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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

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Original poster

Spare keys anyone?

21 replies

mm22bys · 21/03/2007 08:53

Hi,

just wondering if anybody out there keeps a spare set of keys somewhere in case you get locked out?

I asked a neighbour-and-friend to keep a set just in case we ever get locked out, and she refused on the grounds that she valued our friendship too much and thought if something happened because she had a set we might "breakup".

So I am after some ideas as to where to "hide" them. The best I can come up with is for DH to keep a set at his work.

Any other ideas? For what it's worth the front of our house is very exposed so I don't really want to be seen by the neighbours to be hunting around for a loose rock or brick to hide them under!

Thx

OP posts:

q7 · 21/03/2007 08:58

What a bizarre thing for your neighbour to say. Three of my neighbours who i get on best with have keys to my house. I also have theirs. We help each other out when we go on holiday, picking up post, putting out dustbins etc.

Cappuccino · 21/03/2007 08:59

I keep a set of spare keys in my dh's pocket

he keeps his spare set in mine

fryalot · 21/03/2007 08:59

Do you have a car where you could hide some house keys? You used to be able to get a magnetic box that you put underneath the car.

q7 · 21/03/2007 09:04

Is there anywhere at the back of the house - or a shed or anything?

Incidentally, although several of my neighbours have my spare keys, I have never locked myself out in over 10 years!

q7 · 21/03/2007 09:05

Maybe even a plant pot or planter at the back?

earlgrey · 21/03/2007 09:05

Toe of a wellie in the shed?

Bet burglars nationwide will be watching this agog!

jenkel · 21/03/2007 09:16

We have a little safe like box that has been bolted to front of the house and we have a set of keys in there. Its just big enough to hold one key, very indiscreet.

Original poster

mm22bys · 21/03/2007 09:19

We can't get to our backyard without a set of keys (that's all I'm saying..)

I've never locked myself out, but DH has, and I was on my way to Australia at the time! It was night-time early December one year. He had to call a blacksmith to get the door unlocked, for the tidy sun of £100 (got a discount down from £125 because he only took cash and that's all DH had!)

OP posts:

treacletart · 21/03/2007 09:19

Do you have a friendly local or corner shop keeper you could leave them with?

exbury · 21/03/2007 09:22

You can get boxes to go on the outside of the house which need a pin number to open them & get the key - used for people where carers, etc need to be able to get in.

staceym11 · 21/03/2007 09:23

my friend used to have a box type thing by the front do you had to put a code in to get the key (she was one of 4 kids who always forgot their keys) not very discreet, but you do need to know the code!!

staceym11 · 21/03/2007 09:23

x post exbury

q7 · 21/03/2007 10:15

Do you mean locksmith mm?

staceym11 · 21/03/2007 10:18

margoandjerry · 21/03/2007 10:30

how totally weird of your neighbour. I'm in London and I use a service called sparekeys dot com or something like that. They keep a set of your keys and will deliver them to you (not at your address - they never know your address) within an hour.

I used it when I was travelling a lot and arriving home at all hours and didn't want to risk disturbing the neighbours at 2am.

q7 · 21/03/2007 11:51

Looks good - although at £39 a year, it would be more thrifty to persuade a different neighbour!

Original poster

mm22bys · 21/03/2007 13:15

Oops yes I did mean a locksmith! Mummy brain!

Might look into that £39 per year service, less than one pound a week.

Don't actually know any other neighbours well enough to ask....

Thx!

OP posts:

SoupDragon · 21/03/2007 13:17

Don't ever hide a key outside your house! If you thought of the hiding place, so will a burglar. A friend has a spare key to my house and I keep one in the car too.

staceym11 · 21/03/2007 13:21

what about burying a key in the soil of something?? surely a burgalar isnt gunna dig up your garden?

Original poster

mm22bys · 21/03/2007 17:45

Our front garden is a driveway....DH agrees with not wanting to hide them on the premises.

We have come up with an option though...
Thx for your thoughts and advice...

OP posts:

q7 · 23/03/2007 07:22

mm - was just thinking about your problem.

Surely you could give your keys to a friend across town? Obviously a neighbour is more convenient, but you're not going to lock yourself out very often, and if you do, a trip to your friends' wouldn't matter.

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