Make your new home safer
There is a lot you can do to make a home safer and stronger from the impact of any natural hazards as soon as you move in. Putting in a little bit of time now could make a big difference in keeping you and your loved ones safe, and preventing damage to your possessions.
It’s a quick and easy job to:
- find out where to turn off your gas and water
- secure large and heavy objects, such as your TV
- pay special attention to children’s rooms
- correctly hang picture frames and mirrors.
If you are thinking about doing renovations right away, it could save you time, money and effort to improve the safety and strength of your new home at the same time.
Learn more about ways to make your home safer.
Get to know your neighbours
If you have shared ownership over parts of your property, it’s a good idea to get to know your neighbours. Navigating the claims process after a natural hazard event can be challenging. Being on good terms with your neighbours before that happens makes managing claims and avoiding or resolving disputes much easier.
It’s important to have conversations about:
- planning for how you would respond in a disaster, including looking after any vulnerable people
- checking everyone has enough insurance cover to rebuild
- property maintenance
- ways to make the property safer, and who should pay for those improvements
- deciding who will manage the claims process.
Tips for home maintenance
Keeping on top of home maintenance will help you to keep your home strong. Keep good records of the work you do. Your home is likely to be your biggest financial asset, so these records could be valuable documents when you decide to sell your home.
Taking clear photos of the building and surrounding property such as retaining walls, and foundations is good first step in recording of the condition of your new home.