Importance of residential security

The majority of people in Dubai are fortunate enough not to have to worry about the requirement of major security in their residences. Although most villas are built with individual or common walls, this can be attributed to the architecture and the culture rather than to the aspect of protection.

Crime, relative to many other countries, is literally non-existent, and if there is an incident it generally involves petty theft rather than violent crime. Naturally there are exceptions to this and one certainly must be aware and responsible for one's own security. The police provide a certain degree of protection, but precautionary measures such as burglar alarm systems are the responsibility of the tenant.

Twenty years ago it was not unusual for residents to leave their front doors unlocked, but the reverse is true today. People are more conscious of securing their homes and cars and are less casual than they were in the past. Growth and development is accompanied with a rise in population, and it is quite normal to expect an increase in the number of law-breakers as well as law-abiding citizens.

Owners of most compounds in Jumeirah and other residential areas provide a watchman who may also be responsible for several small groups of villas. These men are not Gurkas but simply watchman who can perhaps provide somewhat of a deterrent to a prowler, but they are in no way qualified as security guards. It is important for a tenant to understand this before renting a villa and then expecting to feel totally safe. Personal effects should be insured, and if desired, extra precautions taken in order to decrease the possibility of theft.

Many people assume that once they rent a property, the landlord is responsible for any potential break-in. Unfortunately this is not the case anywhere in the world. Undoubtedly one may feel more secure by choosing to live on a large compound where all the villas are inside one wall. These development provide security guards at the main entrance but in no way prevent a thief from climbing over the wall. There is no question that this style of development does deter the average intruder, as it would seem that a freestanding villas is more accessible. But one should be aware that there is no guarantee that a burglary will not occur and obviously some locations are more vulnerable than others.

Sophisticated security systems may be required and desired by some tenants and if it happens to be provided by the landlord then it is a bonus. Until now most owners do not feel these additional capital expenditures will bring more rent even though it may be something to think about for the future. However in the present climate it would be prudent for those who do feel there is a reason for concern to exercise caution and invest in measures that will allow increased protection and security.