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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:
llangennith · 20/04/2019 20:41

Hen10 same here😊

whiskeysourpuss · 20/04/2019 20:41

We have a lock on the door but as it's only me & DD it's rare that we even close the door when the bathroom is in use let alone lock it

Stayawayfromitsmouth · 20/04/2019 20:47

Never had one before kids because we generally knew who was in there. Downstairs loo had a lock for guests, but we never bothered using it
I have bathroom locks on the doors now with the screwdriver emergency access thing, because dc follow me everywhere demanding things that they can easily do themselves.

BuzzPeakWankBobbly · 20/04/2019 20:48

if you do want locks, why not just have the ones which you can open with a coin from outside? All this talk of crowbarring seems excessive - it's only for "courtesy" privacy than an actual security need, surely?

StoneofDestiny · 20/04/2019 20:51

Detest toilets without locks. We have locks that can be opened from the outside in an emergency, but at least people can have privacy when needed.

LipstickTaserrr · 20/04/2019 20:52

We don't because our door doesn't even close properly!

We are all used to it and with young children it's best for them not to lock themselves in.

The bathroom is so small the only floor space is where the door swings open so it feels a bit claustrophobic with the door closed anyway.

StationView · 20/04/2019 20:52

hen10 that's more civilised than my mother, who would simply very loudly announce, "I'm on the toilet" whenever she heard footsteps Confused

Roomba · 20/04/2019 21:01

There was no lock on the door when I moved in. I had small children who would absolutely 100% think locking themselves in was a hilarious game then panic when they couldn't get out, so never bothered. Anyway, everyone knows that if the door is shut, there's someone in there and you knock and check before barging in. Since my kids were over the age of 3 or 4, no one has barged in on anyone else to my knowledge. One day I'll get round to putting a lock on but not my top diy priority.

notso · 20/04/2019 21:04

It's never occurred to me to have locks on the bathrooms.
If the doors shut then we knock but not living in a huge mansion it's usually pretty obvious to know if someone is in the bathroom and wait.
Come to think of it I never lock the doors of bathrooms when I visit people's houses either.

Minai · 20/04/2019 21:04

We don’t have one as the door didn’t have one when we moved in and didn’t bother getting one installed. If the door is shut then someone is in there. That being said my nearly 2 year old can now reach the handle so often walks in on people Grin

Locks on bathroom doors make me uneasy now. When I lived in a flat we had a bathroom with no windows and the lock broke when I was in there and was trapped. Dh was away for a few days on a work trip. Thankfully I had my handbag with me as I’d gone in straight from coming in from work as was bursting and locked it out of force of habit, so had my phone to call the landlord to send someone round to break into the front door and then the bathroom door. Would have been trapped in there for 2 days if not!

Liverpool52 · 20/04/2019 21:05

They weren't on when we moved in and are too lazy to put them on.

HavelockVetinari · 20/04/2019 21:07

Young kids.

Autumnchill · 20/04/2019 21:07

Only us two in the house so if we have guests we kinda know they're in the toilet so don't go in

brizzlemint · 20/04/2019 21:08

If the door is closed somebody is in there. There is a lock on the door but I can't remember the last time anybody used it except me when DS1&2 have been at the baked beans again

MulticolourMophead · 20/04/2019 21:08

We don't use locks. We just generally accept that door open = bathroom free, door closed = bathroom in use.

Locks with a small child around could lead to disaster, but we once had a bathroom door handle that could be locked on the inside and opened up by lifting the handle upwards if you needed to from the outside (so why have a lock anyway?). I hated this lock. I'd lock the door to have a peaceful bath, but my ex would simply unlock the door anytime he wanted to come in, even once coming in to have a shit while I'm in the bath. Not very endearing, but at least I now have a bath where my privacy is respected.

Needajob1 · 20/04/2019 21:12

I took mine off when my daughter who was 4 at the time locked herself in after I'd run myself a full bath. It was a stiff lock so took a few minutes for her to unlock it. It scared me soon never put it back even though she's 11 now.

user1474894224 · 20/04/2019 21:14

We took the lock of when ds, about 2 at the time, and his friend locked them in and switched the taps on full. Years later someone asked why we hadn't repositioned the lock up high out of reach of kids... It just didn't occur to us. We are in a new house now with locks - still don't use them.

Justanothernamechange2 · 20/04/2019 21:18

We dont even shut our bathroom door unless we have visitors....

StoneofDestiny · 20/04/2019 21:19

Surely a lock at adult hight would solve the problem and not necessitate leaving a vacant toilet door open all the time?

redexpat · 20/04/2019 21:21

Dont trust dd not to lock herself in.

Bluelonerose · 20/04/2019 21:22

I have a lock but bizzarly it only seems to lock when noones in there.
I only use the lock if dc have got friends round.

PaintBySticker · 20/04/2019 21:23

So our 3 year old can’t lock himself in. We knock if the door is closed.

stucknoue · 20/04/2019 21:24

Don't see the need, if the door is open, no ones in there

Fstar · 20/04/2019 21:27

Two adults and a dog, bathroom door is never locked, the dog comes in and stands in front of you so he gets has hips rubbed (arthritis). I do feel a bit weird when we have guests and wish i had a lock then

Mistlewoeandwhine · 20/04/2019 21:30

Son with epilepsy