Dear LPG,

I officially became a pensioner very recently and even thought that life would be one big holiday but I very quickly found that I became much more involved with members of my family who are more qualified pensioners than I am.  There are so many aspects of being older that pass you by when you are busy working and only visit members of your family every now and then.

I live quite locally to the sheltered accommodation where an uncle who is not so mobile anymore lives alone, and decided to be there for him a little more often. Until I stopped working I only really visited along with other family members, but with so called time on my hands, I promised to visit more often.  My uncle’s legs are not so dependable anymore so he has carers visit him every day and he depends on people to help when he needs, or wants, to go out.  We decided that a local shopping expedition followed by a bite to eat at a local café would make a change and, before I knew it that day of our first outing came around.

I have seen it done before although I have never tried to open a key safe, but being one of the few people trusted with the combination, I had a go.  I don’t know what I did wrong but I was there for ages pressing the buttons, turning that spindly dial thing and getting nowhere when a carer came to visit one of the other flats.  She had no problem at all and, seeing the problems I was having, she offered her help.  A few seconds later all was well.  The rest of the day passed pleasantly and I found myself chatting about the day with my cousin, his son.  It was only when I mentioned my first encounter with the little box on the wall that I realised that I had given the details of the combination away.

So everyone concerned then had to do what was necessary to change the code number and all the people, carers and other family members had to learn the new one with all that that entails, although I now have learned how to use it successfully.

The reasons why you need to keep the number safe are obvious but it was so easy for me to give it away.   So I think that my message is about the importance of remembering that a key safe combination code is as important as any banking PIN number or email password when it comes to keeping it secret.

JN, Catford

LPG would like to add that it is equally as important to make sure that no one is watching you  or standing behind you whenever you are keying in the number and, it may be a good idea to try the safe with someone who already knows the combination to the particular safe you are trying to open, as well as how to open it successfully, on your initial attempt to use it.