Victoria Police, Tasmania Police and the WA Police Force all say not to hide a spare key outside, and Tasmania Police says a spare is much safer with a neighbour, friend or relative you trust. It also suggests changing every exterior lock when you move into a new home, and keeping keys out of the locks but easy to reach inside.
The pages answer the everyday questions about keys one at a time, so this guide does the same.
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Where should the spare key live?
Not outside. Victoria Police, Tasmania Police and the WA Police Force all say not to leave spare keys hidden outside your home. Tasmania Police says it is much safer to leave a spare with a neighbour, friend or relative you trust. The WA checklist asks whether spare keys are kept secure rather than hidden under everyday objects.
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What should go on a key tag?
Not your full name and address. Tasmania Police’s reason is that if you lose the keys, a tag like that could let a stranger work out which house they open.
A key tag that tells a finder nothing, as Tasmania Police suggests. Drawn for this guide. -
Who should I give a key to?
Only people you know well. Tasmania Police says never to give a key to your home to anyone you don’t know well, and names tradespeople in the same sentence.
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Should I change the locks when I move in?
Tasmania Police says yes: after moving in, have a locksmith change every lock on the outside of the house. If you rent, Tasmania Fire Service says it is important to talk to your landlord before you make changes to locks.
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Where do the keys go once I am inside?
Here two Tasmanian services give advice that reads differently, so both are set out in full.
Tasmania PoliceNever leave keys in the locks, but keep them somewhere inside that is easy to reach. It calls this critical in an emergency, when you may need to leave the house quickly.
Tasmania Fire ServiceWhile you are home, keep doors off the deadlock unless their key stays in the lock. Its first choice is a deadlock that opens from the inside without a key at all.
Both are aiming at the same thing: getting out fast in an emergency such as a fire. Victoria Police puts it a third way, saying to unlock the deadlock while you are inside so you can get out in a fire, and the WA checklist asks whether doors are locked with the keys out of sight but within reach in an emergency. Victoria Police also says not to leave keys in window locks.
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How many keys should the house need?
As few as you can manage. Tasmania Fire Service says to limit the number of keys needed to open your deadlocks, because in a fire it will be dark and smoky and keys will be hard to find. Tasmania Police calls it good practice to have all deadlocks keyed alike, so one key opens each door, and suggests window locks that are keyed alike too. The guide to police advice on doors and locks covers the deadlocks themselves.
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Do I need to lock up for a quick trip?
Yes, according to Tasmania Police: secure the house every time you leave, however short the trip or the time away. It also suggests keeping the door locked while you are working in the garden or otherwise busy around the house, taking a key with you.
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What about car keys?
Keep them out of sight. The WA checklist names car keys alongside jewellery and laptops among the valuables to keep hidden. Victoria Police says to keep valuables away from windows.
Keys protect a house that is occupied. When it is empty for a while, going away covers what police pages suggest, and windows and sliding doors covers the locks that keyed-alike window keys fit. All six positions are on the home page.