How to Keep Your Rented Home Safe This Summer?

Summer brings open windows, barbecues, and longer days, but it also brings a few safety considerations that are easy to overlook. Whether you’re heading away for a few weeks or spending the summer at home, here are 10 tips to keep your rental safe.

At a glance

• Test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors and report any issues to your landlord straight away.
• Make sure all door and window locks are working properly before leaving the property unattended.
• Summer is peak season for break-ins. Simple security upgrades can make a real difference.
• Report damp, mould, or flooding risk to your landlord in writing. It’s their legal responsibility to act.
• Your landlord’s insurance doesn’t cover your belongings. Contents insurance is worth sorting before summer.

Fire safety tips

1. Test your smoke alarms

Your landlord is legally required to install smoke alarms on every floor of the property. Test your smoke alarms regularly, and if one isn’t working, report it to your landlord in writing straight away.

2. Check for carbon monoxide

If you have gas appliances, a carbon monoxide detector is essential. Carbon monoxide is odourless and colourless, and according to the NHS, around 60 people in the UK die from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning every year. If you don’t have a detector, ask your landlord about fitting one.

3. Create a fire escape plan

Know the quickest route out of your property and make sure everyone in your household knows it too. If you’re in an HMO, discuss escape routes with all residents. Summer brings specific fire risks including barbecues, candles on warm evenings, and overloaded extension leads running fans and air conditioning units.

Electrical and gas safety tips

4. Check your electrics

According to Electrical Safety First, faulty electrics cause around 20,000 fires in UK homes every year. Check for overloaded plug sockets and extension leads running fans or air conditioning units, damaged or frayed cables, and any unusual smells, sparking, or flickering lights. If you have concerns, report them to your landlord in writing. Your landlord must provide an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) every five years.

5. Ask for your gas safety certificate

Your landlord is legally required to provide an up-to-date annual gas safety certificate. If you haven’t seen one, ask for it in writing. A Gas Safe registered engineer must carry out an annual inspection of all gas appliances in the property. If your landlord can’t produce a valid certificate, contact Gas Safe Register or your local council for advice.

Home security tips

6. Review your door and window locks

According to ONS crime data, burglaries increase during summer months, partly because open windows and doors create more opportunities for opportunist theft. Make sure all external doors have working, secure locks. A five-lever mortice lock or deadlock is the recommended standard. Windows should close and lock securely, particularly ground floor and easily accessible windows. Our guide on how to secure doors and windows properly covers what good security looks like.

7. Add renter-friendly security upgrades

You don’t need to drill holes or breach your tenancy agreement to improve your home security. Consider:

• Motion-activated security lights near entry points
• A video doorbell to monitor visitors
• Portable security cameras for indoors or outdoors
• A door alarm or window sensor

Protecting against damp and mould tips

8. Report damp and mould immediately

Summer heat and humidity can accelerate damp and mould growth, particularly in poorly ventilated properties. Look for discolouration on walls or ceilings, a musty smell, or peeling paint. Report any signs to your landlord in writing immediately. Under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, your landlord is legally responsible for maintaining a safe and habitable property.

9. Prepare for summer storms and flooding

For ground-floor properties or those in flood-prone areas, summer storms can be a real risk. Keep valuables off the floor, make sure gutters and drains are clear, and take steps to protect your home before heavy rain arrives.

Contents Insurance and Personal Liability

10. Sort your contents insurance

Your landlord’s buildings insurance covers the property itself. It doesn’t cover anything you own inside it. If your laptop is stolen, your furniture is damaged in a flood, or your phone is broken in an accidental fire, that’s down to you without contents insurance.

Lemonade’s contents insurance covers your belongings against theft, fire, and accidental damage. You can also add personal possessions insurance if you want cover for items you take outside the home, particularly useful over summer when laptops, cameras, and bikes are more likely to be out and about.

Before we go

A safe summer in a rented home comes down to a handful of straightforward checks. Work through these 10 tips, report any issues to your landlord in writing, and make sure your belongings are covered. Most of these take very little time and cost very little, but they make a real difference if something goes wrong.

Summer safety FAQs