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uk Personal safety & immediate danger

What to do if…
your smart lock, entry system, or spare key shows unexpected access or repeated attempts

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: Last reviewed: Editorial policy UK guide

Short answer

Move to a safer place without going towards the suspected entry point. Call 999 if someone may be entering, may already be inside, or you or someone else is in immediate danger; otherwise preserve the access information and secure both the account and the physical entrance.

Do not do these things

  • Do not approach the entrance or enter the property to investigate if someone could be there.
  • Do not confront anyone you suspect of trying to gain access.
  • Do not approve an unexpected sign-in request or share a verification code.
  • Do not follow account or reset links in an unexpected message.
  • Do not delete alerts, access records, emails, or messages before recording them.
  • Do not rely only on the app’s displayed lock status when physical access is uncertain.
  • Do not factory-reset the device before recording the current alerts unless emergency services, the provider, or the manufacturer tells you to.

What to do now

  1. Reach a safer pause. Move away from the entrance to an occupied public place, a trusted neighbour, or another secure location if you can do so without passing the suspected access point.
  2. Call 999 and ask for the police if a person is trying to enter, a door has just opened unexpectedly, someone may already be inside, or anyone is in immediate danger. Give the operator the address and briefly describe what the lock, entry system, or spare key information shows.
  3. From a safe location, check whether a known authorised person used the lock, code, fob, entry system, or spare key. Contact them only if doing so feels safe and they are not someone you fear.
  4. Take screenshots or photographs of the alert and access history. Note the date, time, displayed user or code, device name, repeated attempts, and any visible change to the door without approaching an unsafe entrance.
  5. If a spare key is missing, may have been copied, or appears to have been used, treat the affected physical entrance as potentially insecure. Tell the landlord, managing agent, building manager, or property owner urgently, or contact a reputable locksmith if arranging the lock is your responsibility.
  6. If there is no immediate physical danger, use a trusted device to change the smart-lock or entry-system account password. Sign out other devices or sessions and remove any user, code, fob, or credential you do not recognise, where the system allows this.
  7. Turn on two-step verification if the account offers it. Switch off remote access if you do not need it, and install available app or device updates.
  8. Visit the manufacturer’s official website directly. Follow its instructions for suspected unauthorised control, preserving available information first; reset the device only in the sequence the manufacturer recommends.
  9. Report suspected unauthorised access that is not an emergency by calling 101 or using the appropriate police online reporting route. Keep any incident or reference number.
  10. Stay somewhere you feel secure, or ask a trusted person to remain with you, until the immediate access risk has been checked.

What can wait

You do not need to identify who was responsible, review months of access history, replace every connected device, make insurance decisions, or choose permanent security upgrades now. Deal first with immediate safety, current physical access, the affected account, and the information already available.

Important reassurance

An alert or log entry does not by itself prove who was present or whether anyone entered. It is still reasonable to act cautiously when access is unexplained or attempts are repeated.

Scope note

This guide covers immediate safety, access-control, and account-security steps only. Later decisions about replacement hardware, tenancy responsibilities, insurance, police follow-up, or specialist security work may require advice from the relevant provider or professional.

Important note

This is general information and is not a substitute for personalised legal, cyber-security, locksmith, or personal-safety advice. Follow emergency-service instructions and the official guidance for your particular lock or entry system.

Additional Resources

Closely connected guides that may be useful during the same situation or its immediate aftermath.

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

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