Lighting a great way to secure your home

During these dark, cold nights, outdoor lights could provide you with real peace of mind.

Price comparison site moneysupermarket.com recently listed a number of tips for protecting homes against burglars and suggested that installing security lighting was one good option.

The advice came on the back of the site's recent monitor on home insurance, which found that homeowners in Leeds and London are among the most likely to make a claim following a burglary or theft, with Stoke Newington topping the rankings.

Natalie Timmerman, spokeswoman for Light IQ, recently expressed a similar opinion and said that security lighting has the dual benefit of making it safer for people approaching the house and warning homeowners of anyone lurking around their property.

"Consider you are arriving home after a day at work, it can sometimes be a fumble for your door keys and a guestimate of where the lock is if you do not have enough immediate light," she said.

"It is highly important that a light source is available at the front door in the correct position, firstly to see your way in, and secondly to prevent unwanted callers attempting to enter your property."

She added that even just having a security light visible can act as a deterrent for thieves.

Ms Timmerman went on to say that if people are concerned that exterior floodlights may spoil more ambient outdoor lighting in the garden, they can be fitted with an override facility which means they can be turned off when relaxing outside.

Other security measures people may wish to adopt in their home include regularly checking that all locks are in good working order, putting indoor lights on a timer switch when away and avoiding leaving high value items where they can be seen through the window.