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Original poster

Do you change the locks/front door/ toilet seat when you move house?

113 replies

Aquacrab · 14/12/2024 12:27

Did you change the locks/front door/ toilet seat when you moved house?

Seems common sense to change the locks, although I hadn't actually thought about it until recently. My friend is moving and the seller they bought house from lives a short walk from the house 🤔Seller dragged their heels for ages and left the house quite untidy. They left a number of keys for the door. Friend wonders how many other copies of the key might exist.

OP posts:
EdithStourton · 15/12/2024 17:35

I'm obviously a complete minger as it has never once occurred to me, after multiple house moves, to change a toilet seat. Just clean it properly, and replace it if it is broken.

I can see the rationale for changing the locks, but I'm not sure I'd bother even so.

Original poster
Aquacrab · 15/12/2024 16:45

Thanks to everyone who replied. Safe to say it's best to change at least the locks when you move home. 👍

OP posts:
Original poster
Aquacrab · 15/12/2024 05:53

Zov · 14/12/2024 19:40

We always change the locks. We moved into our first 'owned' property about 27-28 years ago. We'd been in there about four or five days, and were all sitting watching TV, (me, DH, and the kids.) Then three people, (two blokes and a woman) just walked in... Just let themselves in with the key.

My husband got up instantly and said 'what the bloody hell are you doing in our house?!' Confused They looked confused and said 'where's Steve and Diana?' We said 'they moved out last week. This is OUR house now. I think you better contact them!'

I was a bit confused as to why somebody who was close enough to someone to have a key to their house, didn't know they'd moved!

We got the locks changed the next day. After that, we would change the locks in every property we moved into... IMMEDIATELY!

Edited

😮

OP posts:
Zov · 14/12/2024 19:40

We always change the locks. We moved into our first 'owned' property about 27-28 years ago. We'd been in there about four or five days, and were all sitting watching TV, (me, DH, and the kids.) Then three people, (two blokes and a woman) just walked in... Just let themselves in with the key.

My husband got up instantly and said 'what the bloody hell are you doing in our house?!' Confused They looked confused and said 'where's Steve and Diana?' We said 'they moved out last week. This is OUR house now. I think you better contact them!'

I was a bit confused as to why somebody who was close enough to someone to have a key to their house, didn't know they'd moved!

We got the locks changed the next day. After that, we would change the locks in every property we moved into... IMMEDIATELY!

Bookwormmama · 14/12/2024 19:29

Absolutely would change locks, front and back. We changed our ones as soon as we moved into our current house. The owner died that lived in ours previously but I never knew how many grandkids were going about with keys to my front door.
I also changed the toilet seat cause the whole bathroom was rank and it was a wooden toilet seat. We redone the whole bathroom and got a new toilet but I changed the toilet seat anyway because it took a while to get done and we needed use of the toilet in the mean time. Not sure if I’d do it as default if I was moving into a modern bathroom/home. Ours was a doer upper.

MissMoan · 14/12/2024 19:24

I changed all the locks and the toilet seat

Original poster
Aquacrab · 14/12/2024 19:23

2catsandhappy · 14/12/2024 18:03

Unfortunately an ex of mine was a criminal and knew like minded people.
I wondered why he questioned me, after a rental house move, about the new tenants tv, music system, gaming system etc etc.
It was only a long time later when he let slip that he knew someone who would pay £300 for a rental key that I joined up the dots.
The criminal key buyer would pay for the key and get their money back by robbing/burglary/theft of the rental and then robbing again 6 weeks later when insurance had paid for brand new goods.
Lesson learned. Change the locks on day one.

Ah, thanks for sharing this. See, it's smart to change the locks as you just never know.

OP posts:
greylemons · 14/12/2024 18:51

No to the locks but changed three toilets all the carpets and redecorated. But I'm a bit crazy 🤣

2catsandhappy · 14/12/2024 18:03

Unfortunately an ex of mine was a criminal and knew like minded people.
I wondered why he questioned me, after a rental house move, about the new tenants tv, music system, gaming system etc etc.
It was only a long time later when he let slip that he knew someone who would pay £300 for a rental key that I joined up the dots.
The criminal key buyer would pay for the key and get their money back by robbing/burglary/theft of the rental and then robbing again 6 weeks later when insurance had paid for brand new goods.
Lesson learned. Change the locks on day one.

SallyWD · 14/12/2024 17:27

Londonnight · 14/12/2024 16:53

I have never changed any of these. I have moved house multiple times over the last 50 years, rented, and my own home. Never even given it a thought and it has never been an issue

Me too. Has never occurred to me. This is the first time I've ever heard of anyone doing it.

redalex261 · 14/12/2024 17:25

Locks - barrel swapped out the same day. Toilet seat - yes, changed that too. Carpets - had to go immediately. Stranger’s carpets gave me the willies. Did it in the only rental property I had (it was a long term lease). More urgent than toilet seat IMO as at least that can be taken off and really scrubbed. swapped the pan except I couldn’t justify the cost of the plumber!

I am not house proud or one of those hygiene nuts but it’s the not knowing….

EmmerdaleFan78 · 14/12/2024 17:14

No but it’s a good idea. Our current house was bought off plan so all good there.

Isseywith2witchycats · 14/12/2024 17:12

We didnt have any choice but to change the lock on the back door as two weeks after we moved in the mechanism inside the lock shifted and we were locked out due to security catches on the front door, so had to get a locksmith out to change the lock , its an estate house and the lady who died had lived here for years, toilet seat no as the vendor (daughter of lady ) had put a brand new one on for the sale

NoWordForFluffy · 14/12/2024 16:55

Changing the loo seat definitely feels like peak Mumsnet! 🚽

Londonnight · 14/12/2024 16:53

I have never changed any of these. I have moved house multiple times over the last 50 years, rented, and my own home. Never even given it a thought and it has never been an issue

Original poster
Aquacrab · 14/12/2024 16:44

HeChokedOnAChorizo · 14/12/2024 16:18

Always changed the locks. You never know who has a spare key

Totally agree. It hadn't really crossed my mind until recently. But unless you buy or rent from close friends etc, you literally don't know who might have copies of the keys to the home you move into.

OP posts:
haapynot · 14/12/2024 16:42

Never changed the toilet seat! Carpets and soft furnishings straight away. Locks also straight away. The neighbour could have a spare key for all you know.

HeChokedOnAChorizo · 14/12/2024 16:18

Always changed the locks. You never know who has a spare key

fiorentina · 14/12/2024 16:16

Yes change the locks. Added new padlock to side gate etc.
Bleached the life out of the bathrooms until they could be replaced. Our house was left really dirty so a v deep clean.

QuestionableMouse · 14/12/2024 15:59

No.

K0OLA1D · 14/12/2024 15:56

Nope. Didn't change any.

noctilucentcloud · 14/12/2024 15:54

No, it wouldn't occur to me to do either unless I was buying from someone who made me feel unsafe or the toilet seat was horrible / filthy / broken!

ForeverPombear · 14/12/2024 15:48

I've always changed locks ever since I moved into my first flat and a few months later the previous tenant let themselves in to get their post.

I've never changed a loo seat but I do give the bathroom and kitchen a deep clean before I move in.

AlteredStater · 14/12/2024 15:48

No never changed any of those!

Radionowhere · 14/12/2024 15:47

No. Never. Wouldn't even occur to me.