Home security is not something most of us think about until something goes wrong. A neighbour gets burgled. A door lock starts playing up. A shutter that used to glide smoothly now judders and sticks. It is human nature to put these things to the back of our minds — but on the Costa del Sol, where properties are frequently left unoccupied for extended periods and where opportunistic crime does occur, ignoring the warning signs can be a costly mistake.
The good news is that identifying a security problem early is almost always cheaper and simpler than dealing with the consequences of leaving it unaddressed. At Security of Spain, we carry out free security site surveys across the Costa del Sol precisely because we know that many homeowners simply do not know what to look for. This guide outlines five of the most common and most important warning signs that your home security may need attention.
Sign 1: Your Locks Are More Than Ten Years Old
Locks, like most mechanical devices, have a lifespan. Over time, internal components wear, tolerances change, and what was once a smooth, secure mechanism can become something considerably less reliable. But wear and tear is only part of the story.
Lock technology has advanced considerably over the past decade. Anti-snap cylinders, which are specifically engineered to resist one of the most common forced-entry techniques used by burglars today, were not widely available or widely fitted ten years ago. If your property still has its original locks — particularly if you are in an apartment block or urbanisation where all units were fitted with the same standard hardware — the chances are they do not meet modern security standards.
The same applies to the surrounding hardware. Strike plates, door frames, and hinges all play a role in the overall security of a door. An old, poorly fitted strike plate can allow a door to be forced even when the lock itself holds firm. If your locks are showing their age, it is worth having the entire door assembly assessed rather than simply replacing the cylinder in isolation.
What to do: Contact a qualified locksmith for an assessment. In many cases, upgrading to a modern anti-snap cylinder is a straightforward and inexpensive job. In others, additional reinforcement to the frame or hardware will be recommended.
Sign 2: You Are Not Sure Who Has Keys to Your Property
This is one of the most frequently overlooked security vulnerabilities on the Costa del Sol, and it is particularly relevant to holiday home owners and landlords.
Think carefully about who has — or has ever had — access to your property. Previous owners. Former tenants or long-term holiday guests. Cleaning companies. Maintenance contractors. Estate agents who managed viewings. A neighbour who held a spare key for emergencies three years ago. In many cases, property owners cannot account with certainty for every copy of their key that is in circulation.
Unlike a compromised password, which can be changed instantly, a key that has been copied or not returned continues to represent a security risk indefinitely. The fact that nothing has happened so far does not mean the risk does not exist.
This issue is compounded in Spain by the relative ease with which standard keys can be copied. Many common key profiles used in Spanish properties can be duplicated at any hardware shop in minutes. Higher-security, patented key profiles — used in quality cylinders from manufacturers such as Mul-T-Lock or EVVA — are considerably more difficult to copy without authorisation.
What to do: If you cannot account for all copies of your key with confidence, rekeying or replacing the lock is the only reliable solution. It is a small investment that eliminates the risk entirely.
Sign 3: You Have Recently Moved Into the Property
Whether you have purchased a resale property, taken on a new rental, or simply inherited a property that has passed through several sets of hands, moving into a home where you do not know the full history of the locks is a security risk in its own right.
It is surprisingly common for new property owners on the Costa del Sol to move in and simply accept the locks as they are. The previous owner seemed trustworthy. The estate agent handed over two sets of keys. Everything appears to be in order. But appearances can be deceiving. There is no way to know, without changing the locks, how many copies of the key exist or who holds them.
This is standard practice in many countries — solicitors in the UK, for example, routinely advise new homeowners to change their locks as a matter of course. In Spain, the advice is the same, even if it is less frequently given.
What to do: Treat a lock change as part of the cost of moving in, in the same way you would treat a deep clean or a coat of paint. It is not an extravagance — it is basic due diligence.
Sign 4: Your Security Shutters or Rejas Are Damaged or No Longer Function Correctly
Physical security barriers — security shutters, scissor gates, rejas, and window grilles — are one of the most effective deterrents available to Costa del Sol property owners. A well-fitted, properly maintained shutter or reja significantly increases the time and effort required to gain unauthorised entry, and in the majority of cases, that is enough to send an opportunistic intruder elsewhere.
But a damaged or malfunctioning shutter is a different matter entirely. A shutter that does not close fully, a reja with a compromised fixing, or a gate with a broken locking mechanism may actually create a false sense of security — giving the impression of protection while providing little real resistance.
Signs to look out for include shutters that stick, judder, or fail to lock in the closed position; visible corrosion or damage to fixings and frames; rejas that move or flex more than they should; and any locking mechanism that requires excessive force or manipulation to operate. On the Costa del Sol, where salt air accelerates corrosion, regular inspection of metal security fixtures is particularly important.
What to do: Have any damaged or poorly functioning shutters, rejas, or gates inspected and repaired promptly. A security feature that does not work correctly is not a security feature — it is a liability.
Sign 5: Your Property Has Been Broken Into — or a Neighbouring Property Has
This may seem like an obvious sign, but it is worth stating clearly: if your property has been the subject of a break-in or an attempted break-in, your security needs immediate reassessment. Not just a lock change, but a full review of every point of entry and every layer of protection.
Burglars, particularly those operating systematically in a specific area, will often return to a property they have previously targeted — either because they know it, because they know the occupants’ patterns, or simply because they know that many people fail to upgrade their security after an incident. The period immediately following a break-in is precisely when comprehensive security improvements are most valuable.
The same logic applies, to a lesser extent, if a neighbouring property has been targeted. Criminal activity in a specific urbanisation or street is a clear signal that the area has been identified as a viable target. This is the time to review your own security, not to wait and hope that the problem moves on.
What to do: Contact Security of Spain immediately. We can carry out a comprehensive security assessment, identify vulnerabilities across all points of entry, and recommend a layered approach to security that significantly reduces your risk going forward.
What Happens During a Free Security Site Survey?
All of the warning signs above can be assessed as part of Security of Spain’s free, no-obligation security site survey. During a survey, one of our experienced security specialists will:
Visit your property at a time that suits you and carry out a thorough assessment of all external and internal security features, including locks, doors, windows, shutters, rejas, and access points. We will identify any vulnerabilities and explain them clearly, without jargon and without a sales pitch. We will then provide honest, practical recommendations — whether that means a simple lock upgrade, a repair to an existing shutter, or a more comprehensive security review.
There is no charge for this service and no obligation to proceed with any work. We offer it because we believe that an informed homeowner is a safer homeowner — and because we are confident that our work speaks for itself.
Take Action Before You Need To
The five signs outlined above share a common thread: they are all situations where early action is straightforward and inexpensive, while delayed action risks a far more costly outcome. A lock change costs a fraction of what a burglary costs. A shutter repair takes an hour and prevents weeks of disruption.
If any of the signs in this guide apply to your property — or if you simply are not sure about the current state of your home security — we would encourage you to get in touch. Security of Spain has been protecting homes and businesses across the Costa del Sol for over 30 years. We know this area, we know its security landscape, and we know how to keep your property safe.
Contact Security of Spain today for your free, no-obligation security site survey.
La Cala de Mijas, Mijas Costa, Málaga. Tel: (+34) 636 770 865 admin@securityofspain.com
