Safety Basics for Gainesville, Florida Apartments

Gainesville, Florida is a quaint southern city that also happens to be the location of one of the country’s most well-respected universities. Consequently, living in Gainesville is both exciting and charming. One day you can admire the trees and ranches; on another you can participate in an all-day, all-night football extravaganza.

If you live in one of the many Gainesville, Florida apartments in town, it’s easy to get caught up in the area’s activities and events. You don’t want to be so preoccupied, however, that you forget the basic rules of staying safe. And, while most apartment communities typically try to keep their properties maintained, landlords and property managers cannot guarantee a resident’s safety.

Look out for your own welfare by implementing the following tips into your routine:

• Get renters insurance. It is quite inexpensive and reimburses you if your possessions are damaged, lost, or stolen. By the way, landlord insurance does not cover the belongings of residents.

• Make an inventory of your possessions. Take pictures and write down serial numbers, too.
• Keep your front door locked at all times, even when you are at home.
• Keep your vehicle locked at all times, even if you leave it for just a moment.
• If someone knocks on your front door, look out the peephole before you open it.
• Also look out the peephole before you go outside your apartment.
• Call 911 to report dangerous situations and suspicious activity.
• Do not label your mailbox with your full name.
• Test your smoke alarms once a month and change the batteries when needed.
• Learn how to use your fire extinguisher.
• Be careful with making copies of your apartment key. Do not let copies get into the hands of those you don’t know very well.
• Tell the management office about non-working outdoor lights, holes in the lawn, tripping hazards, overgrown greenery, and other similar issues on the property.
• If you have a sliding glass door, put a piece of pipe, broom handle, or similar stick-like device in the track so that it blocks the door from opening.
• Do not leave your laundry alone in a commercial or common-area laundry room.
• Be very careful with documents that contain sensitive information such as your Social Security number, bank account information, credit card numbers, drivers license number, birthday, etc. Shred all personal documents before disposing of them.

And, while you may not have time to be best friends with your neighbors, get to know other residents in the community. That way, you will have a better idea of who belongs in the community and who doesn’t. In addition, you and your fellow Gainesville, Florida apartment residents can help watch out for each other and keep one another informed about the goings-on in the community.