Lost Keys

[jaytip]

Been searching frantically for the last 45 mins for my keys but cannot find them anywhere. There are keys for both my cars and the house keys on there. I will have another good look for them tomorrow with fresh eyes and hopefully I'll find them.
Failing that what are my best options? The cars are 16 and 17 plate so I'm guessing I'm looking at a big sum of money getting the locks changed over on those and getting the fobs re coded. I think changing the barrels on the house doors won't be too painful financially but this is something I've never had to do before having never lost keys before.
Should I go through my insurance? And if so which insurance? One car is my taxi so that's on one policy and my private car is on another policy, or do I just try and do it through the house insurance.
The wife is on pins here worrying about someone coming into the house tonight if they are found near our house (which if they are found it will be near the house because I used them to drive home and get in) because I've been doing a bit of work outside this evening.
Any suggestions off people who have been in this situation will be much appreciated.

[-Ally-]

That is going to be an expensive loss I'm afraid, a friend recently lost his car key and I'm sure it was nearly £500 for new key and programming.

I've never known anyone to carry 2 car keys and house keys together,let alone lose them all. Ouch.

[Claret67]

Have you tried the local Kop shop, in case they have been handed in?

If you have been working outside have you retraced your steps from garage/shed (or wherever you keep your tools) in case you put them down, when you put the tools be away?

[langdalematt]

They must be in the house somewhere. Keep looking and they will show up, jacket pockets, drawers etc.

[Kingstepper]

They must be in the house somewhere. Keep looking and they will show up, jacket pockets, drawers etc.

Yes, how did you get home and into your house? Didn't leave them in the door? Thrown out with refuse?

[jaytip]

Yes, how did you get home and into your house?

Got home, came into the house but then went into the garden to start putting up a fence until the rain started. It was only about hour and a half ago that the wife said she couldn't see my keys anywhere that we started looking and then realised we couldn't find them.

[NickD]

If you were working outside, any chance you put them in a tool box for safe keeping and then stowed the tool box when the rain came? Doh! Alluded to above.

[tz-uk73]

Won't help you but I was the same a couple of months back.... my bunch of keys went missing and turned the place upside down. I was convinced I must have left them in the front door and someone nabbed them. Really didn't want to change all locks and get 2 new car keys so kept putting it off. It was really doing my head in, I couldn't rest. You've guessed it, 2 weeks later I was putting some towels away and there they were sitting on a shelf next to the flannels.

They will turn up.

[tz-uk73]

Meant to add...Check your front door lock.

[Velorum]

Can you get a woman to look for them?

They are much better at finding things in my experience.

[Webwatchmaker]

Can you get a woman to look for them?

They are much better at finding things in my experience.

Great comment Velorum. But according to the new politically correct we're all the same !!!

Brendan

[Velorum]

Great comment Velorum. But according to the new politically correct we're all the same !!!

Brendan

If only.

They can spot a blond hair from a female work colleague on your collar from 50 paces.

(So I hear)

[-Ally-]

Great comment Velorum. But according to the new politically correct we're all the same !!!

Gender neutrality is the future fella.

Oh...

[jaytip]

Have you tried the local Kop shop, in case they have been handed in?

If you have been working outside have you retraced your steps from garage/shed (or wherever you keep your tools) in case you put them down, when you put the tools be away?

Looked everywhere in the house, been around the garden looking with a torch, but it's absolutely p**ing it down with rain tonight so hard to see anything, looked in the garage but nothing
There is no local police station. Nearest one is nearly 10 miles away so I doubt they have been handed in there tonight.

[Lammylee]

Have you been near a bin, found my keys in one once after retracing my steps.


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[Webwatchmaker]

Look in the most unlikely places. I lost my keys one day and was panic stricken. Found them after an hour of shrieking, in the kitchen knife drawer and I never put them in there ! Phew !!!

Brendan

[jaytip]

The ironic thing is, I've got spare keys for both the cars, but it's not a lot of help if someone DOES find them and decides to try my cars out for themselves. I'm hoping that if they are outside and someone picks them up they will be honest enough to give them back. I'm the only one in the area with a Merc and a Skoda and both keys have the car logo on them.

[MB2]

Recycling / rubbish bin ? I found my keys in the recycling bin the other day. I had a tile key finder which helped but it was thinking exactly what I had done that found them in the end. Regarding the cars you can have the keys disabled if you are worried about theft and then decide if want to pay for new keys or not later. I would suggest you get a new key as if you lose both you will have big problems but shop around keys can be cloned now and not always a main dealer job or there can be cheaper keys from a lesser model that will suffice as a spare.


