Frequently Asked Questions

 

1. How do I purchase goods?
2. What risks are involved in buying online?
3. Is my transaction secure?
4. Are prices exclusive or inclusive of VAT?
5. Which credit/debit cards are accepted?
6. When is my credit card debited?
7. What happens if my card authorisation fails?
8. When is my order delivered?
9. Are there any additional charges for delivery above ground floor level?
10. What are Floor Loadings?
11. What happens to my personal information?
12. How do I return my order?
13. How do I choose the correct safe?
14. What is Cash Rating and how is it determined on a Cash or Burglary Safe?
15. How is the fire rating determined on a Fire or Data Safe?
16. Does my safe require installing?
17. Can safes be bolted down to the floor?
18. Can I change the combination on any safe myself?
19. What happens if I loose or forget my combination?
20. What if the batteries run down on a safe with an electronic lock?
21. How can I tell the difference between a right-handed and left-handed door?

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1. How do I purchase goods?

Buying from The Safe Shop is very simple. Each item for sale will have a buy button. When you choose a product for purchase, it is stored in the basket. To view items in the shopping basket and amend them accordingly simply click on the basket button on the left of this page.

You can add as many items as you like, decide to continue shopping, remove an item from the basket or check out and place your secure order.

When you are happy with your selections choose your desired payment option. It is at this time you would be asked for your name and address and then your payment details if applicable. Once your order is completed you will receive confirmation via e-mail within 30 minutes.

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2. What risks are involved in buying online?

All personal data, including your card number is transmitted over secure connections, meaning that no one can 'eavesdrop' and capture your details. In addition to this, your card details are not viewable by us at all. They are simply transmitted over the bank's private network for authorisation and payment transactions. For more information on website security please click here

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3. Is my transaction secure?

Every on-line transaction made is processed using SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption via Barclays Bank ePDQ. This industry standard method ensures that information sent from your browser is scrambled whilst in transit and decoded when it arrives on our server.

We take the issue of security very seriously and have taken every step possible to protect you. Our servers sit behind a state of the art hardware firewall and the computer that handles the card services is not accessible from the Internet. To view our security certificate please click here.

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4. Are prices exclusive or inclusive of VAT?

All our prices are shown both exclusive and inclusive of VAT at 15%.

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5. Which credit/debit cards are accepted?

We accept payment by all major credit and debit cards including Visa, MasterCard, Delta, Maestro, Electron and JCB.

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6. When is my credit card debited?

When the goods are dispatched, we will debit funds from your account overnight directly into our own. If certain items in your order are out of stock or unobtainable we will only partially debit your card order. We are also able to cancel or refund individual items of your order should this become necessary.

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7. What happens if my card authorisation fails?

If the authorisation fails, the most likely explanation is usually that you have input your credit card details incorrectly. If this happens, press the back button on your browser and you will be returned to the card input page. Check that all the details are correct, and make any changes necessary before proceeding. If all the details are correct and you still fail to get an authorisation then we advise that you contact your card issuer to establish why your card was not authorised.

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8. When is my order delivered?

We aim to deliver small items weighing less than 5kgs within 1 - 3 working days, larger items below 56kgs are delivered within 3 - 5 working days and heavy items above 56kgs are delivered within 10 - 14 working days. For items on our 10 - 14 working day delivery service our courier will contact you in advance to arrange a delivery date. More detailed information regarding delivery schedules is available with each specific product listing.

If you do not receive your order after this period of time, please contact us on 01772 793 792 or e-mail customerservices@thesafeshop.co.uk with your order number. Your order number will be included in the e-mail you received when you ordered the goods from The Safe Shop.

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9. Are there any additional charges for delivery above ground floor level?

Our Free Standard Delivery Service applies to delivery to a ground floor location or an upper floor location with access via a lift. A delivery charge may be incurred on certain orders where the delivery route includes stairs or restricted access. Please select the correct option at the time of adding each safe to your basket.

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10. What are Floor Loadings?

The floor loading of a safe relates to the weight the floor the safe is to be located will sustain. Certain safes we supply weigh in excess of 850 Kg. We advise that you ensure the floor loading is sufficient for the safe you require. If unsure please check with a qualified surveyor.

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11. What happens to my personal information? We collect your personal information in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. For further information regarding your personal information please see our Privacy Policy.

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12. How do I return my order?

You may return your purchase to The Safe Shop for a refund by obtaining a Customer Return Authorization (CRA) number within 14 days of the delivery date. To obtain a CRA please e-mail your invoice or order number and reason for return to returns@thesafeshop.co.uk.

For further information regarding our returns policy please see our Terms & Conditions.

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13. How do I choose the correct safe?

When deciding on the correct safe to purchase several factors must be considered, the most important of which is what type of items you expect to store in your safe.

