When you go on holiday, do you give a neighbour or family member a key to your house?

[-]

banjo_fandango@reddit

Why would anyone need to routinely go in your house if there’s no emergency? We have a spare key in a key safe, hidden in the garden, that we can give someone the code to if needed. There’s no way I’d give a key to a neighbour who has already ‘jokingly’ mentioned snooping!

Reply

[-]

DryJackfruit6610@reddit (OP)

True, it was mainly to check for leaks or anything, it's our first home and first winter in the home so guess I'm just being paranoid, my dad is 5 mins away by car and retired so he's happy to have a key

Reply

[-]

Buddy-Matt@reddit

The chances of a modern house spontaneously generating a leak when unoccupied and the water isn't in use is basically zero. Same thing with fires and not having anything turned on. If I was genuinely worried I'd be turning everything off (main stopcock and breaker switch) before inviting people to come in and have a look around.

Reply

[-]

DryJackfruit6610@reddit (OP)

We will be turning off the water from the street so I'm not sure what could go wrong aside from the boiler, the house is 1980s so you're right should be alright. Boiler isn't as old

Reply

[-]

HeriotAbernethy@reddit

Personally I’d not do that, and I’d leave the boiler on a timer to come on if the temperature dips below a certain point.

Reply

[-]

DryJackfruit6610@reddit (OP)

The water supply doesn't affect the boiler so i can still do that :)

Reply

[-]

Funny_Professor3578@reddit

I've turned off the main breaker before and come back to rotting food in the freezer because it didn't occur to me to leave it on so don't make that mistake!!

Reply

[-]

Ninja_Fox_@reddit

I once emptied the fridge of stuff that could go bad before leaving for a month. And then returned to discover that I had forgot to take out the bin that I emptied the fridge in to.

Reply

[-]

Buddy-Matt@reddit

Personally I find turning the whole house off a little over paranoid. Background energy use on a house is small enough there's no substantial financial benefit, and the chance of anything spontaneous happening are basically nil without a human around to trigger it. But if it gives people peace of mind, fair enough. I didn't think I needed to save at "just make sure you eat all your fridge/freezer food, or store it elsewhere" though!

Reply

[-]

Funny_Professor3578@reddit

Yeah it was stupid in hindsight. I thought I'd save electricity or something.

Reply

[-]

PMIFYOUWANTTOTALK@reddit

That sounds like a good idea, i might do this too. I take it you have to change the batteries every now and then?

Reply

[-]

banjo_fandango@reddit

It's a padlock thing, locked to a bit of fence in the garden, which opens/comes apart with a combination, in which you can store a few keys etc. No batteries necessary.

Reply

[-]

AussieHxC@reddit

Although I'm not super keen on my elderly neighbours having a snoop while we're away, I do trust them and am happy for them to have a key/feed my cat. Helps that my ceiling has literally collapsed before whilst on holiday.

Reply

[-]

Scarred_fish@reddit

We never lock the house, but it is usually the neighbors who look after the animals and stuff. Family are a drive away so it's just easier. We return the favor of course.

Reply

[-]

PetersMapProject@reddit

I didn't discover this whole not locking the door thing until I was about 30 and dating a guy from a rural area. I've never quite recovered from the shock, it makes me feel deeply uneasy. One of them admitted he didn't know where the key was, hadn't seen it for ages. Another is a copper so you'd think he'd know better. I'm amazed burglars aren't just driving out to rural houses and emptying them all the time tbh.

Reply

[-]

Scarred_fish@reddit

I've only every had a house key when I lived in a council house, and that was used to open it when I moved in then lock it when we moved out. No idea where our house keys might be, they're just totally unnecessary and it would be massively inconvenient having to lock and unlock doors every day. It's a great shame society has devolved in some places to the degree people are even locking doors when they are in the house (according to this sub).

Reply

[-]

peterbparker86@reddit

Inconvenient? It takes 5 seconds to lock a door.

Reply

[-]

imminentmailing463@reddit

Even 5 seconds is stretching it. Ours takes maybe two seconds, absolute maximum.

Reply

[-]

peterbparker86@reddit

I have a vague recollection of arguing with someone on Reddit about them leaving the house without keys, wallet or phone and thinking it was normal. They couldn't admit that they were the outlier. I think it was this guy

Reply

[-]

imminentmailing463@reddit

I always find his comments fascinating. It's like seeing into another world. A remainder of the enormous variation in lifestyles that exist in the UK.

Reply

[-]

Scarred_fish@reddit

That's why I enjoy commenting, and indeed reading the comments from everyone else, seeing how diverse the UK is.

Reply

[-]

imminentmailing463@reddit

Indeed. 'Diversity' is often used specifically to denote people with backgrounds from abroad but the difference between your lifestyle and mine is just as much an example of diversity.

Reply

[-]

Scarred_fish@reddit

Obviously, you're aware of my day to day to a degree, may I ask how your daily life looks and roughly where you're from?

Reply

[-]

imminentmailing463@reddit

Well, I commute into London for work and until a couple of years ago lived there for a decade, so straight off the bat that's about as different to living in rural Scotland as possible! I live in a town of about 20,000 people now, which feels small and quite rural to me.

Reply

[-]

Scarred_fish@reddit

Amazing how different that is. Shetlands whole population is between 22 and 23k. The island I live on is under 1000. My biggest concern if I was to have to live in an urban area is sustainability and access to fresh food. We grow our own food just now because it is much healthier (and more tasty) than shop bought, and we enjoy it. We supplement with a monthly shop, however we could definitely survive if for some reason shops ran out of supplies. etc. Similarly with heating, we have open fires and a water heating stove again because we enjoy them, but could be used if need be (essential really, when we are often without power for a week or so). Are those things a concern for you? Or just something that is irrelevant a bit like locking stuff up is for me?

