Frequently Asked Questions

A safe deposit box or locker is a stored container housed within a high security safe or vault, which is only accessible to the key holder and/or their nominated persons. These safe deposit boxes, sometimes called safe deposit lockers, can be used to store valuable possessions that people may not wish to store at home or at their place of work. The box or locker renter agrees to pay an annual fee for using the box, which can only be opened by combining the use of an assigned key and access card with many levels of security attached.

If you have valuables or irreplaceable items which you currently keep at home or in your office, you should consider renting a safe deposit box. According to the latest UK Crime statistics, burglary has maintained a high instance averaging 35,000 reported cases a month. The installation of home security alarms will provide only limited protection and home-safes are actually dangerous as homeowners can be forced to open safes under threat of physical violence. In addition, your home contents insurance costs can be greatly reduced by the use of a safe deposit box or locker.

All clients are issued with two identical keys to their safe deposit box at the time of rental. If you lose one or both keys, you must inform Newcastle Vaults straightaway. You will then be required to make an appointment with us, to ensure you are present when our company locksmith drills open your box (you must be present for this). The drilling open of a box can take between 30mins to 1 hour. You will be responsible for the cost of the locksmith and the subsequent repairs that are required.

Replacement Lock –no engineer required: £100

Replacement Lock – engineer required: £300

If you lose your access card, a new card can be issued at a charge of £30. Access to your box will not be granted without the appropriate access card and key/s.

Cash

Jewellery

Property deeds

Precious metals e.g. gold, silver etc.

Passports

Rare coins / stamp collections

Important keys

Share certificates

Life Insurance/Assurance policy docs

Data Storage items (USB’s etc.)

Back up discs

Wills

Birth certificates

Military medals

Artwork

Home inventory list/video

Marriage certificate

Wedding video

Income tax returns

Family photographs

Insurance contracts

Clients are not permitted to store any items that are illegal or deemed dangerous. Weapons or explosives of any kind, gas canisters, perishables and liquids are not permitted. Please see our full terms and conditions for a list of any other additional prohibited items.

You will need to visit us in person, any day during our opening hours. It is advisable to call us to book an appointment or reserve a box online. You will need to bring one valid form of photographic identification (a valid passport or driving licence) and one type of proof of address (a utility bill or bank statement less than 3 months old).  You can also bring your valuables with you on registration, as you will have immediate access and use of your safe deposit box.

You can register 3 people on any 1 box at Newcastle Vaults.  Only registered persons will have access to our vault. No more than three people can be registered to access one safe deposit box at any given time. Registered users must be over the age of 18 years of age.

Prices start from less than a £4 per week. A once-off £100 key deposit is required to open a new account. The deposit is refundable when the contract ends with the return of the keys and access cards. Our minimum rental period is 3 months.

We accept cash payments in € Euro, £ Sterling and $ Dollar. We also accept Credit card, Debit card, cheque, and Sepa/EFT payments. For payments via cheque, keys will only be released upon cleared funds. Please click here for box sizes and prices.

We are open Mon – Fri from 10am to 6:00pm and 10am to 5pm on Saturday & Sunday. Customers have unlimited access during these hours.  With last access to the vault 15 mins before closing time.

We are centrally located in Newcastle City centre. Our full address is: Basement Level
2 Cathedral Square – Cloth Market, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 1EH.

See the map

A comprehensive insurance policy is available for the contents of your safe deposit box.

Approximately one month before your contract expires, we will call you to remind you of your rental expiry date.  If we cannot contact you by phone (after a number of attempts) we will email you or a send a letter (whichever is your preferred method of contact) inviting you to renew your contract.

If you do not wish to renew renting your safe deposit box with us, you must return both keys to the box and any and all access devices, which we will have given to you.  This must be carried out in-person or by registered post before the date on which your contract expires. Please see our terms and conditions for further information.

No. The only case in which we are obliged to open a box is when we are presented with a valid court order

No. Upon registration you are issued with the only 2 keys unique to your box.

Each box is opened using a dual-lock system: our ‘House Key’ which opens nothing – but simply lifts a latch within your lock to allow your (customer) key to be inserted to open the lock. Each box requires both keys to be inserted to gain access, neither Newcastle Vaults or the customer can open the box alone.

If there is no secondary registered person on your account at the time of your death, then the normal legal processes of probate will prevail. Once your estate has been granted probate, the executor of the estate will be assigned access to the box. The person reporting your death should bring a certified copy of the death certificate to our office. Access will be allowed to the box for the purposes of probate only. No items may be removed until such time as a relevant grant of probate has been shown, and executors of an estate are present.