Rented Property - Key Safe

EndlessStruggle

Hello all,

Just want to rant/bit of advice maybe.

Someone new has taken over the property I am renting and I have come home to find a key safe on the wall of the property. My idea of hell! In my mind I think that makes me a burglar magnet and there goes my content insurance validity if i do get robbed as the key is right outside the door. Whereas at the same time at least I can never get locked out (if I'm allowed the code number).

(I know I'm probably over dramatic) But 1) Am I unreasonable to think maybe they should have asked me or at least told me they planned to do it? 2) Any experience/reassurance/warnings about key safes? 3) Is my insurance likely invalidated if I do get burglar billed?

I know it makes life easier for him as he is far away and if I get locked out or work needs to be done in the house then someone local can let themselves in but at the same time I feel with very little effort someone else could maybe let themselves in?

HampshireH

Change the locks.

Cakeguts

Change the locks.

Throwaway1

Change the locks.


Edit: he can't come and let himself in without giving you 24 hours notice anyway in which case you can be there to let him in, or change the locks back for that day and change them back again after he's gone. (They are very easy to change and you don't need a locksmith, that's only for when you can't unlock the door, with the door open they are simple to switch over). Just make sure you keep the original safe and swap them back again before you leave, no-one needs to know. If you lock yourself out then you'll have to pay a locksmith to let you back in but that's unlikely to happen and it's worth it to not have a key to your house on the wall by your door.

Comms69

Agreed change the locks

EndlessStruggle

(To be clearer same landlord but his son has taken over management and not as local as him, I see him occasionally in the town/supermarket)

Landlord has always been excellent, very respectful of space. No insistence of inspections and has left me to it. Any maintenance issues have been resolved so quickly and always lets me know when and who was doing the work on the house. I just really dislike the key safe, makes me feel a bit unsafe..

PasturesNew

Re keysafe, while they are safe if in your choosing/control, it's a case of "dunno who knows that code".... and, some people think they might be an "indicator and old/frail person lives here", making you a target for all manner of oddball sales people touting their patter.

Is there a key in it? There might not be... maybe he's fitted it "in case it seems like a handy thing to have in the future". Bit bizarre though to randomly sneak up while you're not about and put it on the wall.

Only the landlord will know what's going on .... ask him... what's it for? why? but I don't want it/didn't ask for it ... is there a key in there?

If he says "just in case .... yes there's a key ... in case" - then say "Oh", hang up and change the locks as quietly as he fitted that key safe.

davidmcn

PasturesNew wrote: »

some people think they might be an "indicator and old/frail person lives here", making you a target for all manner of oddball sales people touting their patter.

While around here it means "Air B'n'B", so will deter sales people from wasting their time!

Beenie

my mother (dementia sufferer) has a key safe. things started to disappear from her fridge, all a bit weird. more of a nuisance than anything. we suspect (after being told by various trusted callers) that a neighbour was 'looking over the shoulder' of anyone using the key safe. when they ran out of tea bags, milk, biscuits, slices of ham etc. why not pop into the house next door? the demented neighbour would never know......

no proof of any of this, only circumstantial, but I would never have a key safe. you don't know who can gain entry to your home.

EndlessStruggle

I want to trust people but like you say anyone trusted with the code could just give it out to whoever even if it is changed regularly.

I can't say I have a lot of value in the house but even totting up the value of the items someone could walk out with (laptop/tablet etc) we are getting into a nice amount of money.

It is more the security being a single lady living alone, whilst I don't feel an easy target anyone watching might think it I could be.

My neighbours also have a number of visitors coming and going (running businesses from the house/open policy on guests/friends moving in temporarily and staying over) which makes me even more of a target especially when their house is publicly registered as a business address for alcohol and tobacco sales and as an accountant...

datlex

Unless there is a key in the safe it is not actually a risk.