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Original poster

Why don't people have locks on their bathroom doors?

156 replies

Frazzels · 20/04/2019 20:29

I've never understood this but a lot of people I know don't have locks on their bathroom doors, probably more don't than do. I've always had a lock on mine, it's much easier than knocking if the door is closed or worrying someone will forget to knock and walk in

OP posts:
LarryGreysonsDoor · 20/04/2019 20:30

I do but I never lock it unless there are random people in the house.

If the door is shut then the bathroom is being used.

MsMightyTitanAndHerTroubadours · 20/04/2019 20:31

if the door is shut we assume there is someone in there! |Easy!

balloonyellow · 20/04/2019 20:31

I don’t have one on mine and it makes me so uneasy! Private rent so can’t install one. Baffles me as to why my LL didn’t. Although, there is carpet in the bathroom so I’m not surprisedGrin

hen10 · 20/04/2019 20:32

We decorated when the children were little so never put them on. They are now all pretty much adult and we simply screech 'I'm in 'ere' if you hear someone come upstairs. My three thought this was normal until they started going to more civilised friends houses.

Aragog · 20/04/2019 20:32

We do have locks, but I only lock the door if there are visitors in the house. I don't think I have ever locked the ensuite bathroom door.

StillRunningWithScissors · 20/04/2019 20:32

My only guess is worrying that young children might lock themselves in, and then not bothering to add them later.

I agree, hate houses that don't have them.

We had new doors hung a while ago, I bought locks that can be opened from the outside with a coin in case someone gets locked in. Not had to use them though.

TheFaerieQueene · 20/04/2019 20:32

My en-suite is a glass door so no lock - but only DH and I use it. All the other bathrooms/loos have a lock.

Passthecherrycoke · 20/04/2019 20:33

We don’t because of the children

aLilNonnyMouse · 20/04/2019 20:34

Door is always open unless someone is inside so we've never had an issue with someone just walking in as it's obvious if it's in use or not.

The cats litter tray is in there so it's left open for access.

We also don't find it the end of the world to see each other on the loo.

StillRunningWithScissors · 20/04/2019 20:34

Not had to use the outside opening feature, we use the locks.

I know a few people that don't have locks, keep the door to the loo closed even when not in use. That is very baffling to me

Babyroobs · 20/04/2019 20:34

When I lived at home we didn't because my brother suffered with epilepsy. He would get some warning and shout out if he was about to have a seizure.

shaggedthruahedgebackwards · 20/04/2019 20:34

We just don't

There were not locks on the bathroom doors when we bought the house and it's never occurred to me to put locks on tbh

No embarrassing incidents in 15 years that I can recall

femfemlicious · 20/04/2019 20:34

**hen10

You are my spirit animal Grin

madcatladyforever · 20/04/2019 20:35

Just never got round to it. Should do really.

EdWinchester · 20/04/2019 20:35

We have one on the downstairs loo (I think).

None on upstairs bathrooms. We don't care much about privacy.

Chocolatecoffeeaddict · 20/04/2019 20:35

I don't but I've never really thought about it. It's only me, my husband and our kids that live here so it's not the end of the world if anyone accidentally walks in on someone. I teach the kids not to open the door if it's closed and someone's in there.

Fiveredbricks · 20/04/2019 20:35

If door is shut someone is in the bathroom. Not difficult to grasp, op?

PorpentinaScamander · 20/04/2019 20:35

Theres only 3 of us here so we know if someone has gone to the toilet anyway. We don't even close the door most of the time Blush

TheCatDidSay · 20/04/2019 20:37

Our house did not have any when we moved in and frankly haven’t seen the point in installing any. The downstairs bathroom is in such a way you couldn’t get to it without being seen and the upstairs is not a guest use bathroom.

TheBigFatMermaid · 20/04/2019 20:37

I have one, I rarely use it. 4 people live here and we usually know where the other people are. Even to the point of if the bathroom door is shut at night, we know someone is there, if it is open, we know it is empty.

icannotremember · 20/04/2019 20:38

We didn't for years after our middle son locked himself in twice. Now we have one but it's rarely used as we have one bathroom and 5 people and any time you get into a bath or shower someone is hollering for the loo!

Trustingmygut · 20/04/2019 20:38

Never put them on after my son was about 3 and locked himself in the bathroom, had to crowbar the door open and replace the door. Never put one back on, he is 20 now!

Bathroom door is open unless someone is in there. Never had someone burst in on me!

DisplayPurposesOnly · 20/04/2019 20:39

We go by the "door shut" method at my parents'. Even when we're all there (eg Christmas), it's not a problem. If in doubt, knock.

Slightly more difficult at home, where I always forget the door doesn't even catch properly, let alone lock... Grin

Talkingfrog · 20/04/2019 20:39

We did have a lock in the door handle but it broke, and I got locked in the bathroom.
Between me, my dad and my husband we managed to get the handles off and the parts out so that the door could be opened. (luckily there is a small gap underneath the door. I asked for a nail file to be put under do I could undo the screws my side).

The handles are back on, but we just haven't got around to sorting out the mechanism inside. Also don't want our 7 year old to lock herself in.
Luckily I was only locked in for about an hour. At first dd put Mr men books under the door and I was reading to her through the door to pass the time.

bourbonbiccy · 20/04/2019 20:40

If the door is closed its occupied.

We simply do not need a lock on the door, I think if people are more comfortable with having one then that's best for them, but I don't get why you would need one.

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