DNA Security February 24, 2021 News
key-safe

Ensuring your house keys are kept in a safe place, known only to you and any other members of your household, is the number one factor to keeping your home secure. By removing the ability of anyone else getting their hands on the object that grants them non-restricted access into your property, you are removing an enormous risk of any break-ins or robberies occurring. But just how can you be sure that you’re taking the highest level precautions? Take a note of our top tips…

So, where should you keep your keys?

Keeping your keys safe involves very different actions depending on whether you are home, or out.

When you are at home, you should store your keys in the same location, allowing them to be located by you and your household with ease. It is also important to remember that you shouldn’t physically lock them away. If they are hidden in the correct location, they shouldn’t need to be kept under their own lock and key. You should be able to locate them in case of emergency at any time throughout day or night, allowing you to unlock your desired escape route, and leave your home in a quick and reliable manner.

This ‘correct location’ we talk about differs between homes throughout the country and should be something you decide on your own and keep under wraps. However, there are a few factors you should consider, such as:

  • They should be hung out of reach of any small children who could risk misplacing them
  • They should remain out of sight from any entry point to your home, including letterboxes, windows and doors
  • They could be disguised in a lock-less cupboard or a drawer which is easy for members of your household to gain entry to, but keeps them out of sight from visitors

When you leave the house, key security remains equally important for both the key you take with you and any spare keys you leave behind – but we will touch on those a bit later on!

When taking your house key out with you, you must remain alert and store it safely. It is common to see many homeowners walking around with their house or car keys in their hands, leaving them open for a ‘grab and run’. It is also common for many of us to store a single key within our purses or wallets. This can be one of the largest risks for an outdoor burglary as, if the worst does occur, not only will they have been granted your house key, but they will also have any bank cards or drivers licences which clearly state your address, giving thieves a heads up about the exact location of your likely empty home.

Spare key safety

One of the first things to consider about a spare key is, do you really need one? We advise to only leave a spare key in a safe location if it is essential. If not – store it safely inside! If you are required to leave a key for another family member, dog walker or babysitter, here are two locations you should consider:

  • With a neighbour
    Ask your neighbour to hold onto your key for you and to expect someone to collect it from them later on in the day. Leave them with a full name a photograph so that they are able to hand the key over to trustworthy hands.
  • In a lockbox
    If you regularly need to leave a spare key, it could be worth investing in an approved lockbox. By fixing it to a discreet placement, be it down the side of your home or behind shrubbery in your front garden, you can allow only the intended recipient entry to your housekey by use of a secure entry code.

Never leave your spare key in any of the following locations. These are heavily used and often the cause of restriction-free break-ins:

  • Under a door mat
  • Under a plant pot
  • Above your front door or windows
  • In a fake rock or garden ornament

If you are looking for means of extra security on top of the safe placement of your house keys, get in touch with a member of our team at DNA Security who are on hand with a range of home security measures fit for homes all over the UK. Give us a call on 01424 718 844 and we will be happy to assist you.