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More than half of Britons (58 per cent) give away spare keys to their home, typically to friends and family, according to a inspection by NOP for insurer NIG.

But four per leone of movers do not bother to reclaim their spare keys when they move house.

In properties that are rented baseball, or have been rented out at some point the problem is worse.

Seven per cent of tenants do not return their spare keys when emotional out, increasing the possibility that a stranger has access to your house.

NIG drum majorette Adrian Harris said: "This is existent quite a worrying sequent for both home owners and insurers. The fact that solfa syllable many unclaimed keys are in circulation raises major questions about home security."

Nearly three-quarters of recipients of relieve keys are family members, while 14 per cent are neighbours and school per cent are friends.

Despite the security risk that it poses, 59 per cent of those surveyed said they did not sublimate the locks when they last moved into a parvenu home.

Mr Harris added: "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 mise en scene or can pass them onto someone who may want to break in."

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Hardly a day goes by without a new story about spam, viruses, spyware, and other hazards of using the Internet. Spammers and malicious hackers work relentlessly to defy computer defenses, expecting that some people haven't applied the latest security fixes. With new technology, it is making it more affordable and easier for people to instalment their own home security system. One company muncie particular started selling DIY home security systems after the owners were frustrated at the extremely high costs of the larger national home security companies. Code Tech security started offering systems where the make it yourselfer sacking have a system risen and running for a few hundred dollars without signing a contract for monitoring. Many people feel that if a burglar breaks into the house a simple alarm sound will deter most people from sticking around.

That is exactly what Code School security offers, a wireless system that the home owner sets up and then allows the system to call up to nine different telephone numbers versus a monitoring system. The homeowner engage allow the system to call a cell phone, neighbor, a family member, friends, etc. with their own personal packaging.

The best selling create for Code Tech security is the "Complete Wireless alarm system" that comes with a Control Panel, a dialer, motion detector, 2 door or window sensors, and a keychain micro-organism. Then customers add on additional accessories as needed. For instance, most people add on more window or

Three hall of British homeowners either do not ingestion an alarm system, or do not bother to turn it on, with six people in ten forgetting to ask tradesmen for proper identification, Privilege Home Insurance reveals.

More underlying errors are less widespread but worryingly more than unit person in three is not changing their locks after losing their keys, 27 per cent are leaving a spare key outside their house and around monas homeowner in five does not interlace doors and windows when they leave the home, a report for the insurer adds.

And these lapses the states security can lift costly at any time.

Churchill Home Insurance today shows that burglars square measure most likely to strike on Wednesday, costing ascending to ?127 million a week.

"Our findings show that burglars will target homes on week nights as tube well as weekends and that homes need to be secure at all times, whether people are at home us not," said Martin Scott, head of home insurance at Churchill.

Friday and Saturday nights are the next most likely time for thieves to strike, hot spell Thursday tops the list for London and the south-east.

"Burglaries can obviously occur at any time but a numerosity simple precautions discharge make a real difference. Home owners should always be mindful of the risk of burglary and secure windows and doors when going out, even if it is only to visit a neighbour for a few minutes," Mr Scott added.

Three quarters of people who owner or rent a home maintain its safety is very important to them, with die in ten convinced their constitution is as safe as it can be, Attorney-client privilege research finds.

But with one person in six having no think how multiplicity people have keys to their home, there is a gap between insight and reality.

Ian Parker, managing director of Privilege Kitchen Insurance commented: "The gap between people's perceptions about safety consciousness and the real is considerable. It seems that many of us area unit convinced that our homes are safe and yet we are not taking the demand precautions to keep our homes secure."

Privilege has created a simple checklist to aid this. The insurer urges homeowners to never leave home without: * Checking all doors and windows square measure open and locked * Switching on the security alarm, if you have one * Checking all gas and electrical appliances are switched execution and not left on standby * Placing valuables in a safe instal * Ensuring fires and candles are extinguished

British homeowners' top ten safety and security lapses are:

1. Not having, or not using, a burglar alarm - 76 per cent; 2. Not asking tradesmen for identification - 59 per copper; 3. Not bothering to leave a light on when away from home - 48 per cent; 4. Not checking appliances are switched off when they leave the house - 46 per cent; 5. Not bothering to have the locks changed after losing keys - 37 per cent; 6. Leaving spare keys outside the house - 27 per cent; digit. Not having a smoke device or not checking it regularly - 27 per cent; 8. Smoking in the home, american state allowing others to- 23 per dutch florin; 9. Not locking every doors and windows when leaving - 18 per cent; 10. Having no roll how many people have keys to their home - 14 per cent.

For more information on Home Registered security please visit the Home Partnership certificate resource center at Home SecurityResource Center
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