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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To no the lock my door?

284 replies

FutureMrsRanj · 08/02/2017 23:34

Imagine this has been done to death but have just seen another thread where the op is being to,d to lock her door, is this normal? In the day? I don't think I know any door lockers but maybe I should start in case of burglars, I did wonder when reading a thread this evening as DC were asleep upstairs and I don't think I would hear from sitting room if someone quietly wandered in through front door, ddog would either greet them enthusiastically or carry on snoring

OP posts:

SherlockPotter · 09/02/2017 00:33

I lock my doors in the daytime... only because 1) there's been a spate of daytime burglaries and 2) there's been a break in on my street where the occupiers were in the house at the time.

JHMJHM · 09/02/2017 00:40

I guess it comes down to basic human experience- our house was broken into when I was a kid more than once, I also woke up to someone in my room through a downstairs window as a student. More recently, we have a car stolen at knifepoint through an open front door and in the last year a burgalry when we were in bed with two kids!

Admittedly these are experiences over 20 years but I never ever would risk it again! Its too traumatic and its not worth it.

Italiangreyhound · 09/02/2017 00:42

FutureMrsRanj oour front door is a Chubb lock so when the door is shut the door is locked. All day and night. The back door has a lock and is locked usually all day and night, except in the summer when the back door might be unlocked or open if we are in or out.

We had a police assessment when we moved in. They recommended a burglar alarm (we got one) and not having open access round the back from the front (we have a gate which is locked).

I used to live in London and know several people who were burgled. I can't see any benefit to not locking doors.

Italiangreyhound · 09/02/2017 00:43

in or out of the door, going in back garden I mean, not going out of the house and garden altogether!

The Police assessment used to be Crime prevention, it is now called, Crime Reduction.

BadLad · 09/02/2017 00:45

I can't see any benefit to not locking doors.

Indeed. It takes about a second to lock the door. Compare that to the hassle of sorting out the aftermath of a burglary.

Italiangreyhound · 09/02/2017 00:46

JHMJHM I am so sorry to hear your experiences. I used to feel quite nervous at night but now with a burglar alarm I feel very safe. We don't bother to set it during the day, but just at night. This is partly because we have a pet who has free roam of the house in day but not at night. I can honestly recommend a burglar alarm, it is great.

Italiangreyhound · 09/02/2017 00:47

The only caveat would be that exit in a fire must be safe and quick. For this reason we stopped locking upstairs windows from the inside so that they could be exits in a fire.

JHMJHM · 09/02/2017 00:49

I don't think I know any un-door lockers, OP!

I could not got to bed without knowing my home, pets, kids, stuff, - general nightime lockdown was secure.

I live in a surburb and I would feel even stronger about it if I Iived in a city centre or rural area- which to me seems less secure?

TooSmittle · 09/02/2017 00:50

My access is down a very small lane off a main road, completely hidden from all view and perfect for someone with nefarious intent to wander round. I've also got a 3 year old who can open doors herself so ours stays locked without fail all the time. I never did before we moved here so I've had to train myself to do it religiously. It's second nature now, so much so poor DP has been locked out many times when he's nipped across the road to the shop.

I grew up with the door unlocked during the day so it seemed normal to only lock it at night or as I went out. Now it seems crazy to leave it open.

DJBaggySmalls · 09/02/2017 00:58

If you dont lock your door it invalidates your contents insurance.

VestalVirgin · 09/02/2017 00:59

I don't understand this - do you have doors that need to be manually locked with a key to prevent someone outside opening it? I don't think I've ever seen a front door that didn't automatically lock on closing.

That puzzled me, too.

I live in a nice area, burglaries still happen as it is perfectly possible for not-nice people to walk in.

NarkyMcDinkyChops · 09/02/2017 00:59

If you dont lock your door it invalidates your contents insurance

It doesn't.

UghUgh · 09/02/2017 01:05

If you dont lock your door it invalidates your contents insurance

It doesn't.

