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Original poster

We left the door unlocked

173 replies

uhohdoor · 01/09/2023 21:09

I am so horrified that we did this, yet relieved nothing happened

We live down a nice enough street but it’s just off a main road, quite close to the junction. We went out for a meal tonight (for around 2 hours) and left the patio door unlocked with the key in. DH was last out of the door to get a parcel in that Evri had left around the back. Usually I would double, triple check all doors and that appliances are off, straighteners have been left safe etc. I do actually have OCD and checking is one of the traits. On this occasion I didn’t succumb to doing the checks, and actually didn’t do any checks at all.

Somebody could have stolen my car, or our house keys or anything from our house. How could we be so careless?

Do I need to let it go or should we take any extra precautions like changing the locks just in case? Please be kind - I’m hormonal and now this has happened I’m unable to think about anything else!

OP posts:
deClutterBugz · 01/09/2023 21:22

I am a frantic triple-checker of locked doors, but tonight I was so shattered that I left my car keys in the (unlocked) car for 20 minutes while I was in the shop. Just lying there on the passenger seat, anyone could have opened the car door and driven off, but thankfully they didn’t.

We all do it occasionally. Nothing bad happened, you’re ok. Try not to dwell on it or get worked up, focus on the positive, you’re ok and the house is ok.

thecatneuterer · 01/09/2023 21:23

I once went on holiday for a week and somehow not only didn't lock the front door, but it wasn't even properly closed and was swinging slightly open. To this day I've no idea how that happened. It was on a main road in an average sort of city. And absolutely Nothing Happened (except I couldn't quite get over how I'd been so careless).

LizzieSiddal · 01/09/2023 21:23

GrandHighPoohbah · 01/09/2023 21:14

I once left my front door actually open all night. I thanked my lucky stars nothing happened, and moved on.

I did this! I came down stairs saw the door wide open and immediately ran back upstairs to check DDs were ok. I’ve never been so frightened in my life!
It was entirely my fault, (dh was away so couldn’t blame him Grin

I’ve never done it since, don’t worry about it @uhohdoor

User13865890 · 01/09/2023 21:23

We went out for the afternoon in the warm spell in June and forgot to shut the French doors at the back of the house, DH wondered why a bit of draught blew through the house when he opened the front door on our return, luckily we have a locked back gate people have to go through first but it isn't that secure, I was horrified.

Cricketbelle · 01/09/2023 21:23

It’s fine!

My son went out with his friend and left the front door wide open…. And we live in London!
one of the neighbours came over to check all was ok.

Original poster
uhohdoor · 01/09/2023 21:24

Thank you everyone you have really put my mind at ease! 💕

OP posts:
Tiredmum100 · 01/09/2023 21:24

We've done this a few times since we moved. We're off a main road too, off a one-way road, off a lane. we've come home, and the back door has been left open, or a window wide open. Luckily, we have scurity cameras, so we have checked back the footage and can see no one has been I'm the house. We are also making sure we lock up before we go out!!

Namechangedforspooky · 01/09/2023 21:25

I’ve left the front door unlocked all day while I’ve been at work and also overnight while we’ve been in. Nothing happened thankfully. These things happen!

NannyGythaOgg · 01/09/2023 21:26

I've done it many times. The worst was over 40 years ago when I left my front door open to the street on a Friday evening and didn't return until latish Sunday. I thought I had been burgled when I saw the open door.

Since then I have been burgled twice. Neither time was when I left the door unlocked.

It happens. Try to set yourself a mantra. 'Front door, back door, keys, phone, specs' is mine. Whilst I may forget something else I wanted to take I now rarely forget any of those

whirlyhead · 01/09/2023 21:27

I do this all the time, in fact I have been known to go out and/or go to bed and leave the back door wide open all night. I don’t think it’s that unusual.

MrsLeBon2 · 01/09/2023 21:27

My sister once left her front door open, with the key in when she went on holiday. Thankfully, the taxi driver who was taking them to the airport noticed before he pulled away and told her!

Papillon23 · 01/09/2023 21:28

Unless the keys have vanished from the back door, why would you need to get the locks changed?

Unless they have a very dodgy locksmith friend they'd need the keys to get them copied so you can be basically certain no one has got a copy.

