Key safes have become popular for a number of reasons. From allowing a cleaner or care worker to have access to the property to ensuring kids can get in but don’t have house keys to lose, they are appearing on more homes. But can key safes really keep your keys safe?
What is a key safe?
A key safe is usually a metal box that is very strong and tough to open which is used to put keys in for anything from your house to your garage or even a car. They are installed by fitting them to the brick or concrete walls of the house and you access whatever is inside with a code, just like a normal safe.
The idea is that you only give this code to trusted people who need access to the property. You could give the code to your kids and they wouldn’t need to carry a key with them. Or if you had someone like a cleaner or a regular care worker that visited the property, they could let themselves in while everyone is at work with the code for the key safe.
What’s the difference between a key safe and a lockbox?
An outdoor lockbox is something that is used to secure valuable items but they are generally not as secure or solid as a specialist key safe. However, some manufacturers have started to sell their products as outdoor lockboxes interchangeably with key safe.
If you are looking at these kinds of products, it is important to examine exactly what the item is and how sturdy it is to be holding valuable keys outside your house. There are two standards to watch for:
- ‘Police Preferred’ refers to a scheme operated by UK police forces where they independently certify home security products and this can be found on some key safes
- LPS1175 Certificate refers to testing as part of the BRE (British Research Establishment) that is issued when products meet certain fire and security standards. You can check their Red Book for details of which ones qualify currently
Where to locate a key safe
The other big thing to consider if you are getting a key safe is where to locate it. Just having a strong and tough key safe isn’t enough, you need to be a bit crafty about where you put it.
Avoid locations where it can be seen from the road or that are near the door that the key within opens. If possible, don’t have it located at eye level but hide it lower so it is less obvious. Make sure the key safe isn’t marked for what it is and if it is clear what the purpose of the box is, consider adding another case over it to disguise it.
Is a key safe a good idea?
I’ll be honest, key safes aren’t my favourite thing. I understand why they are useful but I have seen too many removed from the wall and destroyed to get at the key inside.
If you can’t find an alternative, make sure you have a high quality box and put it in a clever spot that only your nearest and dearest know about.
It’s a good idea to carry out regular security audits on your home and business. We offer a complimentary no-obligation security check. Contact us for further information.
