Spare keys undermine home security
Most Britons don't collect their spare keys when they move
Tuesday, 06, Sep 2005 01:39
Home security could be undermined by the tendency of Britons to give away spare sets of keys to their property.
More than half of Britons (58 per cent) give away spare keys to their home, typically to friends and family, according to a survey by NOP for insurer NIG.
But four per cent of movers do not bother to reclaim their spare keys when they move house.
In properties that are rented out, or have been rented out at some point the problem is worse.
Seven per cent of tenants do not return their spare keys when moving out, increasing the possibility that a stranger has access to your house.
NIG director Adrian Harris said: "This is really quite a worrying result for both home owners and insurers. The fact that so many unclaimed keys are in circulation raises major questions about home security."
Nearly three-quarters of recipients of spare keys are family members, while 14 per cent are neighbours and eight per cent are friends.
Despite the security risk that it poses, 59 per cent of those surveyed said they did not change the locks when they last moved into a new home.
Mr Harris added: "These results show it makes sense for any new home owners to consider changing their property's locks to ensure that anyone still holding spare keys can't get back into the property or can pass them onto someone who may want to break in."