Bear in mind for this to be the case there would have to:

  1. Be a burglar in the area.
  2. They go round the back of your house.
  3. They don't bother burgling you there and then but save it for another day.
  4. They have a key impression pad with them.
  5. They have a locksmith friend who doesn't want to see the original key.

Once you add up all those unlikelihoods the whole thing becomes astonishingly unlikely.

mrsfollowill · 01/09/2023 21:28

Another saying don't beat yourself up. We left our front door ajar all night once- was a New Years Eve- tottered in around 2 am and went straight upstairs to bed! No idea whether DH was behind me as we came in or in front. But neither of us locked up- my bag with purse etc at bottom of stairs- DH's wallet on hall table and car keys on a handy shelf with car parked on drive (we had been out local and walked home! no drink driving)
Never done it since and hope we never do.
I have a friend who lives very rurally and never locks up- ever unless going on holiday at a push- often walks into her kitchen to find neighbours/postman have left stuff on the table if she is out on the farmland.

abyssofwoah · 01/09/2023 21:29

Everyone does this sometimes, don’t worry about it. No point in getting anxious over what might have happened.

I came home to our front door wide open the other day and nobody in the house. DH had buggered off the the park with the kids and left it, the tool.

LBOCS2 · 01/09/2023 21:29

Really, I'd let it go.

We live in the borough of Croydon - a very nice part of it, but most of Mumsnet will tell you it's the actual ghetto where people regularly get stabbed and you shouldn't even drive through it let alone live here.

I We regularly go out leaving windows open and DH has a terrible habit of either not pulling the front door properly closed behind him, or just leaving his keys in the door when he comes in (usually overnight when he's been out for 'a couple of drinks'. So far we've been fine 🤷🏼‍♀️

We also moved into our house while there was no actual back to it, but that was more poor timing on mine and the builder's part rather than an accidental incident.

ButterRoad · 01/09/2023 21:29

Everyone’s done it at some point. I once realised we’d left a side door not just unlocked but ajar for several weeks!

deClutterBugz · 01/09/2023 21:29

I know of a vacant house nearby (owner deceased - house will presumably eventually be out on the market) where the lock on the back door doesn’t work. The house has been vacant (but still full of furniture etc) and unsecured for nearly two years now and no one has broken in.

Leftittothelastminute · 01/09/2023 21:30

Toddlerteaplease · 01/09/2023 21:16

Meh. I've left the key in the front door Al night a few times!

I've also done this! I once had the postman knock on the door the next morning to give me the key!

Icantbelieveitsnotnutter · 01/09/2023 21:31

A few years ago my husband borrowed my house and car keys to go shopping, left them in the front door lock overnight with the car parked right outside our front door. We live in a terraced house near a town's high street, no garden or drive, so anyone could have swiped the keys, stolen the car or barged into the house, burgled, stolen our puppy, the mind boggles! It had been snowing so we don't think many people passed by luckily, but I still shudder when I think about it.

NorthWestThree · 01/09/2023 21:31

I once came back from work and my front door was wide open (porch door shut but not locked) and I was freaking out thinking someone had broken in but nope, DS had just not shut the door properly when he left for school 🙄 front door wide open all bloody day!!

fruitypancake · 01/09/2023 21:32

We once went away camping for whole weekend and left front door wide open ! Luckily neighbour phoned to check

LakeTiticaca · 01/09/2023 21:34

I have left my front door key in the lock outside all night .Neighbour knocked next morning to tell me.
Also our conservatory doors were once left wide open all night. Miraculously everything was intact and we hadn't been murdered in our beds!!

Mrsmch123 · 01/09/2023 21:34

I do it all the time🤦🏻‍♀️I'm normally half way to work when I remember I didn't lock the door....stays that way until I get back 13 hours later🙈

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 01/09/2023 21:34

I dare say many of us have done similar daft things - please try to relax. We once left keys in the front door - on the outside! - and another time, the patio doors to the garden not just unlocked, but open - curtains drawn inside so hadn’t realised. And we don’t live in exactly a low crime area but nothing happened.
Though will add that we’re a lot more careful about locking up now.

GotMooMilk · 01/09/2023 21:34

Good grief I’ve left the key in the door, back door unlocked. The other day DH had a delivery notification from Evri with a photo of the package in our hall with open front door… both at work house empty. It happens! It’s fine.