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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
Crumbs1 · 09/02/2017 06:46

I rarely lock doors. Never if I am in - although side doors are locked as we don't use them, front and back door aren't. Too much faff when going out to fetch logs/ use hot tub/ go to bin store etc. I don't often lock when popping out for a short while (walking to post box, going to neighbouring houses, going to shop in next village). We do lock it if we are out more than about an hour.

jultomten · 09/02/2017 06:52

I only lock my door at night or when I go out. But I live very rural. If I lived in a busy city I would be more careful to lock.

When we stay at my ILs I feel like I'm in prison! They have a huge house and every single door/ window/ gate has a SEPRET key.
It drives me nuts when you want to open a window at night or throw a outside nappy in the bin in the morning and you are locked in the house!

Blacksheep78 · 09/02/2017 06:52

Years ago we had deadlocks on all doors, locks and security shutters on all windows, motions activated lights all around the house and cameras front and back. We were robbed 4 times. Last time my XDH caught the thieves as they were leaving, called the police and gave a backpack of our things to be "used as evidence". Our belongings were "never recovered" apparently.

Now, nothing is locked, lit or secured in any way, but I have 3 cattle dogs. Haven't lost a thing (except XDH) in ten years.

StumblyMonkey · 09/02/2017 06:56

We lock ours, mainly because the living room is in an extension at the back and we probably wouldn't hear someone open the door. If they did they'd have our purses and car keys within 30 seconds as we leave them on a table in the hall.

TBH I'm pretty sure nothing would ever happen, it's just a precaution because we wouldn't be insured otherwise and would feel like divs.

Last house had a Yale lock that automatically locked behind you so never had to think about it.

My parents don't lock their doors if they're in during the day.

mathanxiety · 09/02/2017 06:57

I live in a suburb about seven miles from the centre of a huge American city and never lock mine unless I am leaving and there will be nobody else at home.

Even then I leave the key where DD4 can find it as she often leaves without her own key. I frequently leave it unlocked at night too. I also leave my car unlocked.

The cat hisses at people she doesn't know and then runs and hides.

So far so good.

TroysMammy · 09/02/2017 06:57

My doors are always locked all day. I even lock people in. In the summer I only open my patio doors if I am actually in the living room. If I need to go upstairs or to another room I lock the first. My area is not too bad, the local scum bag is in prison at the moment, but why take the chance?

Iamastonished · 09/02/2017 07:07

"have just seen another thread where the op is being told to lock her door, is this normal? In the day?"

Erm, yes, of course it is. We don't all live in this Utopia bubble of no crime. I am lucky enough to live in an area with a low crime rate. Our front door is often unlocked during the day because OH works from home and his office is right next to the front door. When we are all in the house and not expecting any visitors it gets locked. It also gets locked if we are in the garden or I am on my own and upstairs or in the kitchen.

The most popular item to steal round here is car keys.

"I don't often lock when popping out"

Now, that would definitely invalidate your insurance policy. I would never go out and leave the house unlocked. Our insurance policy states that we have to have 5 lever mortice locks.

I can't believe that people don't know about doors that don't have Yale style locks. Isn't it easy to lock yourself out this way?

ShoeEatingMonster · 09/02/2017 07:09

*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.*

You're saying if someone in the house, during the day and the door isn't locked the the insurance is invalid? At night or if the house is unoccupied but surely not in the day?

supercue · 09/02/2017 07:09

Last time there was a thread about locks it became clear that self locking front doors are more common in the south, most of us southerners didn't know there was any other sort. The more north you go the more likely you are to have an open front door with a key lock.

SharkBastard · 09/02/2017 07:13

We lock our door at night, or when we leave for the day. I don't lock it when at home or if nipping to the village shop as we live in a tiny village which has had about 5 thefts in the last year.

Prior to moving here, we lived in a tower block flat in a city centre and locked the door all day every day in or out.

Suppose it just depends on area and your comfort levels

Iamastonished · 09/02/2017 07:15

"I don't lock it when at home or if nipping to the village shop as we live in a tiny village which has had about 5 thefts in the last year."

