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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:
Toomuchchocolate42 · 01/09/2023 22:58

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 have accidentally done this once before aswell. I always now double check doors are locked.

MerryMarigold · 01/09/2023 22:58

I live in greater London and tend to leave my back door unlocked in case I get locked out. It's been very useful on a few occasions!

We went on holiday in Canada a couple of weeks ago. A very rustic cabin. And the front and back doors didn't lock! DH struggled for 2 nights and blocked them up with suitcases/ sofa. But after 2 nights he relaxed and didn't care anymore! So we slept with our 3 teens in a completely unlocked house.

somewhereovertherain · 01/09/2023 23:01

Our house is pretty much always open.

last Christmas we went to the in-laws and left the front door wide open came back two days later.

often forget to take key out of the car as well.

Oblomov23 · 01/09/2023 23:03

Over-reaction. Few haven't done this.

thirdistheonewiththehairychest · 01/09/2023 23:08

I once pulled up outside my house to find the front door wide open. It had been raining when I left the house , so yep, I had bundled my baby into the car in her car seat and driven off without even shutting the door. It was wide open for about 3 hours with nobody in the house. Door opens directly onto the pavement 😳

Blinky21 · 01/09/2023 23:14

I have left my front door unlocked overnight twice and we live in a busy inner city area, I find it reassuring that no one broke in

BelCantox · 01/09/2023 23:16

Me and DH are pretty security conscious. We always set alarms, lock outside gates, etc. However, we managed to drive to Scotland for five days and return to the front door being unlocked. Each of us thought the other had done it.

It was fine, but still a bit of a shot across the bows.

FunnysInLaJardin · 01/09/2023 23:17

Don't know what the UK is like right now, but we quite often leave the front door unlocked, sometimes for weeks before we realise!

Tessisme · 01/09/2023 23:18

I have come home loads of times and discovered one of us (usually me) has left the front door unlocked. I have also come home to find the back door swinging in the wind. I'm not proud of it, but I try not to dwell on it too much.

mynameisnotmichaelcaine · 01/09/2023 23:22

Honestly, absolutely everyone accidentally does this every now and then. I take it to extremes and once left my front door wide open when I went to work. My friend who has a key noticed and locked it and sent me a text saying "at least shut the front door even if you don't lock it, you div". I laughed because absolutely no harm was done, and I'm a bit more careful now!

user1471556818 · 01/09/2023 23:24

Let it go we all can have a mishap
Many yrs ago I left my open handbag with passports,money and my bank cards sitting on my front door overnight following late return from Disney land Paris driving .I couldn't believe it, everything was damp but intact .The postman knocked to tell me it was there many hrs later.

BlackJumpsuit · 01/09/2023 23:26

I once went shopping and left my front door open 😂

The porch door was closed but still.

Lesson learned and don't beat yourself up OP 😊

fridaynight1 · 01/09/2023 23:28

It wouldn't worry me. Our back door is permanently open when we are in and often left open when we go out.

To be fair the only people who ever walk/drive past our house are people who live on our road. Everyone has ring door bells and anyone chancing their luck would be zapped on someone's camera within seconds.

Also, I have nothing worth taking.

SpringIntoChaos · 01/09/2023 23:31

Good lord, just let it go! Nobody went in your house. Why on earth would you need to be changing the locks??

babyproblems · 01/09/2023 23:32

Let it go. I leave out door locked quite often!!! I think people do occasionally get burgled yes. But the reality of this happening is very very very very very very low statistically. Most people are irrational about it when compared with the statistical evidence. You’ve blown it way out of proportion imo. Even if someone did steal your car - so what?? You’ve got some shit to sort out but it’s not going to kill you. And the likelihood is very much that no one will steal your car.

supermamio · 01/09/2023 23:32

Ive left my keys in the lock of my front door all night, didnt even know until the next morning the post man knocked to give me them.

babyproblems · 01/09/2023 23:32

*unlocked that should say!!

Toenailz · 01/09/2023 23:32

Just lock the door next time.

If someone had wanted to gain access, they would have done there and then, not took your key away to have it cut and bring it back, doubling their chances of being caught. I say this as someone who's house has been in broken in to 3 times over the course of my life, one of which unfortunately, we were in the house during..

Never had someone enter through the door. They left that way though in one case! Another case found a spare house key inside and locked the front door from the inside, leaving the key in so we couldnt get in and surprise them (which we did and took us a while to figure out why we couldn't get through the front door with the key). They broke the back window for entry.

If they want in, they'll get in irrespective of a locked door, sorry to say. Just reduce your risks.

Nih · 01/09/2023 23:49

I have on multiple occasions left my keys in the lock on the outside of the unlocked door, on a busy main road in a run down area of the city with high crime rates.

Once I even went to bed without realising they were out there. Anybody could have walked in, but didn't.

Let it go. The fact you are generally a very safety conscious person means you're incredibly unlikely to make the same mistake twice.

Total non event, I promise 🙂

RadishAndTwiglet · 01/09/2023 23:50

Let it go. If anyone had been in there you'd know.

Highdaysandholidays1 · 01/09/2023 23:52

My mum left our back door propped open for a year when the dog became incontinent as it used to cry if it was shut (!) She used to pop back at lunch, go again, door open all the time! She said she had nothing worth nicking and it made the dog happy.

givemeasunnyday · 01/09/2023 23:56

Let it go. I've done it numerous times. My DF once went out for a couple of hours and couldn't find his house keys when he got home, so called me to bring my spare. I found his keys in the gutter, right outside his house!!!

givemeasunnyday · 01/09/2023 23:57

Highdaysandholidays1 · 01/09/2023 23:52

My mum left our back door propped open for a year when the dog became incontinent as it used to cry if it was shut (!) She used to pop back at lunch, go again, door open all the time! She said she had nothing worth nicking and it made the dog happy.

I've just remembered, I did the same thing for my dog for several years - the door was on a double length security chain, anyone could have reached in and taken it off, but never did.

Namechange423 · 02/09/2023 00:00

We’re staying in a holiday cottage and my partner forgot to SHUT the door last night after letting the dog out for a wee. So we slept all night with the front door flapping open on the Main Street. We all lived.

Last year he left our front door keys in the door all night and a few weeks ago left the front and back door unlocked and went for a walk.

He frequently leaves his keys in the ignition accidentally.

He has ADHD. Nothing bad has happened yet. I also have ADHD which is how I haven’t caught these mistakes

tt9 · 02/09/2023 00:04

I do this kind of thing every few months. don't worry too much. if you are generally concerned about security, I would look into getting lock systems where you need a reference number (and/or ID) to duplicate keys and they can't be randomly done anywhere. also would reccommend installing a security system with cameras etc. not because of this, but just general safety.