Keysafe Guide for Families

A keysafe is a small metal box fixed to an outside wall that holds a spare door key behind a combination lock. For a family with an older parent, a partner with mobility issues, or a relative living alone at a distance, a keysafe can be the difference between a paramedic getting in quickly during an emergency and a fire brigade breaking down the front door. This guide covers what to buy, where to fit it, and how to use it sensibly.

Why keysafes matter

The most common reasons families fit keysafes are straightforward. A parent who has had a fall may be unable to reach the door. A paramedic or carer needs access without an adult child having to drive from the other end of the country. A neighbour with a key can feed the cat while the owner is in hospital. A cleaner or gardener can let themselves in on a regular schedule without the keyholder having to be present.

The alternative is worse in almost every direction. Keys hidden under plant pots or doormats are the first place any opportunistic burglar looks. Spare keys left with multiple neighbours lose track of who has which key. Emergency services forced to break down a door cause expensive damage and delay.

Police approved models

Not all keysafes are the same. Cheap models from online marketplaces are often made of thin metal and can be opened with a claw hammer in under a minute. The ones worth buying carry the Sold Secure or Secured by Design certification. These are tested against forced entry and accepted by most home insurers.

The Supra C500 is the most widely recognised model and is approved for use in all UK police force areas. It uses a 10-button combination lock, is made of hardened steel, and can be fitted to brick or stone with the supplied bolts. The C500 costs around £60 to £90 depending on the retailer. Supra also make smaller versions (the P500 and KeyGuard) for households with fewer keys.

Other police-approved brands include Burton Safes, Yale, and Master Lock (the 5400 model is the only Master Lock rated for UK insurance purposes). Avoid unbranded keysafes and any model without a certification mark on the box.

Where to fit a keysafe

Placement matters for both security and practicality. Three principles apply.

First, fit it to solid brick or stone, not timber, UPVC, or rendered soft fill. The strength of a keysafe comes from the wall it is bolted to, and a box bolted to a soft surface can be levered off. In a Cotswold stone house, the hardest part is finding a solid enough section of stone to take the bolts without crumbling. A handyman should assess the wall before drilling.

Second, fit it out of direct view from the road. Not hidden, but not advertised. Beside the front door in a porch, around the corner of the house, or in a shaded area that is still visible from inside are good places. Avoid fitting it directly next to the door handle, which makes it too obvious which door it belongs to.

Third, fit it at a reasonable height. Around chest height (1.2 to 1.4 metres from the ground) is comfortable for most users. Too high and older residents cannot reach it; too low and it encourages bending, which is uncomfortable for anyone with back or knee problems.

Code etiquette

The code is the whole security of the system. Treat it with care.

• Do not use obvious codes (1234, 0000, the house number, a birthday).
• Do not write the code on the keysafe itself, on the door, or anywhere near the house.
• Change the code if a person who had it no longer needs access (a cleaner who has left, a carer who has moved on).
• Change it at least annually as a matter of routine.
• Share it only with people who have a genuine reason to need it.

It is worth keeping a written record of who has the code. A simple note in the back of a diary: "Fitted June 2025. Code 3849. Shared with: Jane (daughter), Tom (son), Margaret (next door at number 17), Blue Cross carers." When a change is made, update the note.

Who should have the code

For a single older resident, the usual list is: one or two adult children, one trusted neighbour, any regular carer or cleaner, and in some cases the GP surgery (some practices keep keysafe codes on file for housebound patients; ask yours if this is possible). The fire brigade, ambulance service, and police will request the code from family members in an emergency; they do not hold it on file themselves.

For households with multiple residents, the list can be smaller. A family member living nearby plus one neighbour is often enough. For holiday homes, a local cleaner or caretaker plus the owner.

Alternatives and complements

A keysafe is not the only option for remote access. Three alternatives are worth considering.

• Smart door locks. These replace the door lock entirely and allow a code, card, or phone app to unlock the door. Models like the Yale Linus or Nuki Smart Lock 3.0 work with most existing doors and can generate temporary codes for carers or family members. They are more expensive than a keysafe (£150 to £300) and need charging, but they avoid the need for any physical key to be on the outside of the house.
• Neighbour with a key. A trusted neighbour with a key is a good complement to a keysafe, not a replacement for one. A neighbour may be out, away, or unable to help in a given moment. A keysafe works 24 hours a day.
• Video doorbell with remote unlock. Some video doorbell systems (Ring, Nest) can be linked to a smart lock, allowing a family member to see who is at the door and let them in from their phone. This works well where a relative is many miles away but is only as reliable as the internet connection on both ends.

For most older residents in Cirencester, a police-approved keysafe remains the simplest and most reliable option.

Cost and fitting

A Supra C500 or equivalent police-approved keysafe costs around £60 to £90. Fitting by a handyman takes around 30 to 45 minutes in solid brick or stone and typically costs around £50, including drilling, fixings, and checking the wall is solid enough. Total cost for a fitted police-approved keysafe is therefore around £110 to £140.

Fitting it yourself is possible if you have a decent hammer drill, carbide-tipped masonry bits, and are comfortable working with a spirit level at wall height. The supplied bolts on a C500 are specific; do not substitute shorter or thinner screws, as they are what gives the unit its pull-off resistance.

The bottom line

A well-fitted, police-approved keysafe with a sensible code and a short list of people who know it is one of the best investments a family can make in the safety of an older relative. Cheap ones are a false economy. Careless code management defeats the point. Properly done, a keysafe sits quietly on a wall for years, never noticed, until the day it is needed, and then it matters enormously.