Door security for rented property

Hi Iooking for advice. I have rented out a part of my Maison principle to a couple. They have a classic contract - for a furnished apartment renewable each year. There part of the house is independant with their own back door. But there is an internal door separating their apartment from the rest of the house. We have been advised by a friend to treat this door as an exterior door ie with a three locking system. Our insurance habitation told us we don’t need to do this as our whole house is insured. It is getting confusing as we now have other conflicting views. I am not sure Axa our insurers seem clear on this. Could anyone shed some light on what insurers generally accept. As I have had inconsistent advice from Axa I cannot rely on them. We would change but we have a good deal with them. Thankyou!

Surely there are two different things here. Your friend is suggesting that you could make your part of the house more secure by fitting an improved locking system, you insurance company doesn’t think it will affect your insurance risk. If you are happy to have a door that the tenants might be able to open fairly easily that’s fine, if you want to be sure that there is no easy way into your part change the lock to a more secure system.

Hi Dan

Thankyou so much for your reply. It was more to do with the fact that if an intruder came into our part of the house via their part through that interior door we wouldn’t be insured for any damage if that door did not meet our insurance standards an area that seems so unclear. I have googled it till blue but perhaps because there is no info it may be the case it is not necessary to have that door the same security standard as an outside door!? It is locked at all times to ensure privacy. It just that it could easily be broken as hollow and not stolid wood and it has glass. But like many problems nothing is so clear when it comes to insurance policies!

Le jeu. 23 janv. 2020 à 00:32, Dan Miller via Survive France survivefrance@discoursemail.com a écrit :

Fiona, have you asked the Insurers if it will, indeed, go against you if you make the door more secure.

Have they actually said that the door must be easily broken or your insurance will suffer in the event of Intruders… ???

Frankly, if that is what they say, I would want it in writing as I, personally, would prefer to have a secure door between me, my home and who knows who next door.

Might be an idea to put a fireproof triple lock door there, or am I going too far??? :thinking: :upside_down_face:

This is a door between 2 properties, to all intents and purposes… :wink:

Thanks Stella. Great advice. I will go back to the insurers and also look into how to secure it more. My french is OK but not so good in situations like this where they have not wanted to put it into writing as they say that is not necessary due to our cover in our policy.

Have a good day!

Fiona

Le jeu. 23 janv. 2020 à 07:25, stella wood via Survive France survivefrance@discoursemail.com a écrit :

Yep, there’s a deal of difference between them saying it is not necessary and saying you really must NOT do it… :wink:

The insurance have said it makes no difference. The rented part of the building is secure in the eyes of the insurance company so I can’t see that an internal door would worry them.

Sadly, the use of a particular word can cause misunderstandings and best to be extra clear. Insurers will look for ways out of paying less of a claim if they can legitimately do so.

In UK many insurers “advised” folk not to lock internal doors, to reduce the amount of damage… then others “told” folk not to (rather than just advise). Best to be clear on things wherever one lives.

Whenever I have asked my insurance agent for conformation of a verbal promise they have always given it. It really shouldn’t be an issue.

1 Like

Heartily agree… there should be no problem getting written confirmation…of the spoken word… especially when the Ins co is dealing with a foreigner… shows compassion and good behavior in my view… :hugs:

(Many folk do not like to ask/press for the written confirmation… but they really should…)