Reply

[-]

imminentmailing463@reddit

Yeah, I find the idea of living somewhere like that inconceivable. We lived in a small village until I was about 9 and I remember already at that age I started to feel it was inconvenient and constraining, now as an adult I think I'd find it maddening. Whilst I love my town, there are times even here where I find it frustrating that there aren't the amenities you get in cities like a cinema or a good gym, and the poor public transport took some getting used to and the public transport of London is still something I miss. Being without power isn't a concern. I can't even remember the last time I experienced a powercut. Not sure I even have as an adult. Shops running out of supplies also isn't a concern. Even during the pandemic shelves were still pretty full. And I do most shopping online anyway, so what the shops in my town have on their shelves isn't super important. As to growing my own food, I have neither the time to do it nor the interest in doing so. I can get fresh enough food from supermarkets, or the butchers if I want to pay more. And we eat a very varied diet that just wouldn't be possible if we were relying primarily on growing my own. I'd be far more concerned about sustainability and fresh food if I were living more rurally tbh. Not to mention the inconvenience of not being able to walk to amenities. Being able to walk to several nice pubs, cafes and restaurants is really important to me. The countryside is somewhere I'm happy to visit but I'm always happy to get back to an urban area.

Reply

[-]

Scarred_fish@reddit

Ah, I think I recognise you! This is an interesting post, as most of the thing you say you like are the reasons I find spending time in cities so boring! Home here, I have a great gym, swimming pool, multiple badminton courts, squash court, several local halls with gaming areas (snooker, pool, darts, video games), several cafes and restaurants, and club bars where £3 a pint and £2 a nip/shot are the norm. All easily accessible with regular public transport or just a 5 minute drive. When I spend time in a city, it's just nothing but expensive pubs or cafes that close ridiculously early. Cinema's seem to be stuck on the few big films of the time, and there is just nothing else. I am of course completely aware it's fine to like different things, and communities are by far the most important thing of all, which are hard to judge from the outside. I won't go in to the supermarket thing too much, but as you say you like a varied diet, just look at a simple thing like potatoes. In most supermarkets that I am aware of, they hardly ever even name the type. It's just a potato. Yet there are SO many varieties and choosing the correct one is absolutely vital in varied cuisines. We are not restricted by growing our own, we do so not just because we enjoy it, but so that we can enjoy a variety of things that supermarkets simple don't provide.

Reply

[-]

imminentmailing463@reddit

Yeah, whereas I find rural areas pretty boring. There's so much going on in cities, there's so much energy, always new things to do and see, such a variety of cultures, and the access to amenities is just incomparable. I also really dislike how car-centric rural life tends to be. I like dense, walkable neighbourhoods. Re: food variety, personally multiple types of potato isn't my idea of variety. That's not intended as a judgement of what you eat, we all like what we like! But I think we perhaps have a different idea of variety. I simply could not eat my diet by growing the stuff. Quite apart from the difficulty of being able to grow it, just the sheer number and variety of ingredients I regularly use wouldn't be feasible to produce myself.

Reply

[-]

Scarred_fish@reddit

I'd genuinelyOVE to know where you find these interesting cities! I've spent considerable time in Scottish cities, a couple of months at a time in Manchester, Liverpool, Bristol, York and Durham. After about 3 days there is just nothing to do! It's just endless streets of nothing but bricks and tarmac, with the odd pub and cafe all of which are identical and even if they weren't, jesus they are boring! No swimming pools, gyms, or any sports facity without hiring a taxi as public transport seems non existent. Sorry, ranting. Am fired up waiting for the bus to the festive spree and venting. I'm sure you're out doing whatever you do. Diversity is great. Maybe one day we could have a pint somewhere we both like :)

Reply

[-]

imminentmailing463@reddit

I think the issue is basically that you don't like cities and therefore view them through a negative lens. Saying they're all 'streets of nothing but bricks and tarmac' is like me complaining that the country is 'nothing but grass and trees'. It's rather reductionist and ignores all the variation and diversity contained within. I've spent time in most of those cities you list and there's so much to do in all of them. For a start, just walking around a city is fascinating to me, taking in the culture, the people, the architecture. Then you have tourist sites, museums, cafes, pubs, restaurants. And I simply cannot agree that they're all the same, there's such a variation of cafes, pubs and restaurants that again I can't see how you'd say they're all the same without engaging in reductionism. Cities are just so full of stuff I find exciting and interesting. Whereas rural areas are fine for a bit but pretty soon I've done a couple of walks and feel I've got what there is to get from it, and I start to crave the interesting walkable neighbourhoods of urban areas. I guess ultimately that's what it is, nice as they are, rural areas I find ultimately uninteresting.

