Moving into a flat in London often involves more than collecting a front door key. You may also receive a communal entrance fob, a postbox key, a garage remote and several smaller keys with no obvious purpose.
Understanding what each item does before moving day can prevent unnecessary inconvenience. It also gives you time to raise missing keys, unreliable fobs or unclear access arrangements with the landlord, letting agent or building management.
Whether you are renting or buying, this checklist will help you organise your keys, check your access and plan any authorised copies you need.
At the handover, ask for a list of the keys, fobs and remotes provided. Check the number of each against what you actually receive, rather than accepting an unlabelled bunch and working it out later.
Depending on the building, your set could include:
If something is missing, ask whether it should have been supplied and who is responsible for arranging it. Record any outstanding items in writing.
For a rented property, keeping an accurate handover record can also help when you eventually return the keys.
A key may look familiar without being the one you need. Where there are several similar keys, test them individually and make a simple record of their purpose.
Start with the route you will use most often: the building entrance, any internal access doors and your own front door. Then check the additional spaces you are entitled to use.
Take care when testing unfamiliar locks. Do not force a key that will not turn, and keep a known working means of entry with you so you do not accidentally lock yourself out.
If the flat has more than one lock on its entrance door, establish how each operates. Ask the person handing over the property to demonstrate anything unclear.
Report a stiff, damaged or unreliable key promptly. Repeatedly struggling with it is not a sensible substitute for having the problem assessed.
A working fob at the main entrance does not necessarily confirm access everywhere else in the building.
Some developments have separate permissions for parking areas, bicycle storage, internal doors or other shared facilities. Ask building management which entrances your fob should operate and test those you are authorised to use.
If a fob does not work, note the location and what happens when you present it. For example, does the reader respond without releasing the door, or does nothing happen?
Give this information to the managing agent or building team. They can establish whether the issue relates to your access permissions, the fob or the door system.
Avoid assuming that another resident’s access arrangements are the same as yours. Permissions may depend on the property, parking allocation or facilities included with your tenancy or ownership.
Your own access is only part of the picture. Check how you will admit visitors, receive deliveries and let removal workers into the building.
Ask how the intercom operates and whether any setup is needed. If the system uses a telephone number or an app, confirm the correct process with building management.
Useful questions include:
Do not prop open a communal security door for convenience. Ask how authorised access should be managed while furniture and boxes are being brought inside.
A few minutes spent confirming the process can make moving day much easier for you and your neighbours.
If more than one person will live in the flat, establish how many fobs you need and how additional ones should be obtained.
The building may require new fobs to be issued through a managing agent or an appointed access-control provider. There may also be an authorisation process, a charge or a limit on the number issued.
Ask about these arrangements before commissioning a copy. A fob’s appearance alone does not establish whether it can be duplicated or whether copying is permitted for that system.
You should also clarify what happens if a fob is lost. Tell building management promptly so they can review the access arrangements and explain the appropriate next steps.
Having a replacement in your hand does not, by itself, resolve the security implications of a missing original.
Not every key can be copied through the same process. Some security or restricted keys may require authorisation, a security card or an order through a designated supplier.
Before visiting a key-cutting shop, ask the landlord or managing agent whether any of your keys are subject to restrictions. Check your tenancy or building arrangements where relevant.
When making an enquiry, explain which type of door the key operates and whether you have the necessary authorisation. The key-cutting provider can then advise what information they need.
For suitable keys, arranging an authorised spare while you still have a reliable original is usually more straightforward than waiting until your only key is missing.
Quickeys offers key cutting and security key services. Contact the team first if you are unsure whether your particular key can be copied.
Think about access in terms of everyday routines. Will each resident need an independent set? Will a trusted relative occasionally visit? Are you arranging access for a cleaner, carer or pet sitter?
Work out what each person actually needs. Someone who visits occasionally may not require access to every shared facility.
Keep a private record of any sets you issue, including who holds them and when they should be returned. Review this when household arrangements change.
Avoid labelling keys with your full address or flat number. Use a discreet system that helps you identify them without revealing the property they belong to.
Also consider where a spare will be kept. Choose an arrangement with a trusted person rather than an obvious hiding place near the entrance.
It is easy to focus on the flat itself and forget the spaces that support daily life.
If parking is included, check the remote or fob before you need to use it in a hurry. Confirm which entrance it operates and ask about any additional access arrangements.
For bicycle or other storage areas, establish which space is yours and which locks or access devices you are responsible for. Do not assume that a loose key belongs to a communal facility simply because it was included in the handover.
If a garage or gate remote needs replacing, provide the supplier with the relevant make and model information. Check with building management before arranging changes to a shared system.
Compatibility and any required programming should be confirmed before purchasing a replacement.
Save the appropriate contact details before a problem occurs. Depending on your circumstances, these might include the landlord, letting agent, building manager or concierge.
Ask whether there is a separate out-of-hours contact and what it covers. A problem with a communal entrance may need to be handled differently from a fault with the lock on your own flat.
If you lose a key or fob, explain exactly what is missing and whether anything identifies the property. The responsible person can help determine whether replacement, deactivation or further security work is appropriate.
For an access problem, be ready to describe the affected door and whether other residents are experiencing the same issue. This helps direct the enquiry to the right person.
Organising your keys and fobs early gives you one less thing to worry about when settling into a new home. Start by checking what you have, confirming the building’s access arrangements and obtaining permission for any additional copies where required.
Quickeys provides key cutting, security key services, fob copying and garage and gate remote services. The team can assess your requirements and explain what is possible for the key or device you bring.
Visit Quickeys at Unit 171, 264 Lavender Hill, London SW11 1LJ, or call 0203 439 0456 before your visit. Bring a working original where available, along with any relevant authorisation, so the team can advise on the next steps.
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