Lots of National Trust cottages have the keysafe. Probably pretty secure but don't be tempted by an electronic one.

Similar situation with my mother-in-law some years back now. The keysafe is perfectly OK (assuming its a good quality one) and to be fair – considering how easy a yale lock (as you are considering fitting from your text) can be defeated in relation to a sturdy mortice job would seem much the better idea IMHO.

We never had any issues with the keysafe that was fitted and it certainly made life all-round bags easier for everyone. These situations are never easy to get right as there is no 'fits all' solution for each individual case – yuou just need to make a value judgment on best advice / evidence

Hope that helps & things work out OK

Mike

Had a key-safe at Mum's for years with no problems. Good quality safe fitted securely and out of sight if possible. As for Yale type have used these euro locks by ABS a cut above the average Yale for security but assumes a modern door. Used with thumb-turn on the inside (as fire Brigade recommended) avoids key on inside.

John

Had a keysafe at the m-i-l's for years, with no problems.

Required for the twice a day carers to gain access & has been handy for first responders when she has triggered the fob after falls while we were away. The keysafe is in a porch next to the back door, but the key inside is for the front door.

More of an issue for us WRT to security is that she insists on leaving the front door ajar in summer, but frequently falls asleep in a chair during the day. Anyone could just walk in but, as she has memory problems, she cannot be reasoned with & won't change her behavior. So the keysafe is the least of our security concerns.

Nigel B.

A keysafe is going to be as secure as a keypad on the door. They are used all over by lots of places and I'm sure you can get insurance approved ones.

It avoids upsetting your mum's routines as well.

Ian, re keysafes don't get a "Master" one; there was one fitted at our new spot in Buxton, which took me a minute of so to open once I'd seen the relevant Youtube video.

The one I fitted at my Dad's seemed secure, and was insurance company approved, but I can't find it at the moment to check the make.
The only way to get it out of the wall, would have been to remove the bricks, as I used a couple of rawl anchors.

You used to be able to get mechanical number keypad locks, with a key override, such that they can be used with a conventional key as well; not sure if they are still available.

At my Dad's I used to keep copies of front and rear doors keys, as he was prone to either leaving the key in from the inside, or dropping the night latch.
Fortunately I got to know the very competent carers, and showed where I'd hidden the special screwdriver.
I'd put a sawcut across the end of the inner back door mortice lock key on my Dad's copy, and they knew how to engage the driver into the key from the outside. (it was only the kitchen door he left the key in, rather than the outer rear porch door, so the property remained secure.)

Living in Sheffield, I think I'd drop into Harrold's on Shalesmoor, and see what they have to offer, as I'm sure there will be newer products available now. https://www.hharrold.co.uk/

None of this helped when a paramedic locked the back door, and pulled the front one so hard that the front door closed even with the night latch dropped.
When he was released from hospital and dropped off outside by the taxi driver, he was then locked out and wandering around most confused; fortunately a neighbour found him and broke in.

Bill

You can get an electric release striker plate / box for either mortice or surface (Yale) locks.

Get a fail-locked one and connect to an electronic entry pad. Keys work as normal and pad releases the electrical.
As an added precaution when out a disable switch can be fitted. This prevents carers etc gaining access whenyou are out. If worried about leaving it off, a door operated switch with a spring or hinged toggle can be arranaged so you can turn it off (towards door) and door passed it but when you open thee door it is switched back on automatically. Fit to jamb just above head height.
If you are carefull with the geometry an ordinary toggle switch can be made to work. Or a magntic reed switch on the door, push button for disable and a relay can be arranged for an electrical solution of a disable that automatically resets.

Robert G8RPI.

Ian

I would do as you suggest and fit an electric release striker plate (one that keeps locked if the supply fails) with a keypad.

I think one of the reasons people have keysafes is that they are an easy and cheap solution, but not without potential problems. As you say it could be prised from the wall, but you can make this difficult if you attach with rawlbolts . The other problem is that someone can leave and forget to put the key back in the safe or even make a copy of the key.

You could fit a security camera system which can also be set to message you when someone enters and record activity.

Stuart

This might work for you Ian. My mother in law had them fitted to front and rear doors. It allows the door to be locked on the inside but still opened with a key from a key safe.

Link

David

The Euro cylinder deadbolts in the link do not have a British Standard Kite Mark on the face. There is no information as to them being bump, pick, drill or snap resistant. I would look for something that at least had these features and was prepared to state that to be the case.

Martin C

Martin Connelly, can I suggest that you look at the link to the Yale Euro lock cylinders in Davids link. Remember these are cylinders only and they are clearly noted as being anti-bump and snap resistant.etc..

Insurance companies are happy to accept multi locking mechanisms in place of dead locks, and Euro cylinders in lieu of the UK traditional round cylinders.

I saw reference to traditional Yale locks in an earlier message and just to be clear, the Yale lock so common on timber doors in the UK is actually only a night latch. It is not a security device, hence insurance companies demanding a BS standard 5 lever mortice dead lock in addition to a night latch.