing
Thieves have been known to reach through letterboxes for keys left on hooks, shelves or in the lock. We will not go into methods, but the protection is easy: keep keys out of sight and well away from the door, never leave a key in the inside of the lock, and consider a letterbox guard or cage on the inside.
Keyless car relay theft
If your car has keyless entry, its fob is constantly sending a signal. Relay theft uses equipment to extend that signal from inside your house to the car on the drive. Store the fob deep inside the house rather than by the front door, use a signal blocking pouch or tin and test it works, and check whether your car lets you switch keyless entry off. If a fob does go missing, our car key replacement service can make a new key and usually remove the lost one from the car.
Spare keys
Under the mat, in a plant pot or on top of the door frame are the first places anyone checks. Leave a spare with a trusted neighbour, or use a key safe that is properly rated and bolted into brick. Never put your name or address on a key ring.
Tip 3: Light the Dark Corners and Keep Sight Lines Clear
Someone looking for an easy target prefers to work where neighbours cannot see them. Take that away and many will move on.
- Dusk to dawn lights by the front and back doors are cheap to run with LED bulbs. Motion sensor lights suit side passages and drives.
- Cut front hedges to about a metre so the front door and windows can be seen from the pavement. In many Oxford terraces the front garden is the only buffer.
- Use plug in timers on a lamp or radio in a room that faces the street, so the house looks lived in after dark.
- Flatten boxes on bin day. A new television box left out by the bins tells everyone what is inside.
- Keep valuables out of window view, especially laptops on desks by ground floor windows.
A quick test after dark
Walk out to the pavement one evening and look back at your house. Can you see the front door clearly? Is there a dark spot by the side gate? Fix what you can see from the street first.
Tip 4: Use a Holiday Routine Before You Go Away
Empty homes are easier targets, and Oxford has more of them at certain times of year than most cities. Student houses can stand empty for weeks over Christmas, Easter and the summer vacation, and many families travel in the same school holiday weeks.
- Tell one trusted neighbour your dates and leave a contact number.
- Pause deliveries or ask someone to clear the doormat so post does not pile up.
- Set two or three lamp timers at different times rather than one light on all night.
- Lock every window, including small top openers, and remove window keys from the locks.
- Lock the shed and garage and put ladders away.
- Hold off on holiday posts on social media until you are home.
- Take spare keys with you or hand them to your neighbour rather than hiding one outside.
If you come home to find a lock damaged or a door forced, call 999 if anyone may still be inside, then our door repair and make safe service can secure the house the same day.
Tip 5: Protect Bikes and Sheds the Oxford Way
Oxford is one of the busiest cycling cities in the UK, and bikes are among the most commonly stolen items here. A bike in a shed is only as safe as the shed.
- Lock the bike even indoors. Use a ground anchor or a fixed point in the shed or garage, and lock the frame, not just a wheel.
- Pick a rated lock. Look for an independent security rating such as Sold Secure on the packaging, and match the level to the value of the bike.
- Record the frame number and register it with a recognised bike marking scheme so it can be returned if found.
- Fix the shed hasp properly. Hasps held on by screws can be undone from outside. Coach bolts through the door with the nuts inside are much better.
- Keep a note of your lock key number, and a spare key at home.
If you lose the key to your own bike lock, do not attack it with a hacksaw in the street. Our bike lock removal service removes it once you show proof the bike is yours. For sheds and outbuildings, a padlock can be removed and replaced in the same visit.
Security Tips for Student Houses and Shared Flats
Shared houses in Cowley, East Oxford, Headington and Jericho have their own problems. With six people coming and going, doors get left on the latch, keys get lent out and nobody feels in charge.
Agree house rules
Last one out locks the front door with the key. Nobody props the door open for a delivery and walks off.
Lock your own room
If your bedroom has a lock, use it when you go out. Most thefts in shared houses are from unlocked rooms.
Do not lend keys
Every copy of the front door key you cannot account for is a risk to the whole house. Report a lost key to your landlord straight away.
Check the door closes
A front door that sticks and does not shut on its own gets left open. Tell your landlord, it is usually a quick adjustment.
Landlords managing several shared houses will find our guide for landlords and letting agents useful.
Local Crime Prevention Advice and When Habits Are Not Enough
Thames Valley Police publishes crime prevention advice and runs community messaging services that share local alerts, and Neighbourhood Watch schemes operate across many Oxford streets. Scheme names and sign up details change over time, so check the police website for what is currently available in your area.
Good habits only go so far if the hardware is weak. If your cylinders have no rating, your windows have no locks or your back door has only a latch, the next step is an upgrade. Our anti snap cylinder upgrades start at £95 to £135 plus the cylinder, and a full home locksmith visit can check every door at once. Browse more practical guides in our Oxford locksmith advice section.
Low cost security fixes we are often asked for
Fixed prices agreed on the phone, including VAT and labour, with parts listed separately.
| Service | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Security chain or door viewer | £35 to £65 + parts | See who is there before you open the door |
| uPVC door adjustment | £65 to £95 | For handles that are stiff to lift |
| Window locks | £35 to £55 + lock £15 to £30 each | Discount for several windows |
| Lock rekey | £45 to £65 per lock | When keys have been lent or lost |
| Extra keys | £8 to £25 per key | Spares for a trusted neighbour |
Prices include VAT and labour. Parts are listed separately. See the full Oxford locksmith price list.
