When renting your home, security quickly comes up against a simple constraint: it is impossible to drill into walls or modify the electrical system without the landlord's consent. Most leases prohibit this, and no one wants to lose their security deposit over a screw hole.
Good news: securing a rented home requires neither drilling nor major work. Here are five solutions that can be installed without touching the walls and that move with you when you relocate.
1. An opening sensor on sensitive doors
The front door is not always the only access point to monitor: a cellar door, an adjoining garage, or a ground-floor bedroom often deserve the same attention. The wireless opening sensor sticks to the frame in seconds and triggers an alert as soon as the door opens. No screws, no cables, and it can be moved from one door to another without leaving a trace when removed.
2. The same sensor on accessible windows
Ground floors, windows overlooking a balcony or courtyard, or bathroom windows often left ajar: these are classic weak points in a home. The opening sensor is the same model as for a door and attaches just as easily to a window sash without drilling. Discreet, it goes unnoticed once in place. A second unit on the most accessible window costs less than most alarm solutions and is just as easy to remove.
3. A portable lock for the front door
This is the most radical solution without modifying the property. The portable door lock inserts directly into the existing strike plate and physically blocks the door from opening, in addition to the original lock. It is installed and removed in seconds, without tools, making it a practical solution for the night or for reinforcing a door whose lock reliability you are unsure of.
4. A personal alarm to keep on you
The security of a rented home is not limited to the front door. The keychain alarm is triggered manually when needed and emits a loud sound, useful both indoors and when coming home alone at night. No installation, no account to create: it stays attached to your keychain.
5. Think of the set as a system, not an isolated object
A single accessory placed at random rarely protects much. The advantage of these no-work solutions is that they combine easily: a sensor on the front door, another on the most accessible window, a portable lock for the night. Added together, they cover the actual access points of the home, for a budget and installation time that remain controlled.
These measures are in addition to the tips recalled by the Ministry of the Interior in its burglary prevention fact sheet, which cost nothing: always lock the door twice even when you are home, and never leave a key in the inside lock of a glass door.
And when it's time to return the keys
All these devices can be removed without leaving a mark: no holes to fill, no repainting to do. This is what makes them suitable for a rented home, whether for six months or several years.
Related products
The three items mentioned here can be installed and removed without tools: the opening sensor, the portable door lock, and the personal alarm keychain. All no-drill solutions are grouped in the SentinHome catalog.
To learn more
To choose which opening to equip first, see door or window. For travel rather than year-round renting, the portable lock for travel. And for security outside the home, the keychain alarm.