One of them might be you next time. Your insurance would be invalid if you got burgled while you were out and the door was unlocked. Insurance companies always send loss adjusters out to check for forced entry when there is a claim.

Crumbs1 · 09/02/2017 07:25

No thefts/burglary/child abduction/arson/criminal damage here in past 9 years at least. Not sure there was any before that. Sad that fear takes over lives - although understand more urban areas might warrant greater consideration of risk. I guess we also know there are several more vulnerable houses that belong to 'weekenders' so empty most of time and easy to spot as no smoke from chimneys, no cars on driveways and cctv.

MrsPnut · 09/02/2017 07:27

Our insurance policy states that we must secure the doors and downstairs windows if the house is unoccupied and not leave the keys visible from the outside of the property.

We lock the doors at night and when we leave but if we are in the house then the front door is unlocked - but we live rurally and there was one theft from a shed in our village last year.

Natsku · 09/02/2017 07:28

I never used to lock my doors (well our doors automatically lock but I always flipped the little switch on the side of the door so it wouldn't lock) because where I live is very safe and it made it easier for DD to come in and go out to play (and her little friends too) but I've started locking the door lately purely because I have a, possibly irrational, fear that my ex is going to turn up and try to kidnap DD.

If it wasn't for him my doors would be unlocked all day and probably all night too. Half the time my doors were unlocked when no one was even home. Its the same with my FIL, his front door is always unlocked whatever the time and whether anyone is there or not (we all just walk straight in to his house, no one bothers knocking!)

FaintlyBaffled · 09/02/2017 07:32

I don't lock the front door during the day
If anyone walked in they would send the dogs bonkers and would (I imagine) be unlikely to try the inner door.
It's also easy for the postman to pop parcels in my porch if I'm in bed, which saves me the arduous and soul sapping trek to the sorting office to retrieve them Smile

SpackenDeDoich · 09/02/2017 07:34

When I lived in Canning Town my door was always on the latch. As we're my neighbours. We were a true community.
I miss those times.
I live somewhere else now and only ever leave my door unlocked if I take my dog for a walk when someone else is at home.
Even then I tell them the door is on the latch.

Fucking hell. I've depressed myself thinking about it Sad

AgentProvocateur · 09/02/2017 07:38

I never lick my door when I'm in the house. I'd feel I was trapped.

Soubriquet · 09/02/2017 07:38

I'm like this

In the day the door is unlocked

At night, it's locked

I don't know anyone apart from my nan, who locks their doors during the day time

museumum · 09/02/2017 07:45

I don't lock myself in except at night.

And I can assure you my insurance definitely IS valid if I'm home and have windows open or the door unlocked.

AgentProvocateur · 09/02/2017 07:51

I never lock my door either! Blush

Kittymum03 · 09/02/2017 07:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
FutureMrsRanj · 09/02/2017 07:58

Agent I definitely don't lick my door. I'd be surprised if my insurance is invalid through not having my door locked when I am inside during the day, and no my door doesn't automatically lock, because then I would be making a conscious effort to leave it unlocked. Maybe I will try and get in the habit, especially after delightfully being called an idiot for asking the question. I don't think I'm immune from burglaries, it's just not something I have previously given much thought to x

OP posts:
UghUgh · 09/02/2017 08:04

Now I'm even more curious about NarkyMcDinkyChops home insurance and her 'unusual' set up. I genuinely would have liked to know which insurance companies would permit me to leave my doors unlocked during the day as a matter of course. 🤔

Anyway, perhaps it's a good idea for everyone to double check what their insurance says about locking your doors when you are home. Policies and fine print change all the time so whatever you originally signed up for may now be different.

There is no point paying for insurance if it isn't going to cover you when you need it.

If you live in the type of house where a burglar has no chance of robbing you even if your doors are unlocked (e.g. If you have a ginormous dog) then obviously it doesn't matter what your insurance says IYSWIM

Kittymum03 · 09/02/2017 08:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

harderandharder2breathe · 09/02/2017 08:12

I've lived in several places including suburbs, city centre and small town. I've never known anyone who doesn't lock their door.

Why wouldn't you?

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