A spare set of keys can become a saviour or a foe, depending on where residents leave them and who they’re trusted with.
To ensure personal safety and home security, there are some simple do’s and don’ts that people can follow.
Malcolm Gunning, President of the Real Estate Institute of Australia said that it’s crucial that people make an effort to hide their spare keys well.
“If you hide a key and a thief finds it, you immediately void any insurance and it becomes an insurance issue,” Mr Gunning warned.
Instead, he said it is a good idea for renters to give spare keys to trusted real estate agents.
“My advice is to leave your spare key with a real estate agent. It means if there's an issue with your home and you’re away, such as smoke alarms ringing or plumbing problems, you've got someone who can access the property,” Mr Gunning said.
However, for homeowners a more common method would be to leave keys in the hands of friends and family that live close by.
“Because many homes have self closing doors, locking yourself out is very common. Leaving spare keys with trusted family and friends that are close by is an alternative,” he said.
During the process of hiding a spare key, Mr Gunning said residents should avoid hiding them in obvious places.
“You could hide it in gardens but not in the most obvious place. An absolute no is to leave spare keys under the pot next to front door, under a brick or in the metre box because these are some of the first hiding places that thieves check,” he said.
One of the more secure methods to hide spare keys is by using a key safe or key box which can be a simple and compact solution, left at the property and only accessed with the right combination code.
“The key box makes a lot of sense, but make sure it complies with insurance. The important thing is to check it’s not voiding your homes insurance policy,” Mr Gunning said.
An example are Master Lock’s key safes that can store house keys or car keys. Master Lock also have a Wall Mount Light up dial Key Safe.
“Burglars know that homeowners tend to leave a spare key near the front door. Don’t make their job even easier. Use a secure Master Lock Key Safe for added piece of mind,” Sean Devlin-Look from Master Lock said.
“The unique zinc construction makes the Master Lock Key Safes one of the strongest and most durable key safes on the market.
It’s perfect for when you’re away and need to give a cleaner, gardener or friend access to your home,” Mr Devlin-Look said.
Master Lock Keys are available at Bunnings Warehouse.