Reply

[-]

Scarred_fish@reddit

Apologies for the ramble of my last post, was a bit pissed and excited waiting for the next stage of the party! What I was trying to say (and failed) was that the cities stay the same, not that they're all the same. I love architecture and infrastructure, and seeing new stuff is great, but then that's it. After a few days you've seen it all and when I go back, even years later, it's still the same. If you go to a museum or art gallery on Saturday, it'll still be exactly the same the next Saturday, and apart from some which have changing exhibitions, it can be the same for years. I guess it's a bit like the Winchester thing in Shaun of the Dead. Some people I know think it's totally cool to go to the same pub every night and drink the same stuff with the same music etc, but that's my idea of hell! I like the variety. Lifestyle certainly has a lot to do with it too. Not having anything fresh to eat really gets to me pretty quickly. Not getting to enjoy preparing something from scratch etc. But I understand some people prefer convenience over taste etc. Possibly even more than that is the fresh air and weather. I love the breeze and clear skies, although the sun does get to me! :)

Reply

[-]

imminentmailing463@reddit

I have to disagree with the idea cities stay the same. Cities, particularly larger ones, are always evolving. There's always new buildings going up, new restaurants and pubs and cafes opening, new theatre shows starting, new music, new galleries opening, new exhibitions going on. Cites are the engines of our arts and culture. You get everything there first and way more variety. The criticism of places being unchanging and always the same seems much more suitable for villages and rural areas to me. Variety is exactly why cities are so great and the countryside is so dull. You have to work so hard to get variety in rural areas, most people who live in rural areas go to cities for that sort of thing for a reason: you can't get it rurally. In cities you're just surrounded by it constantly. I think your comment about convenience over taste is unfair and, with respect, comes across a bit obnoxious. You can make amazingly tasty food with supermarket produce if you're a good cook. I make pretty much every meal from scratch. I just don't grow the produce myself. I have grown things in pots before. Not with the time and effort is my take away from doing so

Reply

[-]

Scarred_fish@reddit

Apologies, I know my tone is off but I really don't mean any offence. I'm off to grind up some tripe for tomorrows haggis Turkey stuffing, tomorrow being Old Christmas and the last day of the festive holidays for us. Even in this small Island in Shetland, we are one of the few areas who still celebrate this. Diversity indeed.

Reply

[-]

imminentmailing463@reddit

I think the issue is basically that you don't like cities and therefore view them through a negative lens. Saying they're all 'streets of nothing but bricks and tarmac' is like me complaining that the country is 'nothing but grass and trees'. It's rather reductionist and ignores all the variation and diversity contained within. I've spent time in most of those cities you list and there's so much to do in all of them. For a start, just walking around a city is fascinating to me, taking in the culture, the people, the architecture. Then you have tourist sites, museums, cafes, pubs, restaurants. And I simply cannot agree that they're all the same, there's such a variation of cafes, pubs and restaurants that again I can't see how you'd say they're all the same without engaging in reductionism. Cities are just so full of stuff I find exciting and interesting. Whereas rural areas are fine for a bit but pretty soon I've done a couple of walks and feel I've got what there is to get from it, and I start to crave the interesting walkable neighbourhoods of urban areas. I guess ultimately that's what it is, nice as they are, rural areas I find ultimately uninteresting.

Reply

[-]

banjo_fandango@reddit

The guy lives in Shetland and likes arguing that how he lives is/should be the norm for everyone else.

Reply

[-]

Scarred_fish@reddit

Haha don't be silly. It's the fact some people CAN'T live how they want that I find a shame, and feel it's only right to remind people that all of the UK isn't like a rough inner city neighbourhood. There is huge diversity in the UK, and that's what makes it great.

Reply

[-]

thelajestic@reddit

I never got burgled when I lived in a rough inner city neighbourhood, but I did when living in a small quaint seaside town, when my stepdad left the door unlocked and a thief let themselves in and stole a bunch of stuff while we were asleep upstairs. Of course insurance doesn't cover you if you've left the doors unlocked, so it makes sense to lock them wherever you live, because opportunistic thieves don't just restrict themselves to rough neighbourhoods.

Reply

[-]

Scarred_fish@reddit

The insurance thing is a myth. You just have to declare it when you apply. Some companies don't accept it but there are plenty that do. We tend to prefer them anyway as the premiums are generally lower as they understand the location (non existent crime, no risk of flooding etc)

Reply

[-]

thelajestic@reddit

It obviously isn't a myth, because people don't get their insurance payout if they haven't locked their door. I have never had the option from any provider to declare I don't lock my doors, and I switch every year. You can't speak from your tiny niche experience and say that something which applies to the vast majority of people in the UK is a "myth".

Reply

[-]

peterbparker86@reddit

Yep, it's definitely him then.

Reply

[-]

banjo_fandango@reddit

I’m not convinced it’s not someone’s fantasy account, to be honest.

Reply

[-]

peterbparker86@reddit

Id agree. Apparently pissing in your own house is gross. Pretty sure it's just a troll account but a subtle one

Reply

[-]

PetersMapProject@reddit

Inconvenient? What's really inconvenient is if you get burgled and the insurance won't pay out because there's no signs of forced entry.

Reply

[-]

Scarred_fish@reddit

That's why you specify you don't have locked doors/windows when you apply, be pretty stupid not to. Never been an issue for insurance that I've known of.

Reply

[-]

PetersMapProject@reddit

I remember being asked for home insurance if you have locks on your windows (as opposed to the old latches) and what type of lock you have on the doors. I don't remember "no locks on doors" being an option I hope you don't get a nasty surprise one day

Reply

[-]

Awordofinterest@reddit

>What's really inconvenient is if you get burgled and the insurance won't pay out because there's no signs of forced entry. >I hope you don't get a nasty surprise one day You may be shocked to learn how easily a locksmith can get into your house with no signs of forced entry or any sign of lock damage. You could probably get through most front/back doors with a £30+ kit and 30mins of youtube training with very little to no damage to do the door/mechanism Would I give a neighbour a key? Certainly not. But family and friends have a spare just in case.

