Concierges, gated schemes and the latest video-entry systems – they’re all there to reassure tenants that the security is as tight as it can be. So, what do tenants really want to feel safe in the capital?

Annaliese Griffiss from Henry & James believes Banham locks are a must-have. “Tenants often look for these locks, as the keys are nearly impossible to copy and the locks very secure. Video-entry phones, particularly the stylish BPT ones, and security alarms are pretty much standard these days, but tenants do prefer a Red Care alarm that ensures the police are called out even if the telephone line is engaged.”

Griffiss also notes that security grilles have long been in demand for lower ground floor flats. “But we now find that even tenants in ground floor properties are asking for them for extra peace of mind. We’ve numerous properties with panic alarms, and one that even comes with bomb-proof doors, but truthfully I think the best line of defence is a vigilant porter.”

Gated developments are attractive for couples and families where the husband travels for work, to ensure the family’s safety, suggests Lisa Cavanagh-Smith of Carter Jonas. “Middle Eastern families, in particular, tend to home in on a development where there’s a high Middle Eastern occupancy rate to help settle them in.”

Tenants will pay a premium for these properties, as frequently they are newly- built, well presented properties with concierges and secure off-street parking,” adds Cavanagh-Smith.

Helen Hitchcock of Marler & Marler says: “The wealthier the tenants, the more security they want and expect. If a tenant doesn’t feel security’s good enough, they’ll ask for better technology to be installed. A few of the larger houses have bullet-proof and fireproof panic or safe rooms, requested by the very wealthy and those who feel they’re at risk of kidnap or violence.”

At the less extreme end of the spectrum, many tenants are drawn to portered blocks. Parents renting for their children are reassured by a real person rather than technology, thinks Hitchcock. “But tenants should be aware of porter arrangements – some are only on duty during the day others 24 hours a day.”

Overseas tenants renting ground and lower ground floor flats generally insist on window grilles or roll-down shutters, and increasingly British tenants want the same. “But better security is one of the reasons why apartments on the upper floors are more popular,” adds Hitchcock