Surrey was ranked the safest university in the UK in the Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey 2018. However it does not mean we should become complacent, so this guide sets out ways you can ensure you stay safe at Surrey.

Top tips

  • Travel only with what you need.
  • Keep bags closed and fastened.
  • Be aware of your belongings in crowded areas, especially when on nights out.
  • Get a UV marker pen and mark your possessions.
  • Keep valuables out of sight, such as in your bag or pocket.
  • Back up your work on the cloud (OneDrive, Google Drive, iCloud Drive) and on a USB.

Getting Home Safely

  • If you have to walk, avoid shortcuts in lonely areas. Keep to well-lit, busy streets. Always walk facing oncoming traffic so a car cannot pull up behind you.
  • If you regularly go walking or jogging, vary your route.
  • Avoid using headphones or a mobile phone while walking or jogging. They can distract you from your surroundings.
  • If you think you’re being followed, walk to the busiest place you can find or knock on a door. Then call the police.
  • If you are attacked, shout ‘FIRE’ as loudly as you can; studies have proven that passers-by are more likely to respond to ‘fire’ than ‘help’. Try to get to a safe place and call the police.
  • When approaching your car or home, have your keys ready so you can enter without delay.
  • Consider carrying a personal attack alarm. Surrey Union provides free safety alarms, come to the union building to grab one
  • Remember to look out for Street Marshals in yellow jackets -They’re here to keep you safe.
  • Use lit-up areas such as Yorkies railway bridge/pathways between the University and Southway
  • Check to see if your club/society is signed up to the Union’s Get Home Safe scheme

Bike Security

The best lock for your bike is a ‘D’ lock as these are less easily removed with bolt cutters.

You can also purchase a security marking kit for your bike which helps deter thieves and aids the recovery of stolen bikes. Visit Bike Register to find out more.

Keeping safe at home

Student houses and accommodations are full of expensive and sentimental items. Say you have 4 people in a house, that means 4 computers, 4 wardrobes of clothes, 4 lots of just about everything.

Tips

  • Make sure you have sufficient home insurance.
    • You may wish to consider additional insurance such as personal item insurance, device insurance and contents insurance.
  • Ensure all windows and doors are closed and secured.
  • Set your burglar alarm (if you have one) each time you leave your residence.
  • Never leave your door or car keys near a door to the residence.
    • Car thieves have less success if the key is away from the door or insulated in a faraday pouch.
  • Turn on location tracking features on smart devices to find them.
  • Register your belongings on a property register like immobilise.
  • Do not leave spare keys in obvious places, such as in a plant pot or under a door mat.
  • Ensure the front and back doors are shut and locked even when you are at home.
  • Invest in a safe to store cash, sentimental items and other small, high value items.
    • Make sure to hide your safe out of sight.
  • Mark your property with a UV pen.
  • Leave boxes of high value goods out of sight.
  • Never indicate to passersby that you are not on the premises.
  • Never let workers into your residence without checking their ID, unless you are made aware by a trusted figure (landlord, accommodation team) that someone will be working on the premises.

Increasing safety

If there’s anything you’ve noticed that could increase the safety of students, don’t hesitate to contact us about what you’ve noticed, the locations/areas and what you’d like to see done.