Reply

[-]

imminentmailing463@reddit

I think there's maybe a generational difference as well as the rural/urban one. Growing up neither set of grandparents locked their doors. None of them ever lived anywhere rural. I always found it weird that we could just turn up and let ourselves in.

Reply

[-]

Relative_Dimensions@reddit

I grew up in the 1970s in a village with 6 streets; people locked their doors. Maybe not if you were just popping into a neighbour’s or going to the post box, but definitely if you were going away on holiday. I think this guy lives in the 1950s

Reply

[-]

PetersMapProject@reddit

Family have a key permanently in case of emergencies, and they look after the dog at their house. Neighbours don't have keys at all, and nor do we have their keys.

Reply

[-]

DryJackfruit6610@reddit (OP)

Perhaps I should get an extra key cut and leave it at my dad's, we changed the locks when we moved in so only had 2 keys

Reply

[-]

Buddha-dan@reddit

Get a master key lock, containing a spare key.

Reply

[-]

Ancient-Awareness115@reddit

Just check it doesn't invalidate your house insurance

Reply

[-]

Ok-fine-man@reddit

Crazy this wasn't your first go-to through over giving a key to a neighbour

Reply

[-]

Imtryingforheckssake@reddit

Though to be fair it depends on how close by they are and if they're regularly unavailable.

Reply

[-]

PetersMapProject@reddit

Seems sensible. Cheaper than getting a locksmith out if there's an absolute calamity involving both keys.

Reply

[-]

fionakitty21@reddit

Yep, ma and kids dad both have keys, ma has had to use hers once in an urgent case (I was very very unwell) and also when we have been away and she's fed my cat. Kids dad has never needed to use it (we have a great co parenting relationship, kids live with him) but has it just in case.

Reply

[-]

Smeeble09@reddit

Same, one family member has a key permanently but we can trust them to only use it if needed and they aren't the snooping kind. We have then given neighbour our mobile numbers, along with the family member with the spare key.

Reply

[-]

FunPie4305@reddit

Same here, spare keys with the family, leave neighbours phone number to yourself and key holders in case of an emergency, ask family to check in once in a while if going away for an extended period of time.

Reply

[-]

KizzyHew@reddit

EXACTLY THIS!

Reply

[-]

LaSalsiccione@reddit

What’s with the shouting?

Reply

[-]

KizzyHew@reddit

I’M SURROUNDED BY NEIGHBOURS CHILDREN WHO HAVE JUST LET THEMSELVES IN 🤷🏼‍♀️

Reply

[-]

Imtryingforheckssake@reddit

Nope, my best friend who lives nearby permanently keeps my spare keys. I keep my parents and my friends. I don't know or trust anyone else to have them.

Reply

[-]

299WF@reddit

One of our neighbours has a front door key (ex pub landlord who coincidentally ran my Father In Law’s local years ago), and our other neighbour has a key to the back gate as it’s a right of access due to being an end of terrace (he’s 83, partially deaf and has lived in the house for 51 years). I completely trust both of them to not fuck around and to do the right thing should it ever come to it.

Reply

[-]

cari-strat@reddit

Our neighbour has our key, we have theirs. No snooping, we trust each other.

Reply

[-]

shiveryslinky@reddit

We have a house cat, so when we're away, we give our neighbour a key so he can come in throughout the day to play with her in addition to feeding her. I have no issues, and if he wants to rummage through my granny pants, more fool him 🤷‍♀️

Reply

[-]

HopeWolfie18@reddit

No I would never give my house key to neighbours - especially if there is **no** reason for them to be coming round (ie to feed a pet) to check on an empty house. Trust your family with a set of house keys permanently - in case of an emergency.

Reply

[-]

martzgregpaul@reddit

No as my neighbour would have everything on EBay in 45 minutes

Reply

[-]

thelandtrout@reddit

Some of our closest friends have keys in case we lock ourselves out or there’s an emergency. I guess it depends on your relationship to your neighbours but the fact you’re unsure on it means probably best not to.

Reply

[-]

LemonsAndBarberries@reddit

I’d never give anyone a key tbh, not friends family or neighbours, I wouldn’t trust them not to snoop or to lock up properly and go Plus I’ve seen how people behave in front of me in my home and I can only imagine how they’d act when I’m not around, eg opening drawers etc in front of me and not asking beforehand

Reply

[-]

Imaginary-Hornet-397@reddit

A neighbour who has since passed still has a key in their remaining possessions, now lost amongst them. Given when I was very ill, in case of emergency. And another neighbour has a permanent key. That neighbour used to temp. have a key for petsitting, but they mostly have it permanently now for if I manage to lose mine. Family have keys, but they live too far to get to mine in a reasonable time. I also have the key of the neighbour who has mine, and I've had to use it many a time when she's been ill, as her family all live too far away for regular visiting, as well.

Reply

[-]

Juvenalesque@reddit

Depends on the relationship. I used to have neighbors in the states when I was growing up in the 90s & early 00s, we trusted to keep an eye on our cats. By the 10s, we didn't have anyone we would've trusted with our dogs. It depends on the neighbors. They were probably just joking about a snoop.

Reply

[-]

Substantial_Egg_4660@reddit

My neighbour has a key to my place When I’m away she will put any post I got on the side She gets me some grocery items if she knows I will be late getting home I have had no problem with her

Reply

[-]

DoKtor2quid@reddit

We have neighbours keys and vice versa, but we trust each other. If I thought they were rummaging around I wouldn't give them our key. On the whole we haven't got much worth looking at tbf.

