So there you are. You just heard the slam of the door when instantaneously it hits you that your keys are on the kitchen counter, and you’re locked out. Yep, your car keys are there as well, so you’re not driving anywhere either. And you were already late for work. The day is not beginning as you would like.
So what to do? Well, you can call us. We generally have keys to all the units with us, and if we’re in the area, we’re happy to help you out. But here comes the big “but”.
But often we’re not anywhere near you, and often we won’t be in a position to help you in a timely fashion. So think about a couple things.
First, find a neighbor you trust, and leave a duplicate key with him or her. Just let us know who else has keys to your home so when the time comes to collect all the keys, we know who has what. If your neighbor has a key, he or she can likely help you before we can.. Just make sure it’s someone you know and trust because when you give someone a key, well, you’ve just given them access to your home and everything in it. So be careful.
Here are some people to avoid: The boyfriend/girlfriend you just broke up with because they were “a little unstable”. Your second cousin, who just got out of OPP for burglary. Your “friend” who comes over to admire your vintage 1964 Gibson guitar .. a lot.
Or, leave a key with a family member who might live not too far away. If you can’t trust family, who CAN you trust? (unless it’s the afore mentioned second cousin) They might be able to drive a key to you pretty quickly.
But if neither of those is feasible, you may have to call a locksmith. We here at Esparros Properties use:
H Rault Locksmith. (504) 895-5346
They’re in Uptown New Orleans. We think they do good work at a fair price, and while we have had good experience with them, you can call anyone else as well.
We don’t recommend hiding a key outdoors, but if you do that, please make sure it is in a place NO ONE ELSE would ever find it. A key under the mat is an invitation to get robbed.
If you frequently find yourself on the outside looking in, there are companies that make metal boxes that hold a house key, and open with a combination lock or by punching in a code. We would recommend if you use one of those that you hide that as well, as a determined burglar can likely figure out how to destroy the box and get your key.
Or despite how hectic your day can be, try get in the habit of making sure your keys are in your hand before you even open the door to leave. What could go wrong with that?