It definitely does. Try googling if you don't believe me. 🔑🗝🔑🗝🔑

avamiah · 09/02/2017 01:08

I lock my car , so of course I lock my gate and front door when I go to bed or go out.
Who goes to bed and doesn't lock up doors and windows ??

NarkyMcDinkyChops · 09/02/2017 01:12

I don't need to google, I' can read my insurance policy, and have done so. Theft is covered even without signs of forcible entry, it covers larceny as well as burglary/breaking and entry.

UghUgh · 09/02/2017 01:16

If your insurance covers you even if your doors are unlocked you have a very unusual policy indeed. I have no reason to doubt you but it's far from typical. If you googled you would see that doors have to be locked for home insurance to be valid.

Topseyt · 09/02/2017 01:18

My doors are locked day and night, whether we are in or out.

Why wouldn't you? It really is dead simple for a burglar to sneak in through an unlocked door and simply lift valuables, including keys to your car, which they could then just drive off in.

Very silly indeed not to lock the doors behind you.

bummymummy77 · 09/02/2017 01:20

If I locked my door my family, friends and neighbours would be furious that they didn't have access to my spice rack. And if they locked theirs I'd be annoyed if I couldn't borrow milk, grab an emergency toilet roll or bottle of wine.

Other houses near us who don't lock their doors are billionaires with art and wine worth millions so it'd seem petty to lock ours when we have shit all to steal!

Topseyt · 09/02/2017 01:21

Narky, it will usually be covered providing you have taken reasonable precautions, I thought.

Reasonable precautions would surely mean locking the door?

SingingInTheRainstorm · 09/02/2017 01:22

I would lock the door for your safety as an intruder could sneak in. When we got broke into I had just nipped to the shops 5 mins away, without thinking a door was unlocked, they quickly took what they wanted, anything of value. We didn't notice at first as they'd been pretty selective. It was only when the video camera, normal camera, a few DVD's & CD's etc had gone, we realised what had happened.

We were naive as we lived in a nice neighbourhood, we thought (10+ years ago) security wasn't a big thing. It turned out a lad in the village had a drug problem, his parents refused to fund it, so he'd opportunistly enter properties.

There was nothing really to suggest no one was in as we only had 1 car. I worked mixed hours so I could have returned to them in the property, but part of me thinks they knew what they were looking for so they were in & out.

I know it sounds alarmist, but it's a 2 second job, some people leave handbags & car keys in the entrance hall, so it's easy pickings.

AwaywiththePixies27 · 09/02/2017 01:23

Yes I lock mine out of habit the minute I walk through the door and I rarely answer it unless expecting visitors.

I live in an absolute shithole a rough estate though where people would steal the clothes off your back if you stood still long enough.
My neighbour was once talking the rubbish out to come face to face with someone at her kitchen window casing the joint out. A house a couple of blocks up had to install cctv because they've already had three vehicles be taken.

Any expensive stuff I own (hardly any 😂) is hidden before we leave the house.

My Mum got burgled several times within a short period of time. The Police told her the offender had been watching her coming and going (she did a lot of work with her old church and you could have set your watch by her comings and goings). I found that just as frightening as being burgled. She never slept in her own bedroom for 3/4 years afterwards she was that terrified.

AwaywiththePixies27 · 09/02/2017 01:26

talking the rubbish out. taking I meant taking

UghUgh · 09/02/2017 01:27

Topsyet. I was just going to say the same. Even if Narkys insurance documents don't specify that doors must be locked I also wondered if the policy states that she should take 'reasonable precautions'.

It would seem very surprising for a policy to cover you whilst allowing doors to be left unlocked.

I know you can sometimes negotiate special clauses. My insurer agreed (in writing in my policy documents) that I don't have to set the alarm unless we are out the house for more than 24 hours.

KingMortificadosMistress · 09/02/2017 01:32

well I think if narky is burgled via an unlocked door she'd soon be appropriately named when it came to dealing with the insurance company.

NarkyMcDinkyChops · 09/02/2017 01:36

The policy says that reasonable precautions constitute such things as having all doors locked when the property is unoccupied .
Not when the property IS occupied!

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