Reply

[-]

JohnLef@reddit

Same. We've all lived here over 20 years, our kids have grown up together, we've all been in each other's houses. We have their key, they have ours No issues ever.

Reply

[-]

HowHardCanItBeReally@reddit

Yh in your case that's fine.

Reply

[-]

Responsible_Trash199@reddit

No one has a key to my house. My house is a smart house, I can control the lock from a million miles away.

Reply

[-]

No_Variety96@reddit

My neighbour had my spare key to feed my cat when I was away. I forgot to ask for the key back when I got back from my holiday. A week later I got home from work and found a parcel on my coffee table in the lounge. She had seen it on my doorstep and instead of taking it back to her house to give to me later she had let herself in and put it on the table. I somehow felt violated and asked for my key back straightaway.

Reply

[-]

GillyGoose1@reddit

My mum (who thankfully does live locally) has a key to my flat, only because I figure someone should have one in case I lose mine, where the only alternative would be to call a locksmith which, especially of an evening/night can be pretty expensive. I get on well with one of my neighbours (a couple living directly below me on the ground floor) and would actually trust them with a key, but the thing is they're both older, quite disabled and struggle to walk any distance, never mind up a flight of stairs. So I couldn't ask them, although like I say, I would trust them.

Reply

[-]

Spiklething@reddit

My mum and stepdad used to leave a key with close family friends just in case. Emergencies only, no pets to feed or plants to water. They were really close friends, my stepdad and the friend he left the key with were friends at school and by the time they were leaving the key with him, they were both retired, that is how long they had been friends They were also friends with my mums family too, the daughter of the friend they left the key with was bridesmaid for my mums sister when she was about 12 They were very trusted friends Then they came back a day earlier than planned from their holiday and found their 'trustworthy friend' in their house.

Reply

[-]

Teawillfixit@reddit

I have a freind that has a key in case of emergencies, and also to water plants if I'm away longer term.. no way in hell would I give a key to a random neighbour though.

Reply

[-]

Anxious_wank@reddit

What's a snoop? Checking out how you've decorated or rifling through the knicker drawers? I can understand decorating curiosity I guess but snooping covers a lot. My neighbour who I've known for all my life is now getting on a bit, had a lock box with a key fitted at front of the house. As trustworthy as I believe myself to be, I admit I felt slightly weird about it when she gave me the code for it "just in case". I'm not sure I would want to return the "favour", I'd rather choose family.

Reply

[-]

StereotypicallBarbie@reddit

No I have cats so I pay someone I know with no responsibilities to stay over, eat as food as they want.. chill out.. surf my wifi and have the privilege of my cats company.

Reply

[-]

alancake@reddit

My next door neighbour and I each have a spare key. It's been useful numerous times. Neither of us is the snooping type though

Reply

[-]

PM-YOUR-BEST-BRA@reddit

A lot of it depends on where you live. My parents have always lived in small villages where everyone knows everyone. They have never had an issue swapping keys with neighbours and looking after pets while away. I live in a city and wouldn't dream of giving my key to a neighbour, even though I share a garden with one of them. My best mate has a spare key and he often stays at our place to look after the cats when we're away, but that's about it.

Reply

[-]

banjo_fandango@reddit

We live in a small village where everyone knows everyone else. Quite a few of them also know everybody else's business and would LOVE a key for a wee snoop!

Reply

[-]

MisterWednesday6@reddit

I give my landlady a key, because she feeds my cat while I'm away and I trust her implicitly not to poke her nose in where she shouldn't. Unlike the "friend" I thought I could trust who, when asked to come in and feed the cat, stole a necklace that my dad gave my mum on their wedding day. If you have the slightest doubt about giving the neighbours a key, trust your gut.

Reply

[-]

bonkerz1888@reddit

Aye, I've only locked my door twice in seven years of living here. Granted my next door neighbour is a good friend, his wife's father lives above me and I know a few other people who love close by.

Reply

[-]

AnonymousTimewaster@reddit

We leave our cat at the cattery as he can't stand being left alone all day and he's very needy, so we have no reason to allow other people to "snoop" around our flat.

Reply

[-]

almostblameless@reddit

Neighbours have put keys, we have theirs. There is a bit of cat feeding, kids who have forgotten their keys, feeding the sour dough mix - stuff like that. I certainly haven't poked around, I would never go in a room or open a door. I behave as if they had a nanny cam somewhere even though I'm pretty sure they don't.

Reply

[-]

lungbong@reddit

My mum and my partner's mum have spare keys and we have one for each of their's. We also have a spare set in the house. No-one else ever has a key.

Reply

[-]

atsevoN@reddit

I haven’t spoken to my neighbours in the 11 years I’ve lived here, they definitely do not have a key

Reply

[-]

londons_explorer@reddit

I hide a key, and then I could tell anyone where it's hidden to access my house. But I rarely do.

Reply

[-]

TheNotSpecialOne@reddit

Nope, only family. My brother and sister have keys and no one else

Reply

[-]

Ramsputee@reddit

It would depend on the relationship. My inlaws live on the same estate so they have a spare key so have no real need to. Did leave a key with one neighbour when we were all away for a wedding n tgey were feeding the cat. I'm guessing your neighbours have only offerred cause they trust you with their key and want to repay the favour.

Reply

[-]

melanie110@reddit

We have someone stay over as we have 3 furry freeloaders. MIL has one just in case

Reply

[-]

DryJackfruit6610@reddit (OP)

Furry freeloaders 🤣

Reply

[-]

KatVanWall@reddit

No; my mum comes on holiday with us and I've no other family nearby. My neighbours have my mobile number, so in the case of a dire emergency I could give them the code to the well-hidden key safe.