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[Jeremy67]

In the words of my dear mother 'when did you last have them?'.

[Zolawinston]

I found my keys in the fridge last weekend after turning the house upside down. Worth a look......

[W124]

Do you have a peg bag ?

I misplaced the keys for my garage and tool shed for over a week.

I had spares and the garage is alarmed, but was worried about unwelcome visitors

One day, wifey asks me to hang out a few bits of laundry - first dip in the peg bag is the missing keys

She had asked me to bring in the washing a week before, as it started to p!ss down.
I had the keys in my hand with the pegs ...

Age is a cruel mistress.

[brigant]

Do you have a peg bag ?

I misplaced the keys for my garage and tool shed for over a week.

I had spares and the garage is alarmed, but was worried about unwelcome visitors

One day, wifey asks me to hang out a few bits of laundry - first dip in the peg bag is the missing keys

She had asked me to bring in the washing a week before, as it started to p!ss down.
I had the keys in my hand with the pegs ...

Age is a cruel mistress.

Exactly the same here. many years ago lost the key safe and it turned up in peg bag.

Seriously though aren't keys covered by any insurance you have?

[Velorum]

I always have lots of things on my key ring, along with the fairly bulky car remote I have a leatherman, small canister containing an emergency £20 note, small LED light etc. It makes for a substantial bunch which although bulky is easier to find than a small one.

[Webwatchmaker]

I have seen alarms which attach to your keyring with a remote stored safely. If you lose your keys the remote will set the keyring alarm off. Obviously the distance between the two can't be huge.

Brendan

[MB2]

I have seen alarms which attach to your keyring with a remote stored safely. If you lose your keys the remote will set the keyring alarm off. Obviously the distance between the two can't be huge.

Brendan

I have these which seem to work OK - the trouble is the range of BT can make it hard to lock on but it kept me going back to the same area the other day until I eventually looked in the recyling bin !

https://www.thetileapp.com/en-gb/

Also this one - the Tile App seems better but the batteries are user replaceable on Track-R (I bought in US but now works in UK)

https://www.thetrackr.com/

Both would work better in a city with lots of users too due to "group find"

[Velorum]

Good news!

[dkpw]

I have these which seem to work OK - the trouble is the range of BT can make it hard to lock on but it kept me going back to the same area the other day until I eventually looked in the recyling bin !

https://www.thetileapp.com/en-gb/

Also this one - the Tile App seems better but the batteries are user replaceable on Track-R (I bought in US but now works in UK)

https://www.thetrackr.com/

Both would work better in a city with lots of users too due to "group find"

I've just bought a LAPA tracker, which does the same sort of thing as the Tile but you can replace the batteries.

I was prompted to get it, after loosing my wallet last night. I have a thundering head cold, so my brain is more muddled than usual and after checking every room, I was out at 1:30 am searching the car, the pavement, the front garden. I'd had it at the supermarket earlier that day. The thought of having to cancel all my cards, get a new driving license and new memory cards which I keep in the wallet was just too much, so I decided to sleep on it and check everywhere again in the morning.
I went to bed and there it was, under a pillow!

[Webwatchmaker]

I once owned a 17th century cottage which had a solid mahogany door fitted with a period double throw lock. I had to make a key to fit it.
I guarded the key with my life, afraid of either losing it or dropping it.
The only other relatively easy way to get into that cottage was to take the roof tiles off and break through the ceiling.

Brendan

[adrianw]

bit obvious but, sit down and meticulously re trace every step from when you last saw them,

I lost my wallet last week, at exactly the same time as my partner found it, I remembered putting it there!

[jaytip]

Phew, just found them. Putting my boys school coat on him this morning and could feel something in his pockets. The keys.
Memory came rushing back. He wanted to help me in the garden yesterday so I put my keys in his jacket pocket and zipped them up and told him he had to take care of my keys for me.

[JasonM]

Great news Jay, it happened to me some years ago, tore the house apart for hours, turned out my lad, about 4 at the time had put them in one of his toy boxes in his bedroom. He said he had been tidying up, bless. Shame he doesn't tidy up anything now he's 10.

[Webwatchmaker]

Phew, just found them. Putting my boys school coat on him this morning and could feel something in his pockets. The keys.
Memory came rushing back. He wanted to help me in the garden yesterday so I put my keys in his jacket pocket and zipped them up and told him he had to take care of my keys for me.

I would reward the little lad !
You must be so relieved !
Great forum in so many ways.

