To put bars on my windows?

[Doggydoggydoggy]

Is it even legal?

Live in a lovely house, in a nice enough street but burglaries are becoming more and more regular here...

Had the police over again today asking for CCTV footage.

I was thinking something like this?

[Doggydoggydoggy]

Painted a nice pink or mint green, so hopefully attractive looking?

[daisyjgrey]

How are you planning on getting out if theres a fire?

[beanaseireann]

Isn't it so sad you feel you have to do that to feel safe.

[RedHelenB]

I'm always more bothered about house fires than burglaries, so I would nt want bars. Plus, they are ugly!

[Backwoodsgirl]

Sounds like a sensible security feature, don't see why it wouldn't be legal.

[IceRebel]

I'm always more bothered about house fires than burglaries


//\ This

You can always replace stuff if it's stolen, but you can't replace a loved one if they die in a fire.

[updownnconfused]

I remember when I lived in a student flat, people a few streets up had a flat fire. The boys had all just moved in and started uni. At least one of them died because they were stranded inside. I wouldn't.


Even if you had a mechanism to open from inside, what if fire brigade were trying to get to you from outside? We also have break-ins on my street. I lock the two downstairs back rooms at night and when I'm out. Someone broke into the house once but couldn't get further than the kitchen.

[missmartini]

So sad it's come to this. We've been burgled and 2 cars stolen from it and to be honest I was tempted to do the same. Still wake up at the same time every night I heard them in and to be honest will need to sell soon as I don't feel comfortable in the house anymore. However fire escape with 2 kids put me off the ideas of bars.

We've installed cctv, upgraded our locks and got better security lights instead, would this be an option for you?

[ApplestheHare]

We had bars on the doors and windows in London (rental flat) and I always really appreciated them. You could open the door and keep the bars closed for security if you weren't sure who someone was. You can get ones that you can open for fires, etc., too.

[SayNoToCarrots]

Bars do look ugly and could stop you escaping in a fire. Have you considered wooden shutters?

[fezzesarecool]

You can get the bars put on the inside of the windows and you’ll be able to unlock them

They are some really nice designs as well to pick from

[easyandy101]

It's totally normal in so many places it's always struck me as peculiar that it's not so common here

[updownnconfused]

I just googled it and it was two boys who died because they couldn't escape the fire. Awful.

[Doggydoggydoggy]

Fire, I don’t know...
This is a problem.

It is sad indeed beana

I feel conflicted about what to do for the best, a number of properties here have been burgled already, our house is loaded with CCTV after I got paranoid after an incident I won’t go into about online when out walking my kids, it ended in a prison sentence for the person responsible and then my aunt got mugged while with my DS (totally different area), I hear in the news all the time about stabbing a, robberies gone violent etc and all in all, I don’t feel safe.

[easyandy101]

And this is why I like living in a flat, don't like an abode with ground floor access, would 700% have bars if I had a house

[Purpleartichoke]

I lived in a house with bars in the windows. It was a tiny bungalow right on a busy urban street in an area with some known issues. I don’t think I would have felt safe renting the house without them. All the windows that opened had a kick panel below the window to open the bars.

[Dieu]

I would do it, OP. I'm in a basement flat in Edinburgh, and it is absolutely the norm here.

[LascellesMoustache]

Think about the other houses in your street and how yours compares. If you have lighting, CCTV or other deterrants and the other houses dont then your house would be less appealing than the others to burgle. There are specialist companies that could come out and assess what you could improve on, perhaps ask them, or ask your home insurer for advice? What about an alarm? Your insurer probably has advice on their website or go to another insurers website. Its their business to know what works and what doesnt so really worth asking them or checking out thier websites.
Id be hesitant to put bars on windows due to fire and also looks ugly, plus then every time you see the bars you'll be thinking anxious thoughts about being burgled.

[GoGoGadgetGin]

@updownnconfused was this Edinburgh? I remember this happening and the terror of gave me.

[youmeandconchitawurst]

I once looked at an end terrace that had these on all the accessible windows at that back of the house. I didn't buy it specifically because if you have that much of a theft issue I don't want to live there.

If you're thinking of moving anyway remember that by having them you are telling your prospective buyers that your area isn't safe.

[Rainbowshine]

You’d need to check if you needed building regulations approval and if you’re in a listed property or a conservation area you’d probably have to do something to get permission first. I think there’s other measures you could take that would be less obtrusive.

[Tawdrylocalbrouhaha]

I would absolutely hate to live behind bars. If I really didn't feel safe without them, I would move somewhere I did feel safe.

However if you really want them, you can certainly get bars fitted within a metal frame that can be opened like a door.

[updownnconfused]

GoGo - the one I know of is Glasgow. I think of it any time I see the bars. Think they might be illegal in Glasgow now, but not sure.

[Doggydoggydoggy]

We have lots of CCTV, but that is about it with regards to security really.

No security light, maybe I should get one...

We started with lots of hedging in the garden but it was very dark and oppressive so ripped them all out and replaced with lots of nice flowers so there isn’t really anywhere for an intruder to hide.

That said, my DH has successfully ‘broken in’ when accidentally locked out so if they weren’t bothered about the cameras they would be able to gain access.

[GoGoGadgetGin]

up l remember it better (sadly) now- my cousin was in morano st village at the time, absolutely awful, and yes it frightens me too when ever lm in any basement rooms.