Holiday Brits lock out trusted cleaners

Long working hours and tired commuters may be driving a £4bn a year boom in domestic help, but only 3% of Britons will entrust their cleaners with their house keys while they are on holiday.

As the summer season approaches and Brits prepare to go away, Legal & General, asked a GB representative sample of 4,300 adults who they would trust with their house keys while they were away.

42% of respondents said they would be happy to let their neighbours in to check the house or water the plants but only a mere 3% would trust their cleaners to let themselves in and have a tidy when they were away.

And although many of us may be busy with home improvement projects, very few Britons will follow Simon Cowell’s recent example and leave house keys with tradesmen before going on holiday. Only 2% would leave house keys with builders and just 1% would allow the painters and decorators to let themselves in whilst away on holiday. The majority of people (66%) say they will depend on family members to check their home.

The ‘Changing Face of Britain’ research also revealed that around the UK, a number of demographic groups had varying notions on the kind of people they would trust with their house keys. For example:

Childless and cautious: Older people without children were more than twice as likely than other groups not to entrust their house keys to anyone this summer, (17%).

Young, free and single-minded: Singletons were those least likely to turn to their neighbours – only 29% would leave them their house keys when going on holiday compared to a UK average of 42%.

Relative-free professionals: Busy professionals are the group most likely to by-pass both relatives and neighbours. Instead they are most likely to call in friends and colleagues to keep an eye on the house (68% of professionals living together ) and 54% of professionals living on their own.

The civil, civil partnership: Same sex couples were the most trusting and friendly. 95% would be prepared to give out their keys and this group were twice as likely to give their house keys to builders and cleaners (6% and 7%).

At a time when Gordon Brown and David Cameron have both stressed the importance of community spirit and social responsibility, the Legal & General research suggests that across the age groups, the country’s neighbourly spirit maybe on the decline as the proportion of people prepared to trust their house keys to a neighbour fell with age. While 48% of those over the age of 50 would trust their keys to their neighbours, this fell to 41% among 30-50 year olds and fell further to 32% among the under 30 age group.

Garry Skelton, Marketing Director at Legal & General’s Home Insurance business commented: “Deciding who we are happy to trust with our house keys says a lot about people’s sense of security and their community. The research highlights how the changing face of the modern UK home is influencing our attitudes to safety and our immediate community. Modern Britain appears to be one of wider variety and difference.

However, with nearly nine in ten (87%) of Brits planning to give their house keys to someone when they go on holiday, Legal & General recommends that they are mindful about who they do trust with their keys. Also before going away, we suggest people check their home insurance and personal possessions cover and if possible ensure that their home is fitted with quality door and window locks.”