Burglary
Burglary to Privately Rented Student Dwellings
Figures published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) in 1999 suggest that in excess of 500,000 full time higher education students live in privately rented dwellings across the UK. This report examines burglary of privately rented student accommodation and makes recommendations for an improved policing response to such incidents.
Title: Burglary to Privately Rented Student
Dwellings
Authors: Sergeant Kenneth Campbell BA &
Sergeant Allan Kirk BSc, Strathclyde Police
Series: Home Office Police Research Award Scheme
Number of pages: 65 (part 1: 36 pages - part 2:
29 pages)
Date published: November 2002
The report attempts to:
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Determine the main contributing factors and characteristics of burglaries
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Identify good practice and procedure for reducing burglary
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Examine initiatives developed to reduce burglary in privately rented student dwellings
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Make recommendations to reduce burglary to student accommodation and improve community safety in relation to student tenants
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Improve the service to student burglary victims from the police
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Identify the main characteristics of privately rented student dwellings and determine whether these make the properties more vulnerable to burglary.
The report also includes the results of a survey questionnaire sent to 300 student tenants in privately rented accommodation in Glasgow. The 251 responses from this survey provide the main body of evidence in the report. Some of the main points are:
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Three quarters of the female student tenant victims still experienced fear/trauma as a result of the burglary some considerable time after the event.
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Over half of the student victims of burglary were not insured and only one third of burglaries were reported to an insurance company.
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There was some evidence of repeat victimisation to privately rented student dwellings.
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A controlled door entry system was the security feature most valued by the student respondents.
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Inadequate home security and the physical characteristics of the buildings were deemed by student tenant respondents as the factors most likely to influence a burglary to a privately rented student dwelling.
The report includes a number of recommendations. Some of these are to encourage:
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The police service, higher Educational Institutions and property landlords to positively recognise and address the vulnerability of student tenants
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The police to take a lead role in the development of burglary reduction strategies for privately rented student dwellings
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The need for improved standards of home security for privately rented student dwellings and houses in multiple occupation
View Burglary to Privately Rented Student Dwellings on the Home Office website.
Last update: 27/02/03