AIBU to want the doors locked when I go to bed? Actually I want them locked all the time.

[BeautifulBlondePineapple]

DH has gone out for the evening but didn't want to take his keys.

I want to go to bed, but am uncomfortable at leaving the front door unlocked so he can get in later. Does that make me uptight? Would you feel the same or would you be happy to leave the front door completely unlocked for a short time at night?

He is very relaxed about this kind of thing, but I am getting a bit more uptight about it. I like the doors locked when I am in the house. I like a key left in the lock all the time so that we could get out if there was a fire (we only have mortice locks on the front & back doors). Am I being OTT?

[MokuMoku]

Always at night and mostly throughout the day too.

I once read an article where the police had interviewed a serial rapist who had raped over 80 women in their homes. He said that in almost all the cases he just walked in through an unlocked door.

[Mckayz]

Mackerel, they are very very common and not at all weird. I have only lived in one house that you don't have to lock from the inside but my Mum still does use both locks at night.

[SpookedMackerel]

McKayz, clearly they are common judging from this thread. Still seems weird though! Why would you design a front door like that?

[YouTheCat]

So people don't lock themselves out?

My doors (back and front) has a 3 lock system - top, middle and bottom all locks using one key.

[Purplehonesty]

Our doors have the turny thing inside and no keyhole so you lock the door by lifting the handle and turning the knob. Easy to get out as no keys required.
Always lock the doors at night, would hate someone to come in while we were sleeping. The dogs would maybe bark but because they are used to dh coming in off shift at odd times they might think it was him

[JennieR60]

YANBU - I always lock my door and I keep the chain and top lock on during the day - anyone could just walk in!!!

Smoke alarms will save u in a fire this will give u plenty of time to escape!

Xxx

[AlwaysChasingRainbows]

Mackarel Double glazed doors don't have Yale locks on them - Its not that weird

[Birdsgottafly]

If you left your doors unlocked where I live in Liverpool (not all areas but that is a matter of luck) you would be robbed.

A neighbour had a screw driver held to her throat whilst one of the burglars went to the cash machine only over the weekend, her children luckily stayed asleep.

He is putting you at risk, if you are lucky, robbery will be the intent.

It is one thing to take that chance yourself, you have to live with the consequences, but it is wrong and abusive to think you can put other members of your family at risk of assault (as said, if they are lucky).

It is coming up to Christmas, crime is on the increase, if you want the doors locked that is your right.

You shouldn't even need to post on here, tbh, your DH should just abide by your wishes on a matter that is common sense and a matter of respect.

[thebody]

lol at the never locking doors because of fire!!!


when you are burgled and your insurance company tells you to fuck off as you didn't take reasonable care of your property you might get some sense.

op your dh is mad. of course foote should always be l

[ChilledGhost]

Youthecat it doesn't invalidate your insurance at all. When we were burgled we thought the same but it turns out your door just being closed is enough

[ChilledGhost]

Your door being unlocked does not invalidate your insurance.

[Birdsgottafly]

So what if the dog does bark?

Very few burgleries are done on the off chance, they are planned out. Close a door on a dog, or have the owner tell the dog to quiet, after all, we don't want to wake the kids up, do we?

The default reaction to a couple of men in your house, especially if you're partially dressed and your children in bed, is to comply and stay quiet.

Even if you are "hard as nails", a robbery totally unsettles you for a long time, some children, for years.

I don't why you would up the chances of your family going through that, tbh.

[Birdsgottafly]

"Whatever happened to that little girl?"

She was raped, he was caught. She was six. He confessed to a friend's Girlfriend, who thankfully told the police.

It was a random attack, they lived on the ground floor, he had been looking for a child for a couple of days and managed to get into the property.

[BranchingOut]

Horrific. I do remember that report.

We do double lock the doors, but leave the keys hanging nearby in a place that would be very difficult to reach. Plus we put the chain on.

OUr new house has a crazy small sideways letterbox that even the postman struggles to get letters through, so hopefully that helps too.

I can't believe that he is willing to put you at risk just because he can't be bothered to take a key.

[unlucky83]

I was going to say lock your door ...
because I'm sure some high profile serial rapist/murderer said one of his victims was stupid - he walked in through the unlocked back door in the daytime (and I think there was a child involved too?)
Just done a google to remind myself which case and I can't find it - but can find dozens and dozens of similar stories...
Making me think twice now about leaving them open even during the day....

