Leeds is a big, busy and safe city, but as with everywhere – there’s always things you can do to make sure that you’re not putting yourself at risk. When moving to university or moving to a new student house you need to make sure that you are keeping yourself and your belongings as safe as possible. Simple precautions that help keep you, your friends, and your items secure don’t take much time or money.

This year I moved into a student house after a year in halls, and it’s been a big change – you’re much more in control of your own safety.

I’ve put a few ideas together which I have followed, and I think you’ll find them useful to help stay safe:

  1. Don’t go out on your own after dark unless you can avoid it – it’s always a good idea to take a friend with you. This applies to anywhere, not just in Leeds!
  2. Always lock your door behind you. Even if it’s just to take the bin out! Most landlords will happily fit latches to your front door to help.
  3. Ask your landlord to change the locks before your tenancy starts, just to be sure that the previous tenants don’t still have any keys.
  4. Check your insurance. Most students are covered by their house insurance at home, however, this isn’t always the case so ask a parent to check this.
  5. Get a safe for your room or house. My housemate bought one this year and we secured it to the floor. This has helped a lot because it means whenever we leave the house, we can secure our laptops and other items, just for extra peace of mind. You can get safes for around £50 online.
  6. Get taxis from the end of your street and not outside your house. If people see a large group leaving a property, they could assume your home will be empty all night.
  7. Pop your belongings in a secure bag on a night out – not in a pocket. Take a bag that's small and has a zip or clasp.
  8. Don’t give potential burglars an incentive to burgle you. Close your curtains and don’t leave cash or laptops out in clear view.
  9. If you’re all out for the evening, leave a light on so that it looks like somebody is home.
  10. If you have an alarm, set it. You can also buy lots of security devices online if you don’t have any. However, before you buy one ask your landlord if they would fit one free of charge.

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