In a media release from the Australian Bureau of Statistics from 2025, there has been a notable increase in property crime from 2023 to 2024, with around three in four being reported to police and around one in five happening multiple times to the same property.
Home security isn’t just for dual-occupancy homes, it’s for everyone. Keeping your home safe and secure against intruders should always be an important consideration, one which you might not want to imagine happening, but one that is planned out well in advance to reduce the likelihood of it happening in the first place.
Here are five quick tips on how to keep your dual occupancy home secure:
01. Prioritise Lock and Key Systems on Shared and Private Entry Points
If your dual occupancy home has a shared entrance or foyer, make sure that the main door is equipped with a strong set of locks, e.g. mortice locks, sash locks, or a strong Euro cylinder lock system. Both occupants (assuming you’re the landlord with two tenants) should have the key and no one else. Strongly consider replacing that lock when a tenant moves out, especially if the tenant was problematic and likely to have kept or copied a key.
For individual access points, do the same and use deadbolts or other strong lock systems with separate keys (physical or digital) for each property.
02. Install Security Fences and Gates
They say that good fences make good neighbours, and with the generally smaller footprint of dual occupancy properties (because they’ve been subdivided), having a good fence around the properties can add an extra layer of protection.
Perimeter fencing also acts as much-needed privacy, something which tenants often value quite highly in dual-occupancy homes. A good fence and secure gate are not a substitute for a strong door and lock-and-key system, but when used in tandem, the fence and gate can be an additional deterrent to burglars.
03. Install Cameras and Smart Doorbells
Nowadays, the cost of CCTV surveillance and smart doorbell products has dropped so much that it’s now highly practical and beneficial to have them installed on your properties.
Like fencing, CCTV surveillance – and especially if it’s made known that the property is under surveillance – can supplement a good front door with strong locks. Provided you’ve emphasised securing that main entrance first, cameras can help deter burglary and provide police with essential evidence if a more determined burglar does attempt to enter.
04. Install Alarm Systems
Burglar alarms, smoke detectors, and fire alarms are all important for safety and security. Your dual occupancy homes can benefit greatly from having integrated systems installed for each property, and in many cases, you may want to have the monitoring handled by a trusted security company.
Motion sensor alarms and lighting can also be greatly beneficial, and depending on the layout of your propertie,s you may want to have them installed in shared spaces such as the driveway/garage, for instance.
05. Consider Landscaping Features
While landscaping is usually done for aesthetic reasons, it can be used in such a way as to bolster home security, too. Your dual occupancy homes can be decorated with hedges and bushes for privacy and to deter unauthorised entry.
Directly near windows and entry points, you could have shrubs that can deter burglars, or you can leave it as a flowerbed so that nobody can hide themselves away there.
Trevor Homes in Geelong: Home Builders
Design beautiful and secure dual occupancy homes with Trevor Homes.
