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AIBU?

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Original poster

WWYD - on hol - left oven on?!

290 replies

Ovenon1 · 20/05/2023 22:14

We've just gone on holiday and DH is having a -shit I can't remember turning the oven off moment....

No one has a spare key to the house and we don't live near family.

I'm pretty sure it was off but I was getting kids dressed and ready when he was making lunch.

Not sure what to do now and obviously it's worrying!

It's an old hotpoint oven.

Could we get someone to go and turn the gas off? The gas box is outside. Arghhhh.

Any one been in this situation? What do we do?!

OP posts:
user1492757084 · 21/05/2023 05:58

Contact your gas provider.
If not contact the local council or local police or fire brigade to turn off the gas.

VerveClique · 21/05/2023 05:59

You’re right to be concerned OP.

i once left a pan of soup on the hob and we all went out… only about half an hour away. I suddenly remembered and we had to stop the activity we were all doing and I straight home. I was right and the contents were reduced to a black, smelly, congealed crisp.

Easily done!!

I’d ask a trusted friend or family member to drive over and have a look and reimburse petrol money for them. I’d do this for someone close if they asked.

Blueblell · 21/05/2023 06:02

It depends - my gas meter outside has a handle to to turn the gas off in the house. If yours does then you could get someone to turn it off

Haveallthesongsbeenwritten · 21/05/2023 06:03

Imamumgetmeoutofhere · 20/05/2023 23:13

This is genius

Show quote history

I do that, also pictures of straighteners 😂

MooFroo · 21/05/2023 06:05

Ovenon1 · 20/05/2023 22:14

We've just gone on holiday and DH is having a -shit I can't remember turning the oven off moment....

No one has a spare key to the house and we don't live near family.

I'm pretty sure it was off but I was getting kids dressed and ready when he was making lunch.

Not sure what to do now and obviously it's worrying!

It's an old hotpoint oven.

Could we get someone to go and turn the gas off? The gas box is outside. Arghhhh.

Any one been in this situation? What do we do?!

@Ovenon1 get a friend to go round with a locksmith
about £80 to replace barrel in a normal front door

WeAreTheHeroes · 21/05/2023 06:10

I think your options are to courier a key to someone - the likes of TNT/FedEx and UPS, etc do next day delivery in Europe - or speak to your insurance company. If you have home emergency cover they'll be able to send a locksmith and you can have a friend or family member meet them at your house to check the oven and collect the new keys.

ShandaLear · 21/05/2023 06:34

I’d call a locksmith and ask for advice. They must get calls like this all the time. They may be able to get in, turn off the gas, and secure the door.

Nanaof1 · 21/05/2023 06:39

Call your local fire department and ask them what you should do. In the "old days", they would go over and turn it off from outside if it was possible; which it should be as most gas lines are outside turn-offs in case of fire, emergency or disaster.
CALL them and get their advice.

ThankmelaterOkay · 21/05/2023 06:54

Smart meters do have their uses after all!

Aren’t ovens noisy? Wouldn’t you have heard it as you were leaving? Or noticed the light on?

Also, maybe it’s just me, but I double check every tap, window, etc before we go away. Turn the water heater off (elec). And this is if we go away for a few days!

MyFaceIsAnAONB · 21/05/2023 06:56

5 pages in and people are still suggesting send a friend round… as if that wouldn’t have been OP’s first thought! 🙄

MamblingOn · 21/05/2023 07:04

Mañanarama · 21/05/2023 00:05

Contact your gas provider and find out if the reading is still going up or not. I would be able to check this info from the app on my phone, but otherwise ring them.

This! If it is they might be able to turn it off from their end or send someone round like they do if you smell gas. Failing that I’d try a locksmith to get in, check, and then give you the new keys when you’re back.

CarbonNeutral · 21/05/2023 07:17

17Degrees · 20/05/2023 22:43

Not an oven but once left a bedroom light on for 2 weeks solid (thanks teenage child) luckily not the energy costs we have now, but had no one to go and switch off!