Brendan

[Claret67]

Phew, just found them. Putting my boys school coat on him this morning and could feel something in his pockets. The keys.
Memory came rushing back. He wanted to help me in the garden yesterday so I put my keys in his jacket pocket and zipped them up and told him he had to take care of my keys for me.

Ah!11
The old 'safe place' trick.
Done that so many times with keys, wallets, that I lose track of my numerous safe places.
Glad it worked out well.
(Sure St. Anthony lent a helping hand as well)

[Norbert]

Love a happy ending ! Well done all , team effort.


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[vulcangascompany]

Out of interest i'm interested in Tile on my keys to help if this happened to me. How close do they narrow down the search? Is knowing its in a particular room possible..


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[Cynar]

They are always in the last place you look
Next time look there first.

[walkerwek1958]

Glad the keys turned up.

At the risk of tempting fate, I never lose keys because I always keep them in my right-hand trouser pocket....that's a rule I very rarely break. Only exception is when crawling under a car etc. At night my keys go on the bedside cabinet and that's where they live overnight. Next morning they go back in the pocket. If I get changed the keys follow me, it's habit to always do that. Keys in right pocket, wallet in left.

I keep the bunch of keys to the absolute minimum (door, car, garage) to keep the size of the bunch down to a minimum.

This works for me, I've done it for many years and it's very rare that I`ve mislaid my keys.

Paul

[MB2]

Out of interest i'm interested in Tile on my keys to help if this happened to me. How close do they narrow down the search? Is knowing its in a particular room possible..


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It is BT so a few metres they have a new one with much longer range. In my case it kept me coming back to the area around the bin but wouldn't lock on - if had been visible on the floor or similar I would have found very quickly once it took me to the area.


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[RobDad]

Glad you found them!
Years ago I lost my black wallet containing my whole life! Cancelled the cards and everything having turned the house upside down. A week later I woke up with a brainwave - put on my dressing gown, got into the driving seat of my recently purchased car (with black leather seats as opposed to the one I'd sold a few weeks before which had cream leather) and the wallet was sat next to the handbrake where it had fallen out of my jeans pocket a week before and was now masquerading as part of the seat - it was practically invisible until I put my hand on it. Can't tell you how pleased I was until I realised everything in the wallet had been cancelled already!


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[Xantiagib]

my mum lost her bank cards, they were in a separate wallet with the cards in only, all of them - she keeps cash in another wallet/purse

She had recently gone to a restaurant and I told her to check with them - she swears she paid cash and she would not have got the card wallet out - however she asked anyway
a couple of days later they turned up at the restaurant and they called her back

by then she had cancelled them - which although an inconvenience - you never know who may have copied the cards details or cloned them or whathaveyou

[MB2]

Glad you found them!
Years ago I lost my black wallet containing my whole life! Cancelled the cards and everything having turned the house upside down. A week later I woke up with a brainwave - put on my dressing gown, got into the driving seat of my recently purchased car (with black leather seats as opposed to the one I'd sold a few weeks before which had cream leather) and the wallet was sat next to the handbrake where it had fallen out of my jeans pocket a week before and was now masquerading as part of the seat - it was practically invisible until I put my hand on it. Can't tell you how pleased I was until I realised everything in the wallet had been cancelled already!


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My disappointment last time was the loss of the key ring rather than the keys but I see how it is a hollow victory... I lost a car key once which turned up 3 months later, I must have dropped it on my bag and it had slid down the bag into a side pocket I never use - I was delighted to find it despite having already paid for a new key as it was at least a useful spare.

[MB2]

I invested in Tile when I started travelling a lot and as you say can get confused easily where stuff is. Is handy to check - I even put one in my hold luggage now and can see where that is. Tile does seem to be more reliable than Track-R but will see what they offer to exchange when the batteries are exhausted.


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[Kirk280]

The night before we were moving house I lost the key to my beloved Subaru. I spent the next 2 hours searching for it (instead of finalising the packing). The wife returned and found the key in the empty washing machine!

[ru55]

My Mrs "lost" one of her car keys a few years ago and after weeks of hunting and visits to local police we all but gave up and was going to pay for a replacement.

Around that time we had to call plumber back out to recalibrate the recently installed pump for the heating circuit in our extension. After lifting carpet and floorboards to access pump under floor what did we find - her missing key. Could have been there forever if the pump had been set right from day 1!

[Roberto]

Such good news to find them. All of the hassle and expense to sort if they stayed lost. Do you need to carry two car keys though all the time?

I'm no better anyway.. as one of the other posts, I found my keys in the fridge a time back..

[Alpha4]

I visited the local council tip and threw my car and house keys into the crushing machine with some rubbish bags. That was annoying.