A break-in leaves you with two problems at once. The crime itself is one, and the police deal with that. The smashed window or forced door still standing open? That one's yours, and it needs sorting tonight. Get the next 24 hours in the right order and you'll make life easier for your insurance claim, your security and, honestly, how quickly the house starts feeling like yours again.
This is the sequence we talk callers through on the emergency line, hour by hour.
Hour zero: safety first, then police
- If there's any chance someone is still inside, stay out and ring 999 from the street
- Once you're safe, call the police before touching anything. Dial 999 if it's just happened, 101 if not, and make sure you get the crime reference number, because every step after this needs it
- Keep children and pets well away from broken glass. It travels much further than you'd expect
- And don't tidy up. It feels wrong leaving the mess, but the scene is evidence first and mess second. Police and insurers both want it undisturbed
Hours one to two: photograph everything
Before anything gets moved or repaired, get your phone out. Photograph and video the point of entry from inside and out, every damaged item, every room that's been disturbed, drawers exactly as they were left. Wide shots for context, close-ups for detail. Start a list of missing items as you notice them (you'll still be adding to it days later, which is completely normal), and dig out serial numbers, receipts or old photos where you have them. Ten minutes of documenting now saves weeks of claim friction later.
Hours two to four: make the place secure
Now for the opening itself. A professional boarding-up service does far more than nail a sheet of plywood over the hole. Entry points get boarded from the inside where possible, so a returning intruder has nothing to lever off. Fixings go into the frame or the masonry rather than crumbled beading. The result actually keeps people out, not just in appearance. Across Greater Manchester we reach most addresses within 30-60 minutes, 24/7, with the price agreed on the phone before we set off. Keep the invoice too: boarding counts as emergency mitigation, so insurers expect you to arrange it without waiting for approval and reimburse it under most policies.
Broken locks matter just as much as broken glass. If the intruder forced a door, damaged a euro cylinder or walked off with your keys, an emergency locksmith on the same visit can change or upgrade the cylinders, ideally to anti-snap, so the house is locked against strangers and against whoever's now holding a set of your keys.
The next morning: insurer and repairs
- Ring your insurer's claims line with the crime reference, your photos and the boarding invoice. Most accept everything digitally now
- Ask exactly what's covered: glass, frames, locks, boarding, stolen items, and whether emergency repairs are reimbursed separately from the main claim
- Get the permanent repair quoted quickly. Replacement glass usually takes days because units are made to measure, while a full window or door replacement runs two to three weeks. The board keeps you secure in the meantime
- Keep every receipt in one folder: boarding, locksmith, glazing, even taxi fares if your policy covers alternative arrangements
Rebuilding better: the security upgrade conversation
Repeat victimisation is a well-documented pattern. Same property, often within weeks, because the intruder already knows the layout and the weak spots. So don't just repair what failed; repair it to a higher standard. That means laminated glass where the pane was the way in, anti-snap cylinders throughout if the lock was attacked, PAS 24 frames when windows or doors are being replaced anyway, and hinge-side security on any accessible opening. The uplift usually costs a fraction of the excess you've just paid, and it turns the break-in from a recurring risk into a one-off story.
The part nobody warns you about
Houses feel different after a break-in, and that's worth taking seriously rather than brushing off. The practical antidote is visible action: solid boarding the same night, locks changed within a day, better glass in by the end of the week. Most people find the unease fades once the physical security clearly beats what was there before. Kids rattled? Involving them in making the house stronger genuinely helps. New locks they can turn themselves, a window tougher than the old one. Fix the house properly and the feeling follows.
For landlords and managing agents, the same 24 hours carries extra duties. Tenants need the property secured the same day, with documented proof that it happened. The tenancy's repair obligations decide who instructs the glazier, and insurers will want to know the property met any security conditions written into the policy. A standing arrangement with one 24/7 firm that boards up, changes locks and completes the permanent glazing, with invoices split however the lease requires, turns a tenant's worst evening into a managed process. We hold exactly those arrangements with letting agents across Greater Manchester.
Frequently asked questions
How quickly can a house be boarded up after a break-in?
Within the hour is realistic in Greater Manchester if you use a genuine 24/7 local service. We typically arrive 30-60 minutes after the call, at any hour, and you'll know the price before we set off.
Does insurance pay for boarding up?
Almost always. It's classed as emergency mitigation, which policies expect you to arrange promptly without pre-approval. Hang on to the itemised invoice and your photos; they go into the main claim alongside your crime reference number.
Should I board up myself or call a professional?
A DIY board from garage timber beats an open hole at 3am, no question. But professional boarding fixes into sound structure, works from the inside where possible and will genuinely resist an intruder. Since insurers reimburse the cost anyway, professional is usually the right call.
Do I need to change the locks after a burglary?
If keys were taken, yes, immediately. And if a euro-cylinder door was forced or snapped, upgrade to anti-snap (3-star) cylinders rather than fitting the same again. It's the single most valuable security improvement you can make after an attack.
How long until permanent glass replaces the boarding?
Standard sealed units are made to measure within days; full window or door replacements take two to three weeks. A properly fitted board stays weathertight and secure in the meantime, and we schedule the permanent work as a continuation of the emergency job.
Will my insurance premium rise after a break-in claim?
Often a little, at renewal. That's exactly why documented security upgrades matter: laminated glass, anti-snap cylinders and PAS 24 replacements deter repeat attacks, and they give you concrete improvements to declare when you shop around at renewal.
Broken into tonight?
One call sorts it. Boarding within the hour across Greater Manchester, locks changed on the same visit, paperwork your insurer will accept, and a permanent repair that's stronger than what failed, made at our own factory.
Call 07533 830717, WhatsApp us a photo for a fast quote, or request a free quote online.