Fire - I have a spare set of keys for both doors on a hook above the lock - I can't forget to have a set there (we use both doors to get in/out) so we can get out of either door
(I also have a landline corded phone in bedroom - in a fire the electrics will be one of the first things to fail - and cordless handsets will not work -and I might forget to take my mobile up...)
The keys can't be seen from outside so burglars wouldn't know they were there - my dad said it was silly because if a burglar got in they can get the stuff out easily if they can open the door - but that worries me far less than being trapped in a fire.

All double glazed doors need locking (some have internal knobs) ...older style doors with yale locks don't - but yale locks should be backed up a with a chubb style five lever lock too - a question they will ask on your house insurance!

[BeautifulBlondePineapple]

Thanks everyone for the replies.

DH came home just after I posted so we had a bit of a chat about it. He thinks I'm turning into my parents (they are fairly obsessed with locking cars and houses) but he has agreed that if I don't feel safe then all the doors should be locked. I'm going to buy one of those key safes - never seen them before, but it would be handy for locking out emergencies as well!

We've just moved into a new house and haven't fitted any Yale locks yet, so it's manual locks at the moment. I'm just not used to it!

[PicnicPie]

I always lock door at night with key and set alarm. If DH is out then I lock door with key and leave lights on downstairs. Would never ever leave door unlocked.

My mums house got burgled a few years back. The front door was closed (but not locked with key). The burglars were able to use crowbar to open front door. Take car keys and stole car. They also walked around the house and took other money and valuables. Since that day I have and always will keep the door locked and I always take house and car keys upstairs with me. Never leave them by your front door.

[diplodocus]

If you're worried about fire (and it is a valid concern) get a lock with an internal thumblock so you don't need a key to unlock from inside.

[BeautifulBlondePineapple]

Oh and he grew up in the back of beyond where there was zero crime so he just doesn't think it'll happen. Also if a burglary did happen he doesn't think he would be that bothered because it's only "stuff". Don't think he's even considered the rapist/murderer scenario.

[Itsaboatjack]

We live a above commercial premises so have to comply with strict fire regs, one of which is that we have to be able to escape the building without a key. On our fire escape on the roof we have a push bar but on our door at street level we have a thumb turn lock, better than a Yale lock for security, it's a kind of chub lock in that it turns fully so you need a key from the outside but can just turn it with a little knob from the inside. Yale locks are pretty rubbish imo because if you want to deadlock it when you go to bed then if anyone is out they then have to wake you to get in.

[mycatlikestwiglets]

Just to add that it will depend on your individual home insurance policy whether you would be able to claim if you are burgled as a result of doors being left unlocked. It is more and more common for insurers to make it a policy condition that all accessible doors and windows are locked at night. If they aren't, you have no cover.

[Thisismyfirsttime]

I am also shocked at the lack of concern for fire safety! The thought of fumbling for keys when disorientated and choking on smoke and possibly having only seconds to get out sends shivers down my spine. I have also always lived in a house with a Yale or Multi-Lock and had a chain or similar bolt on at night but if i didnt i would leave a key in every possible exit door! I suppose we all just have different things that scare us.

[Snoopingforsoup]

YANBU.
Years ago I awoke to a strange man pushing my bedroom door, had it not stuck, I would not have woken up.
I was untouched but I was horrified. The front door was unlocked on behalf of my housemate who couldn't be arsed to take keys.

In recent years, our front door latch was broken one night while we all slept. They actually saw the alarm pad and didn't get any further than the entrance hall.

I now deadlock the doors every night and ensure my keys are to hand in case we need to get out in an emergency.

[Snoopingforsoup]

Oh and just to be absolutely clear, my latch was a thumblock!

Clearly easy to get past so if you're going to leave the doors unlocked, get an alarm fitted. Even a dummy box is a deterent.

These days burglars often go no further than the hall because they just want the car keys you've dropped there.

[Jan49]

I amazed that anyone would leave a door unlocked so any stranger could just get in. Even when I'm awake and at home, I only have a door unlocked on hot summer days and if I'm close by. I always feel a little nervous about accessible windows and doors being open.