We always.leave a couple of.lights.on when we go.away to.make the house look as if someone is home. I thought everyone did this? I doubt it costs much 🤔

Youngatheart00 · 21/05/2023 07:17

What did you do? I’m invested now!!!

Scrobbler · 21/05/2023 07:24

Even our 16 year old oven shuts itself off automatically after 12 hours.

ThankmelaterOkay · 21/05/2023 07:28

CarbonNeutral · 21/05/2023 07:17

We always.leave a couple of.lights.on when we go.away to.make the house look as if someone is home. I thought everyone did this? I doubt it costs much 🤔

Show quote history

When we went away for 3 weeks once, I set up an elaborate set of lights on times around our terraced house (on a road with high footfall). Lights would come on at different times on different days. If you spent long enough observing you’d spot a pattern, but I’d seen Home Alone 1, and wasn’t taking any chances!

A package of clothes got delivered late, a few days after we left, so they left it with a neighbour two doors down. When I got the note on our return and went to collect, he was really annoyed as he’d been round on multiple occasions as “the lights were on”.

Nailed it.

fadeddoor · 21/05/2023 07:30

Please get someone to sort this out. A neighbour’s house exploded due to a gas leak coming from their job and took the house next door with it! Thankfully they were all out. I wasn’t and have ptsd!

fadeddoor · 21/05/2023 07:30

*hob

WestOfWestminster · 21/05/2023 07:31

ThankmelaterOk how funny! Next time also set up some cardboard cut outs having a party too just to really mess with the neighbours minds

katepilar · 21/05/2023 07:33

Simianwalk · 21/05/2023 00:04

How? Literally can't think of a single way of breaking into a house without doing this

Show quote history

Depending on what sort of lock and keys are on the doors you possibly can.

Zanatdy · 21/05/2023 07:42

I’d call an on call local gas engineer for advice.

mickybarrysmum · 21/05/2023 07:46

Put an sos post on your local community face book group asking for help.
You will be amazed at the respond people are generally kind and someone will have a solution for you.

Redebs · 21/05/2023 07:50

MyFaceIsAnAONB · 21/05/2023 06:56

5 pages in and people are still suggesting send a friend round… as if that wouldn’t have been OP’s first thought! 🙄

Exactly! And suggesting getting local police to do a check is ridiculed as if preventing a fire and gas explosion aren't worth bothering them with...

OBVIOUSLY YOU'D GET A FRIEND WITH A KEY TO GO AND DO IT IF YOU HAD A FRIEND WITH A KEY!

BadLad · 21/05/2023 07:52

Esjolaol · 21/05/2023 00:08

Just call a local taxi firm and ask if a driver can turn off gas supply at the meter if outside! Pay very well for the job!

This advice is peak mumsnet. Up there with handing out cream eggs and telling the Dorchester how aggrieved you are not to be invited to a wedding hosted by one of their guests.

MermaidMummy06 · 21/05/2023 07:53

I am a 'did we turn the oven off' worrier, even though both DH & I double check everything.

We pack everyone in the car ready to leave. Then check & take photos of oven, hob, bathroom heaters dials being in off position, doors locked etc. and our worry nemesis - 'did we close the garage door'. Have a pre compiled list if you need it.

I've never forgotten to do any of these but they do pop into my head anyway. Taking the photos ensures we check each thing, and have the proof to stop the worry starting. It takes about a minute.

OnlyOpenMouthToChangeFeet · 21/05/2023 07:58

It's at times like this I confess my love for Alexa.

I'm bed bound now, so don't go out unless it's hospital, but I have ADHD and always struggle with things like this.

But my son bought my first Alexa a few years ago, and I could leave the house without panicking! We don't have gas, but anything else such as irons/tongs etc are now all plugged into a smart plug I can operate from my phone. So I may not know whether the item itself is on or off, but it can be switched off remotely at the plug. And the smart light bulbs can also be set to go on and off randomly to make it appear someone is at home.

I'd pay over and over again just for the peace of mind!!