‘Key’ Mistakes That Leave Us Vulnerable To Burglars

An investigation by Admiral Home Insurance has revealed that many Brits are leaving their homes vulnerable to burglary and potentially invalidating their home insurance, as homeowners have on average seven sets of house keys, with spares being given to neighbours, cleaners and even co-workers, and one in five admitting to keeping a spare under a doormat or plant pot.

With November being National Home Security Month, charity Crimestoppers is urging people to ensure their homes, possessions, and families are safe. But with as many as 3 million house keys at risk of being found in ‘safespaces’ in gardens, it is making homes an easy target for opportunist thieves.

Lost keys

A fifth of homeowners have lost a set of keys that they have never found, and 60 per cent of homeowners have failed to replace locks after losing their keys, potentially allowing criminals to walk straight through the front door. An astonishing 27 per cent of people admit they wouldn’t even consider changing the locks if they lost their keys.

Forgotten keys

It’s common for homeowners to keep a spare set of keys for friends’ and neighbours’ homes, but 41 per cent can’t recall what some of the keys they have in their possession are for.

A third of people keep unidentified keys in a drawer or other safe place, but eight per cent admit they throw any unidentified keys in the bin rather than disposing of them safely by taking them to a mixed metals recycling facility where they will be melted down to be made into new products.

Moving home

50 per cent of homeowners hadn’t changed their locks when they moved into their current home, and 22 per cent failed to return every set of keys when they moved out of their previous home. Admiral is warning that this could leave homes at risk, as previous owners, and anyone they gave spare keys to could still gain access to the property.

Residential home security systems can provide an extra layer of protection for your home, so contact us today for details.