Leaving keys in key safe with neighbour

[Twochefs]

I have just purchased a key safe and am thinking about leaving it with my neighbour rather than leaving it outside. The key safe is so that my neighbour is not able to access the key.

How sound is this idea? Please run through the pros and cons with me.

I wouldn't be willing to find space for a neighbour's key safe. If you don't trust me to just have a key, please find an alternative place to keep your spare keys.

This.

Why do you want to leave it with your neighbour rather than outside - so people are less likely to try to tamper with it and steal the key to break in?

You realise that asking your neighbour can I install a key safe in your house and lock my key in it, and not give you the code, means you're telling them I want to impose this upon you and yet don't trust you not to break into my house.

What if your neighbour is out when you need it? The whole point of a safe is access when you need it. If it's a regular occurrence surely it will be annoying for your neighbour. If you don't trust your neighbour with your key then don't give them one.

Ha Ha I want to use you at my convenience / your inconvenience but have no trust in you

Don't forget to pop back and tell us how it goes

Put it on your own property like everyone else does you nutty woman.

Depending on the key safe only takes two well placed screw drivers to open.
So I can see the point. Can you not put it at the back of theproperty it's not on show if that is what you are worried about.
Can I just ask why do you want to give the neighbour a key that they can't access?

Only on MN, if you trust your neighbour to enter your house in case of an emergency, you don’t need a safe. I would be insulted if somebody did that to me, and would politely decline.

First post nails it

Thanks for the 'two screw driver' tip. 👍

I've always struggled in the past with those key safes - trying to work out what codes they might have used.

What on earth? You either trust the neighbours to have a key, or want the convenience of them having a key enough to balance the trust, or you don't. Can't you put the key safe somewhere less visible / obvious on your own property?

Just keep your keys on you...?

The exact point everyone else has made. How incredibly rude of you. And I speak as someone who had to grovel to our neighbour as we misplaced their spare key a while ago (found it - but it was an absolutely mortifying week).

Also, completely misses the point of a key safe! The point is to be able to access your house at any time without having to rely on anyone else being home etc.

I have keys for a few of my neighbours houses at their request but I would not agree to have a key safe, either you trust me enough to have a key or you don't

What is the purpose of the key safe, as far as you are concerned, op?

I've seen tenants do it to get back into properties after evictions.

Surely the locks get changed on eviction. And if they don't - well they've got a key anyway.

there was a key safe on our house before we moved jn. The neighbours one down gave us the code as it was an older man lived here who the lovely neighbour used to check in on etc so there is a key in and she also has one of our keys as my kids are notorious for losing the things. Not used it yet though but handy to know neighbour has one to. If you don’t want your neighbour to access key you can’t ask them to house your safe that’s a bit cheeky!!

Pros: your key is both inside a key safe and inside your neighbour’s home, meaning there are two levels of protection before it could be accessed. A bit of a stretch, but the physical key safe would also probably last longer, as would be inside and not exposed to the elements.

Cons: your neighbour would be insulted that you don’t trust her not to access your home, but trust/expect her to hold your key safe. You would need to speak to your neighbour every time you wanted to access it, instead of being able to access it independently, as it is intended. This means they need to be home when you need it, which they may not be, meaning you don’t have easy access. Being bothered for access may bother your neighbour. Finding room for a key safe is a bigger hassle than finding room for a key.

I'm sure the keys in the key safe get updated too.

Yes they do and the new keys go in so that the property can be made ready for a new tenant.

Either you trust your neighbour to have a key or not.

A light wind can get you into most keysafes so they are utterly pointless in detering any half-determined thief.

Wear the key on a piece of string round your neck.

My spare key is cleverly hidden outside. Not under the doormat or a flower pot. Or maybe it isn't 🤔

If you are so worried about security that you do not trust your neighbour with a spare key, then I think I would give up on the idea of a spare key outside the house and do some research on locksmiths that you could call upon should you find yourself locked outside of your home.

Even out of hours a good locksmith won't be that expensive, and you'll have the peace of mind of knowing no-one else has access to a key for your house.