Reply

[-]

RubysKinkyHeels@reddit

Yea to both. I’ve known my neighbour for years do trust then!!

Reply

[-]

Ok-Inflation4310@reddit

We have next doors keys if we need to let their dog out if they’re held up at work or in traffic. They have ours in case of emergencies. We also have a key for the house across the road (a friend anyway) as their teenage kids have once or twice forgotten their keys.

Reply

[-]

CurvePuzzleheaded361@reddit

No. Only family members have keys for emergencies.

Reply

[-]

monkeymidd@reddit

3 of my neighbours have a key , it’s come in useful on numerous occasions .

Reply

[-]

Twidogs@reddit

I’ve given keys to family members and friends that live near in case I lose mine and also if they need somewhere to stay

Reply

[-]

premium_transmission@reddit

We have a key for our neighbours house and she has a key for ours, in case of emergencies. We trust her with the key and I’m she must trust us too. I’ve never felt the need to go snooping, and if the neighbour comes snooping, then she’s pretty good at avoiding the cameras!

Reply

[-]

dinkidoo7693@reddit

A neighbour will give me a spare key to check on his dog as his adult son isn’t always that reliable, especially if he’s got a new GF

Reply

[-]

LJ161@reddit

No but I ask my neighbour to park one of their cars on my drive so that people think someone's coming and going. There's no need for them to have a look inside

Reply

[-]

Specialist-Web7854@reddit

I have a key for my neighbour’s because we feed their cats when they’re on holiday, and because they regularly lock themselves out. They don’t have a key for us, as we have no cats, and don’t lock ourselves out.

Reply

[-]

theabominablewonder@reddit

Four people have a copy of my house key, three of them are family and one is my mate. I wouldn’t give a copy to a neighbour.

Reply

[-]

EatingCoooolo@reddit

No one needs to come into my house while I’m gone even when I’m gone for a month.

Reply

[-]

DrakeManley@reddit

When we moved into our house, over the space of the first week or so, we had no less than 8 neighbours drop keys in because they knew "Margie and her family have moved now so we don't need the key anymore". We ended up with 14 front door keys, we had plans to change the front door anyway, but we did it quicker just in case anyone else had a front door key that we didn't know about.

Reply

[-]

CountNo7955@reddit

I don't know my neighbours well enough to give them spare keys. I have a friend who lives a couple of miles away who has one, and the neighbours have his phone number. I have a spare key to my mum's house but she lives 150 miles away so I wouldn't be much use in an emergancy. Her neighbour also has a spare key which I am happy about. Since my dad died I have been worried about my mum being on her own and these neighbours are wonderful people who I have known all my life. I had an elderly neighbour who collapsed in her house. It was lucky we were able to contact someone who had a key, otherwise it would have been a job for the police or fire brigade.

Reply

[-]

TheLightStalker@reddit

Giving a key to a neighbour is specifically quoted in most insurance policies and can invalidate your insurance. Don't do it!

Reply

[-]

nfurnoh@reddit

We gave a locked key box on our house for the cat sitter, or anyone else we might want to let in. I absolutely would have a snoop of the neighbours house. I haven’t seen it since the previous owners left and I’m curious how they redecorated, particularly their new bathroom. A snoop never involves opening drawers or cupboards, just looking in every room.

Reply

[-]

BobbieMcFee@reddit

My parents always had key swaps with neighbours (no, not that kind...) When I lived in the UK, I had a nearby colleague and we had each others' keys This is not weird. Are you sure the neighbour wasn't just joking? That would be a very British thing to be silly about.

Reply

[-]

leapyeardi@reddit

We have a key for next door and they have ours. We both have cats and feed each others when we go away. It has also come in handy a few times when the kids next door or one of us has been locked out. Family also has a key for emergencies.

Reply

[-]

katie-kaboom@reddit

We hire pet sitters (a local pet shop, they're great) when we go away, and they keep a set of our keyes, which has been very convenient at least once when I locked myself out. We also usually ask the cleaner to come and play with the cats, and she has a set too. I would not be inherently opposed to giving a set to my neighbours if I knew them, but not if they mentioned "having a snoop"!

Reply

[-]

beechaser77@reddit

One neighbour has a key in case we lock ourselves out, but they wouldn’t snoop. If they so much as joked about it, they wouldn’t have it.

Reply

[-]

UnusualSomewhere84@reddit

Never give a key to anyone who asks for one! My neighbour was hinting like crazy when I first moved in but would 100% be the type to be rifling through my medicine cabinet and knicker drawer.

Reply

[-]

chocolate-and-rum@reddit

I have a key for my Mums, she lives 300 miles away. My son has a key for mine, he's 100 miles away. Both are for use when visiting and absolute emergencies. No way do my neighbours have keys. Nobody who even suggests snooping would get through my front door even if I was home. If you don't have a pet to feed they don't need a key, end of discussion.

Reply

[-]

yolo_snail@reddit

I'd rather give my keys to the local crackhead than give it to a neighbour, oh wait, they're the same people!

Reply

[-]

atomic_mermaid@reddit

Yeah cause they stay there to dog/house sit for me. It's always either a relative or really good mate so I trust them not to snoop, and tbh there's nothing I'm bothered about them seeing if they did. I don't know my neighbours well enough to give them a key.

Reply

[-]

SmegmaSandwich69420@reddit

I'd barely trust my own family with spare keys, ain't no way I'm trusting anyone else.

