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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think a door lock shouldn't lock you in the house with no way of unlocking it?

34 replies

DuelingFanjo · 28/10/2011 16:23

DH's brother just went to collect the keys for our new front door which was fitted today. He let himself into the house, shut the door and then when he tried to get out again the door wouldn't open.

He called the door place who came round and asked him to post the keys out of the letterbox so they could let him out!

Apparentlly, because BIL turned the key to the right before he unlocked the door (old one you turned to the right, new one you turn to the left) it did something with a second lock which locked him in with no way of getting out.

Isn't this a bit stupid? Anyone know if there's a way round this? I have visions of putting ds in the carseat, popping back into the hall to get my coat or something and getting locked in the house!

OP posts:

Kladdkaka · 28/10/2011 16:25

No idea. Sounds like a bit of fire hazard. Is it legal?

MrBloomsNursery · 28/10/2011 16:28

Hahaha, I don't get it, but it sounds funny!

lucymr · 28/10/2011 16:30

That can't be right - I would complain about that and get them to change it somehow. A door that can't be unlocked from the inside even WITH the keys?? Never right

LittleJennyRobyn · 28/10/2011 16:32

That Doesnt sound right, You need to get back onto the door company and ask them to sort it even if it means repalcing the lock.

Our Front door lock is temperamental only we cant get in or out, we have to wait a few hours and try again and it will work....so always carry back door key just in case!!!

ThisIsANickname · 28/10/2011 16:34

My lock does this. If you open it by turning it 1.5 rotations to the left, then it locks itself again and you have to unlock it from the outside. We were lucky that when we figured this out, FIL was right outside.

I think our landlord put this in to stop squatters claiming rights to the property between tenants.

It's simple enough to avoid though.

bemybebe · 28/10/2011 16:37

Is it a Banham lock? If yes, they are designed this way, so that if ever someone breaks into your house, they cannot leave through the door.

RedHelenB · 28/10/2011 16:38

I would change the lock, you always need to be able to get out from the inside.

bemybebe · 28/10/2011 16:39

You should be able to unlock it from the inside, but you do need the keys to do so...

BlueKangaroo22 · 28/10/2011 16:39

Same thing happened to me, me and a friend got trapped in the house as my friend unlocked the door but turned the key the wrong way, i unlocked it for him and we went in thought nothing of it till we tried to get back out as he was leaving, cue me calling council out of hours saying we were locked in couldn't get out as the latch would not go all the way down, locksmith turned up 20 mins later (although you'd think it was hours the way said friend was pacing my flat panicking cause he couldn't get out interspersed with i am so sorry blue i broke your door) he told me to post keys through, unlocked it no problems and explained what we'd done. I was very apologetic as I thought id been a complete waste of time although he pointed out if he had not come out we wouldn't have been able to get out at all!
Was very careful after that just glad i didn't have dd at the time would have been panicking myself!

TiaMariaandDietCoke · 28/10/2011 16:40

Not sure how it would stop squatters if it can only be opened from the outside? - surely the landlord would just use the key to open it?

If it could only be opened from the inside I'd understand, but any lock that locks you in seems both pointless and dangerous - certainly wouldn't want it in my house...

effedorf · 28/10/2011 16:43

GOOD GOD THIS SEEMS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS IS LEGAL! AND YES I DO MEAN TO HAVE CAPS ON!

ThisIsANickname · 28/10/2011 16:53

Because if squatters broke into the house "through an open window" or whatever nonsense they spout, they wouldn't be able to open the door from the inside and therefore couldn't claim that they have any kind of rights to the property (because they wouldn't be able to replace the locks with their own).

The landlord would be the only one with keys that access the front door, which means they shouldn't need a court order to kick out their uninvited guests.

Mandy2003 · 28/10/2011 17:04

But if the door is locked with an ordinary mortice lock then a squatter would not be able to get out without keys either!

Original poster

DuelingFanjo · 28/10/2011 17:10

hmmm, ok. Well I guess I will just have to avoid making the mistake. I can't get out the back as I live in a terrace which is back to back with other houses. No one is likely to break in.

This squatter thing makes no sense to me, presumably they would still be able to get out because they would have had to had the key in the first place to trigger the locking mechanism and squatters wouldn't have the key. The most likely person to get locked in is the person with the key who has a right to be there.

OP posts:

PigletJohn · 28/10/2011 17:11

It is very common to have a front door lock that can't be opened, even from the inside, without a key. The idea is that if a burglar gets in, for example through a window, or by pushing a small child in, they can't easily open the front door to carry your belongings away. To get the full advantage of this, you have to conceal, or lock away, or take with you, all the keys when the house is unoccupied.
Most often, the lock can be opened using a key from the inside. This applies to all the British Standard mortice dedeadlocks, and BS Rim Cylinder locks I have seen.
As an extra cylinder on the inside adds extra cost, some cylinder nightlatches (but not BS ones) enable you to deadlock the door from the outside when leaving, to give the security described in (1) above.

IMO it is preferable to have a lock that you can open from the inside if you have a key, even if it has been deadlocked. The extra cost is not very great. It is especially an advantage if you house happens to be on fire.

If you can say what make and model the existing lock is, I can probably tell you one that will fit straight in as a replacement. The most important measurement is from the centre of the keyhole to the edge of the door (often 40mm or 60mm for a cylinder nightlatch, which is what I suspect you have)

If you have a plastic door it might, or might not, be more complicated.

Original poster

DuelingFanjo · 28/10/2011 17:11

sorry - so If we have the keys we should be able tou open it from inside?

OP posts:

Original poster

DuelingFanjo · 28/10/2011 17:13

it's a wooden door.

The guy who came from the door place to rescue BIL seemed to think it was unlockable from inside?

OP posts:

effedorf · 28/10/2011 17:18

I really can't believe how dangerous this is from a safety point of view. What are you supposed to do if there is a fire? It seems so incredible that perhaps I am missing the point somehow?

witchywotzme · 28/10/2011 17:21

I agree OP, sounds like a stupid idea - I would get a new lock or a new door. If someone is in my house who shouldn't be there I'd rather, they can get out easily then smash a window to exit, or still be creeping around by the time I get down stairs. WHY TRAP THEM, what are you going to do, have a chat?

ThePumpkinKing · 28/10/2011 17:21

The burglar thing - surely you want them to be able to get out!?

I don't want to be locked into my house with the friendly neighbourhood burglar..

Original poster

DuelingFanjo · 28/10/2011 17:21

It apparently only locks like that if you turn the key the wrong way but it just seems so easy to do by accident, specially if you are used to a key which goes the other way. I am not even sure how I cancel it out if we do manage to start opening it the rwrong way.

OP posts:

Original poster

DuelingFanjo · 28/10/2011 17:23

they'd have a hard time getting out through the windows, we just had double glazing fitted! Though they could always go out the back and climp over 20 garden walls until they get to the end of the road!

OP posts:

GrottyPotPlant · 28/10/2011 17:23

Oh god, we had one of those in a rented place. We got locked in when we were viewing it!!! We had half an hour of wandering around the house with the estate agent, whilst we waited for her colleague to come and free us. One of our conditions of taking the house was that the lock be changed...

I agree, I think they're a fire hazard. I'd rather be burgled than bunt alive!

PigletJohn · 28/10/2011 17:25

it is assumed that the burglar will have to get out the same way he got in. If this is a window he will be inconvenienced if trying to carry your computer, TV, playstation, gold bars etc, and this will reduce the amount of booty he takes away..

ThisIsANickname · 28/10/2011 17:26

Really, if you do this to yourself more than once then you probably should get another lock.

Me? I like our lock.

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