If you require a safe to protect cash, jewelry and other valuable items you ideally require a Security or Cash Safe. This type of safe offers a level of protection against theft and is usually gauged by the manufacturer cash rating. The cash rating of a safe is determined by the build quality of the safe and the higher this rating the more secure the safe. For more information on Cash Ratings click here.

Cash and Security Safes are identified by the following icon:

If you require a safe to protect paper documents against fire damage you ideally require a Fire Safe. This type of safe offers a level of protection against fire where the internal temperature of the safe must not exceed 177°C, the approximate combustible temperature of paper. For more information on Fire Ratings click here.

Fire Safes are identified by the following icon:

If you require a safe to protect computer media such as disks and cassettes against fire damage you ideally require a Data Safe. This type of safe offers a yet higher level of protection against fire where the internal temperature of the safe must not exceed 52°C, the approximate combustible temperature of plastic. For more information on Fire Ratings click here.

Data Safes are identified by the following icon:

Please note certain safes offer protection against some or all of the above indicated by the relevant icon in each product listing.

It is also worth considering where the safe will be located as we stock safes, which can be fitted into the floor or wall of a building and free standing safes which in certain instances can be bolted to the floor or wall for additional protection.

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14. What is Cash Rating and how is it determined on a Cash or Burglary Safe?

The Cash Rating of a safe relates to the amount of cash for which an insurance company will offer over night insurance cover. As with all insurance companies this value can vary slightly depending on location and may be higher or lower than the manufacturer recommended Cash Rating quoted. Please check with your insurer for exact ratings.

Cash Ratings are determined by door and wall thickness, lock types used and the general build quality of a safe. The higher the Cash Rating the more secure the safe is.

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15. How is the fire rating determined on a Fire or Data Safe?

The following is an explanation of internationally accepted fire resistant safe testing procedures for 30, 60, 90, 120 and 180 minutes. During all tests the internal temperature will remain below 177°C when exposed to furnace temperatures during a one hour test period of 925°C, a two hour test period of 1010°C and a three hour test period of 1105°C.

1. Fire Endurance Test
   This test measures the temperature rise over a given time span. Thermocouples are fixed on all six internal surfaces of the safe to record the temperature rise inside the safe, the unit is locked and placed inside a specially constructed test furnace where the temperature is raised in accordance with the standard temperature curve BS 476 to the to the required test temperature and for the appropriate time period. Once cooled, the unit is opened and examined for usability. The unit locking mechanisms and parts fastenings are examined for security and the interior examined for visible evidence of undue heat transmission.
2. Explosion Hazard Test
   This test is designed to simulate the safe being suddenly exposed to superheated temperatures which could cause the fire resisting compounds used in the safe to expand rapidly and explode. The safe is locked and placed into a furnace preheated to 1095°C. This temperature is maintained for 30 minutes (2 hour test is 45 minutes) and if no explosion results, the unit is allowed to cool without opening the furnace doors.
3. Fire Drop Test
   This test measures the strength of the safe and its ability to withstand the effect of falling through a burning and collapsing building. The safe is locked and placed into a furnace preheated to 925°C. This temperature is maintained for 30 minutes before the safe is removed hoisted to a height of 10 metres and dropped onto a bed of rubble. The safe is then placed back in the furnace upside down for a further 30 minutes.

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16. Does my safe require installing?

Many of the products sold on this website will require installation either on a DIY basis or by a professional installation engineer. Further information regarding installation is displayed on each product listing. All our prices EXCLUDE installation and where required full installation instructions are included with your safe.

We offer an optional installation service whereby we arrange work to be performed by an appropriately qualified installer. For safes that require this type of installation you are given the option to select this service at point of sale. Alternatively you can arrange your own installation.

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17. Can safes be bolted down to the floor?

Yes, all freestanding security safes come with pre-drilled bolt down holes and bolting hardware indicated on each product listing. The majority of fire safes cannot be bolted to the floor, as holes through the bottom or wall would breach the fire resisting barrier. Some Phoenix fire safes have specially designed and patented base fixing trays to overcome this problem.

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18. Can I change the combination on any safe myself?

Safes with a traditional dial combination are available in either changeable or with preset number combination. Preset numbers are not changeable except by qualified Master Locksmiths. All electronic combination locks are changeable by following the manufacturer's instructions carefully.

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19. What happens if I loose or forget my combination?

You may contact us to retrieve the combination for preset dial combinations. You need to have the serial number of the safe and proof that you are the original owner of that safe.

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20. What if the batteries run down on a safe with an electronic lock?

All Electronic locks are designed to save your combination through an internal memory even if the batteries run down. Batteries are very easy to replace by following the manufacturer instructions.

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21. How can I tell the difference between a right-handed and left-handed door?

When you stand outside facing the door and the hinges are on the right, the door is right-handed if they are on the left the door is left-handed.