Reply

[-]

JustAnotherFEDev@reddit

I'm like that. Nobody has a spare key to my house. It's just my kiddo and me, she's 13. I don't even trust her with a key as she loses everything, which means she'd lose her key and then anybody could have her key 🙄 I did get a Smart Lock, recently, mostly so she can get in without having a key. If she loses her thumb, we probably have bigger issues 😂

Reply

[-]

starsandbribes@reddit

I have my Mum stay at ours the full time, mostly for her benefit. Her house is a bloody tip and ours is spotless, and she likes our local area so its almost a little holiday for her.

Reply

[-]

justdont7133@reddit

I think someone should have a key if you're away in case of emergencies, doesn't have to be your neighbour. If it's someone else, it's useful for your neighbour to have either your number or the key holders number. I deal with burglaries and similar things at work, and the number of times someone is burgled while away, and no one knows how to contact the occupant or who might have a key. My next door neighbour and I have each others keys, I used her key just yesterday as she was away and her cleaner left the back door wide open, was a 2 minute job to pop in and check all was ok, and lock the door for her.

Reply

[-]

dragonetta123@reddit

We have family members who have a key for emergencies. I've had a neighbour where we had keys because of both of us having cats. It boils down to trust. If you trust them then it's fine, if not then don't. Just don't tell them. If they ask just say your dad has a key for emergencies. PS everyone snoops at some point.

Reply

[-]

scorch762@reddit

>everyone snoops at some point. If you include having a cheeky look to see if there's a biscuit to pinch while I'm there to feed the cat, yes. Anything more than that, absolutely not.

Reply

[-]

Icy_Session3326@reddit

I couldn’t imagine going into someone else’s house and looking around or doing anything other than what I was there to do 🫤

Reply

[-]

BusyDark7674@reddit

Not everyone. Front door>kitchen cupboard>bowl>scruffle the cat>fuck off Why would you be interested in poking around your friend's/neighbours house? What are you hoping to find?

Reply

[-]

DryJackfruit6610@reddit (OP)

>PS everyone snoops at some point. This is what makes me uncomfortable, I've dropped in for a few friends and family over the years to check on various things. But I would never invade their privacy like that

Reply

[-]

kcpm2024@reddit

We're good friends with our neighbours, so we all have each other's keys in case of an emergency/to water plants/if someone needs to borrow a pan or something. I even asked my neighbour to grab the bikinis I'd forgotten when I was on my way to my wedding as they were joining us later in the day!

Reply

[-]

buginarugsnug@reddit

My parents have a key for emergencies but there is nothing in the house that needs taking care of while we are away. If the succulent dies over a two week holiday then so be it! I know they would never abuse their key privileges. I also have a key to their house so I can pick their dog up when I’m looking after her as they sometimes go away for weekends and leave a couple of hours before I finish work. We wouldn’t dream of giving our neighbours a key!

Reply

[-]

BeardRustler@reddit

We bought a house that needed a refurb, so we didn't live there for 5 months whilst we were doing the work. After one contractor drilled through the incoming water supply in the kitchen floor, the sparky dropping a cast iron light surround from high level in the hall which shattered all the flooring tiles ( a la only fools n horses) and during installation of a new boiler the contractor flooded the en suite which cascaded through the living room ceiling, we were obviously concerned about what else could go wrong so gave the neighbours a key just incase anything else should go wrong whilst we weren't there. In return we have a key for theirs to feed the cat etc whilst they are away.

Reply

[-]

DontCatchThePigeon@reddit

We changed the locks and didn't give family keys after they'd proven not to stick within pretty simple boundaries. An emergency locksmith round here is under £100, and I'm happier with having to pay that if needed rather than go through invasions of privacy again.

Reply

[-]

yourmomsajoke@reddit

My son has keys for my place and I for his, his gran also has keys for his place as she is the cat feeder when we're away. He gives his best mate his set when we travel so the guy can crash and feed the cats when his grans not able or to give her a break. I'd not trust my neighbours not to snoop and I'm deeply private, nothing to hide but my business is mine like don't be telling Mary down the street I buy aldi lurpak and use the clothes washing wipes like a weirdo.

Reply

[-]

lodav22@reddit

If you don’t have pets and you’re only going for a couple of weeks tell them not to bother. It’s weird they told you they want to snoop. I had a next door neighbour a couple of years ago who liked to travel, they had two dogs and two cats. They gave their friend, who lived a few minutes away, a key to come and feed the animals (we weren’t that close for them to ask me) when they went away for a month. Around two weeks in the neighbour called me to ask if I could go and pick up the key and take over the feeding. It wasn’t a hardship and I have kids that loved walking the dogs so we enjoyed it. When the neighbour came back he told me that he has cameras up to keep an eye on the pets and he saw his friend having a good snoop around his house and thanked me for just going in, doing what was needed and leaving. There’s a certain type of person who will snoop in someone’s stuff without their knowledge/permission and they aren’t to be trusted.

Reply

[-]

destria@reddit

I have a friend in the neighborhood who has a spare key of ours (and we do their's). They come by to check on the cat and keep her company if we're away. We mainly have their spare key to let them in because they're forgetful...

Reply

[-]

Sltre101@reddit

Both sets of parents have keys anyway. If we’re just away for a few days they’ll pop in daily to feed our cockatiel, anything over that he goes to theirs and they pop in once or twice just to check. Have had milk and bread left a few times too for our arrival.

