September 2005

Around 37,500 homes will be bought this year with the buyers unaware that at least one spare set of keys for the property is still with a third party. The problem is even greater amongst rental properties.

According to a survey conducted by NOP on behalf of insurer NIG, over half (58%) of GB residents give away spare sets of keys to their home, but 4% do not bother to reclaim them when they move.

The rate at which spare keys are not reclaimed is highest in rented properties where 7% of tenants do not take back spare keys when they leave the dwelling.

The main recipients of spare keys from the majority of people (73%) are family members; 14% give them to neighbours and 8% to friends.

Two thirds of those surveyed (59%) said they did not change the locks when they last moved into a new home.

Commenting on the survey's findings, NIG's Director of Personal Lines, Adrian Harris said:

"This is really quite a worrying result for both home owners and insurers. The fact that so many unclaimed keys are in circulation raises major questions about home security.

"These results show it makes sense for any new home owners to consider changing their property's locks to ensure that anyone still holding spare keys can't get back into the property or can pass them onto someone who may want to break in.

"It would also be advisable to ensure that you have adequate home insurance cover and you are aware of your level of cover, before you join the *321,459 victims of domestic burglary over the past 18 months."

In the era of high tech home security and increasing concern about crime, the garden plant pot remains the UK's number one hiding place for keys. A fifth of GB residents (19%) said that a plant pot was the most favourite place to hide a house key with under a plant or bush being the second most popular (4%).

According to the latest available figures from the National office for Statistics, there were 1.59 million private properties sold in 2002. In 2003, there were 25 million private dwellings in Great Britain.

• Women are more likely to give away spare keys than men. In age terms, 73% of those aged over 65 have given away spare keys compared with just 40% of 18-24 year olds.

• In terms of social status, people classified as AB are most likely to give away keys (65%) compared with DEs as the least likely (52%).

• 39% of adults say that people hide their keys.

Regional analysis:

Residents of the Yorkshire TV region are the most likely to give away spare sets of keys (66%), while those on the West Country TV region are the least likely to give away keys (43%).

Meridian region contains the highest percentage (8%) of those giving away four or more sets of keys.

Residents of the Carlton/LWT region are most likely to give their spare keys to cleaners/tradespeople or estate agent (6%) as their main keyholder.

Residents of the Granada area are the least likely to reclaim spare sets of keys when they move home (7%).

The Midlands and the South are most security conscious and the areas where people are most likely to change their locks after moving into a new home with Anglia and Carlton/LWT regions being the highest at 39%.

* Source - Home Office Statistical Bulletin - Crime in England and Wales 2004/2005