Homechoice

Handy Personal safety tips:  For viewing homes or showing your own property for mutual exchange

We as landlords can, at no stage of the process, divulge any personal information concerning their tenant to any other persons.

If you are viewing a property:

• Always plan your journey in advance:
  • Check bus and train times
  • Order a taxi to come to the property you are viewing at a certain time
  • Arrange for a friend/relative to collect you at a pre-arranged time
• Try to view the property in daylight
• If you can, take someone with you
• If you can't take a friend leave details with a trusted person, or an obvious place in your own home
• Alternatively, call your own answer machine with the details:
  • Where you are going (address and telephone number)
  • The time of the viewing
  • The name of the person you are meeting
• Ask the person you are meeting if there will be someone else there. Don't be ashamed to say that you are aware of your own personal safety and need to know as many details as possible. This is so you can inform a friend of your whereabouts
• Never accept a lift before or after viewing a property - no matter how tempting the offer
• Carry a personal alarm in an accessible pocket
• Take your mobile phone and keep it switched on, in a safe place. If you don't have one, see if you can borrow one
• Use the mobile phone to "log someone in” to say: ‘Hi, just to let you know I've arrived at … Mr (or Mrs) is showing me around. I'll meet you in 20 minutes, but give me a ring if I'm running late.’
• Trust your instincts. If you have a funny feeling about something, leave straight away. Be prepared with an excuse to leave before attending the viewing (feeling sick/room sizes not big enough/too large for your needs)
• Be polite about the property you are viewing

If you are showing your property:

• Do not give out unnecessary personal details
• Try to make sure someone is with you during the viewing
• Check whether there will be anyone with the person viewing your property, and if so, who it is
• Let a friend or neighbour know that someone is coming to see your home. Give the time, name, address and telephone number of the person viewing.
• Let the viewer know that your friend or neighbour will be dropping by in 20-30 minutes and arrange someone to do so
• Let the friend or neighbour know that if you phone during the viewing, they should come immediately