Reply

[-]

11Kram@reddit

Neighbours have our keys and we have theirs. We trust them.

Reply

[-]

luneascape@reddit

We have trusted friends, actually ex-neighbours who happen to live in the same town, that we give keys to for feeding our cats. We don't know our current neighbours well enough yet. As for snooping - it depends how they mean. I've house sat for people before, and you do wander around and glance at pics on the wall, what books are on the bookcase etc. I wouldn't go into a room where the door is shut for example, or dig around in drawers unless I needed a tool or utensil quickly or something. They could mean it light hearted in that way, but if you don't feel comfortable then just say a family member has a key so don't worry, and leave it at that.

Reply

[-]

Nine_Eye_Ron@reddit

I’ve looked after neighbours keys long term, same for family.

Reply

[-]

complacencyfirst@reddit

We pay a cat sitter, she's really great and sends us photos and updates, the cats love her lol.

Reply

[-]

yorkspirate@reddit

God no. I've got a spare flat key hidden in the basement for if I lose my keys while I'm out after needing a locksmith few years ago as my keys were 100miles away at a friends but I'd not trust anyone with a key.

Reply

[-]

So_Southern@reddit

My parents have keys to my flat anyway. They've only come when I'm away if they're doing work on my flat. (Not long moved in)

Reply

[-]

Tattycakes@reddit

Our in laws have a permanent key and vice versa for emergencies, and we gave our neighbour a key only for the time they were feeding the cats when we were away, they don’t have one permanently.

Reply

[-]

SmegmaSandwich69420@reddit

>they don’t have one permanently. That you know about...

Reply

[-]

SharkBabySeal@reddit

Our neighbours have a key, but they’re more like family. My Mom has a key and our cleaner has a key too, but again, known her years and are close. We also give a key to a pet sitter when we’re away.

Reply

[-]

here-but-not-present@reddit

Our door is never locked (the only time we did was for like 2 days a few years back as there was a bit of a weird guy on the island who was nicking random stuff - the polis caught up with him ). I've done a mix of getting my neighbour to pop in daily to check on the chooks and piggies and drop off any post (her kids come along too to see the pets), and getting someone I know to come stay in the house if we can't take our dog with us (if we're away for work rather than a holiday). I trust both people implicitly. If you think that there is anything more than the snooping comment being a joke that landed flat, then your dad will be a better option.

Reply

[-]

dronebox@reddit

Yup, my neighbours are great. They'll come in and feed my cats, water the plants, reset the alarm if it's freaking out etc when we're away on holiday and I'd do the same for them. The cats know what's going on and quite enjoy the experience. Are you sure they weren't joking when they mentioned having a snoop around?

Reply

[-]

revrobuk1957@reddit

My daughter lives around the corner and we have copies of each other’s keys. No one else.

Reply

[-]

Potential-Hope-2394@reddit

My neighbour has a key. Just incase of water issues. Well actually a key safe they no code too. It’s an older couple and I trust them. One of my neighbours had water escaping their house another neighbour came and got me. We went in together and she had left bath running. So overflow was going crazy. (Bath was plugged prob a child). She was very grateful.

Reply

[-]

DrNuclearSlav@reddit

People who have keys to our house: 1. Me 2. Husbando 3. Sister-in-law because we keep forgetting to ask for it back from when she lived her 4. His parents 5. My parents 6. Our best friends who are a couple so they have one key between the two of them Of that list only my parents live too far away to look after the cat for us, and everyone is too well trained to let themselves in without warning us in advance unless they think it's a genuine emergency. Basically we'd never trust anyone to have unfettered access to our house unless we could be sure that they'd only show up when absolutely necessary and wouldn't go rummaging through our drawers (or wall safe).

Reply

[-]

TerrierMam@reddit

Parents have a key, neighbors have their phone no in case of emergency

Reply

[-]

smellyfeet25@reddit

no but one of my old neIghbours used to give me hers , I used to feed her cat

Reply

[-]

Shoddy-Reply-7217@reddit

I've had neighbours and friends' and family keys, and also given them mine, but never 'snooped'.. If they mean have a tour of the house, I'd have given them one when I moved in if they're interested to see what I've done that's different to previous owners (eg: decorating/extensions - I'm always doing some house improvements). Otherwise it's worrying to want to and also admit it!

Reply

[-]

Grim_Farts_Barnsley@reddit

We couldn't do that. You can't leave a dog alone in the house for a week even if someone pops by daily to top up his food. Luckily my lad's happy to look after him when me and the mrs go away.

Reply

[-]

Liv_NB@reddit

We have our neighbour’s key for when they / their adult son forget keys, but have never used it to go in ourselves. Haven’t given them our keys because of snooping. Spare keys with two friends who live close by and my mum and sister.

Reply

[-]

Strong_Roll5639@reddit

No, never done that.

Reply

[-]

BackgroundGate3@reddit

My daughter has a key and pops in to check everything is OK, pick up post ... If it's a weekend, she takes her kids who like to play for a while because I have different toys at my house, so I have to make sure I stock up on drinks and snacks :)

Reply

[-]

xjess_cx@reddit

No, that sounds weird as hell.

Reply

[-]

AutoModerator@reddit

**Please help keep AskUK welcoming!** - Top-level comments to the OP must contain **genuine efforts to answer the question**. No jokes, judgements, etc. - **Don't be a dick** to each other. If getting heated, just block and move on. - This is a strictly **no-politics** subreddit! Please help us by reporting comments that break these rules. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskUK) if you have any questions or concerns.*

Reply

Reply to Post

160 Comments