Off-Campus Housing Security Checklist

When you are looking for off-campus housing, consider the following questions so you can be confident your new accommodation is safe and secure.

Outside The Unit

• Are the buildings and grounds well maintained?
• Are the entryways, sidewalks, and parking areas well lighted?
• Are entryways visible from the street?
• Are the residents’ names printed on the mailboxes?
• Is the mailbox lockable and in good condition?
• Are the lots and surrounding streets free of abandoned cars?
• Is parking usually available close to your door?
• Is the area well lighted at night and on weekends?
• Are there designated visitor parking spaces?
• Does the apartment complex provide security services (patrols, escorts)?
• Do neighbors feel safe?
• Is the building close to high-traffic, well-traveled areas?
• Are shrubs cut below window levels?
• Are tree limbs cut above window level so that you can see in and out of your home?
• Is the unit number visible from the street?
• Is the property near fire stations and other emergency services?
• Are the alleys around the residence clean?

In The Unit

• Are the exterior doors made of core wood or metal?
• Do the doors have knob locks, chains, deadbolts, and/or peepholes?
• Is there a security system in the building?
• Are there a sufficient number of working smoke detectors in the living space and in hallways?
• Are they hardwired?
• Are there adequate emergency escape routes in the event of a fire?
• Are there fire extinguishers?
• Do curtains, blinds, and draperies fully cover windows?
• Are there safe places to go in case of a tornado?
• Does the house or complex have a high turnover of residents?

Entrance to the Unit

• Can the main entryway be easily seen from the street, even at night?
• Is the entrance well lighted?
• Are there sturdy locks on all the windows?
• Are security bars/screens provided if it is a ground-floor or basement unit?
• Are doors to the laundry room kept locked?
• Does the landlord have a published policy about issuing and replacing keys?
• Does the building have a doorman or buzzer for guests and deliveries?
• Are locks on the doors of the buildings and apartments adequately secured?
• Is there a peephole at the door?
• Do the front and rear doors have 180-degree peepholes?
• Do doors have deadbolt locks?
• If door hinge pins are outside, are they non-removable?
• Does the door securely fit the jamb?
• Is the strike plate securely fastened to the door jamb?
• Is the door jamb fastened tightly?
• Does the bolt extend sufficiently into the strike plate?
• Are key control procedures used to ensure that locks are changed if keys are lost or not returned?
• Do you know who has keys to your living space?
• Do sliding glass doors have blocking cleats to prevent opening from the outside?
• Can windows be left open for ventilation, and remain secure?
• Are window air-conditioners secured from the inside?
• Are door locks located so they can’t be reached through a window?