More than half of UK home buyers (58%) didn't change the locks when they purchased their property - meaning that they couldn't say for certain who has access to their home, research from Ocean Finance has found.
Ocean Finance's research reveals that just 1 in 3 (30%) of us changed the locks on all exterior doors when we bought our property.
A further 12% changed the locks on some of the exterior doors. Ian Williams from Ocean Finance said: "Most, if not all, homeowners would say that securing their house was very important to them. "So it's really odd that we don't take the basic precaution of changing the locks.
We seem prepared to take it on trust that the vendors and estate agents have given us all the copies of the keys."
Perhaps understandably, city dwellers seem less trusting, with almost half (48% of them changing all the locks when they moved in.
Williams from Ocean Finance said: "For most people, buying a house is the largest purchase they'll ever make. "So spending a few extra pounds just for the peace of mind of knowing who has a key to it seems sensible. "For those with a burglar alarm, changing the de-activation code would also be a wise precaution."
A good contents insurance policy should also be considered.
