Insights from estate agents suggest two thirds of potential homeowners were worried about crime rates in areas in which they were looking to buy.
And the study by Churchill Home Insurance found 2.4% of house sales fell through as a direct result of buyers’ fears about crime.
It said this amounted to an estimated 29,082 house sales which collapsed because of a homebuyers’ lack of confidence over the safety of an area.
According to estate agents, local burglary rates were the biggest concerns voiced by homebuyers, followed by drug-related crimes, assault, property vandalism, vehicle vandalism and car theft.
Craig Rixon, head of Churchill Home Insurance, said with crime rates rising across the UK it was no surprise to see it was having a detrimental impact on homebuyer confidence.
Indeed, across the UK the total number of crime increased by 12% between 2014 and 2018 with nearly 5.8 million crimes reported to the police last year alone, Churchill reported.
However, Rixon said people should not necessarily let this deter them from purchasing their dream property. “No matter where the property is, or what the crime rates in the area, homes should always be fitted with an appropriate level of security features, including locks, an alarm and security lights, as often burglars will look for the easiest home to enter on a street,” he said.
Tips for protecting your property
Churchill offered tips for homeowners on how to keep their properties safe. It includes making sure you use an alarm and ensuring you service it regularly – burglars can tell if it’s not used so will no act as deterrent.
If you are away, make sure you ask the neighbours to pop around and invest in timed lights – don’t make it obvious no one is home.
Always check windows and doors are locked and ensure sheds and outbuildings have locks and security lights attached.
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