Lost your keys? What do you do? Your comprehensive guide
Losing the keys to your home, office or car is annoying and can be expensive. This guide will help you understand what steps to take if you have lost your keys, who to contact and who should be informed.
1. Keep calm
First of all, stay calm when you lose your keys. Panic can cause you to make rash decisions or overlook important steps. Take a moment to collect yourself, and then plan your next steps systematically.
2. Trace back to the place of loss
Go through your daily routine again and think carefully about the places where you might have lost the key. Go back to these places and search them carefully. Ask in shops or ask people in the area if anyone has found the key and handed it in.
3. Contact a lost property office
If the trace was unsuccessful, contact a local lost property office. Often, found items are handed in there, but this may take a few days or even weeks. A faster option is to place an ad on suchen.expert to report your lost key with a detailed description and information about the location and time of the loss. This will significantly increase your chances of quickly recovering your key.
4. Lost flat keys
4.1 As a tenant:
- Contact the property management company or landlord: Report the loss of the key immediately so that they can decide whether the entire locking system needs to be replaced.
- Costs: The costs for replacing the locking system are usually borne by the tenant, unless otherwise agreed. Private liability insurance may help to cover third-party costs.
Consider a locking system: Consider whether a locking system would be useful to prevent future key losses.
Multi-family house: Inform the owners' association or the property management company about the key loss.
Theft: If your keys and ID card have been stolen, go to the police immediately.
4.2 Costs for a new locking system:
- Inexpensive central locking systems: 400 to 800 euros for 20 keys (low security level).
- Particularly secure locking systems: 900 to 2000 euros plus installation costs, which vary regionally.
4.3 Costs for individual parts:
Replacement of locking cylinder: approx. 90 euros plus installation costs (approx. 80 euros) and call-out fee.
5. If you lose your work keys
- Inform your employer: Report the loss to your employer immediately.
- Insurance: A work key insurance policy may cover the costs. Check whether your personal liability insurance covers the loss of keys.
- Locking system: Costs for replacing the employer's locking system may have to be borne by the employee if negligence is involved. Court decisions in individual cases.
6. Lost car keys
6.1 Duplicate keys: You can have the key duplicated at your own expense. You will need your ID card and the vehicle documents.
6.2 Costs:
- Simple duplicate keys: approx. 26 euros.
Radio and keyless keys: up to over €500, including synchronisation of the on-board electronics (approx. €50 to €150).
6.3 Car key theft:
Inform the police and insurer: Report the theft to the police and your comprehensive car insurance immediately.
- Drive the car to a safe place: Your insurer may request that the car be moved to a safe place. Without a duplicate key, you may have to have the car towed to avoid risking insurance claims.
7. Place a search ad
Use suchen.expert to place an ad about the loss of your keys. Include the following information:
7.1 Type of key: apartment, office, car
7.2 Place and date of loss: the exact place and date when the key was lost
7.3 Description: details of the key (e.g. brand, special features)
7.4 Photograph: if possible, a picture of the lost key
7.5 Contact information: your phone number and email address
8. Check regularly
Visit and check regularly to ensure that no new listings have been posted regarding your lost key.
9. Further measures and points of contact
- Locksmith: If you lose the key to your home, you may need to call a locksmith.
- Insurance: Check whether your insurance covers the loss.
Police: If you suspect theft, report the loss to the police immediately.
10. Preventive measures to avoid future losses
To avoid losing your keys in the future, follow these tips:
Secure storage: Keep keys in a fixed, secure location.
Spare keys: Store a spare key with trusted persons or in a secure location.
Key fobs: Use key fobs with a tracking function (e.g. Bluetooth trackers) to track the location of the keys.
Labelling: Mark keys with names and contact details to make it easier to recover them.
Conclusion
Losing keys is annoying and can be expensive. With a calm and systematic approach, as well as using platforms such as suchen.expert, you increase the chances of quickly recovering your keys. Report the loss to the police and relevant authority immediately, and inform relevant bodies such as your landlord or employer. You can avoid future losses and increase your security by taking preventive measures.
For more information and support, visit suchen.expert or contact your local authorities and locksmiths directly.
The information displayed comes from publicly available sources and was last updated on 20/12/24. All retrievable content and explanations are non-binding and do not constitute legal advice. The Suchen Expert platform does not guarantee and is not liable for the accuracy or completeness of the published information.
