Is my Mum being a bit OTT

[maplepie]

I'm 21 and like with my parents, so basically earlier today I left the house to go out and took my set of keys with me but didn't lock the door when I left because my Mum was upstairs in the house ironing, my Dad was at work at this time. When I got back home I got a little reminder from my Mum saying that if someone is upstairs and no one is downstairs I should lock the door if I'm leaving the house. From now on I'll take my Mum's advice but was she being a bit OTT or was I being careless in not locking the door.

@AllergictoWerewolves

It depends. Can the door be opened from the outside, without a key, if it isn't locked? If so then yes, you were unreasonable not to lock it knowing your Mum was upstairs and may not hear it open.

This 100%

My door is always locked. Why would it be unlocked??? My home is my safe place with literally all of my possessions

She’s really not being ott.

We live in a lovely area but dh knows to lock me in if he’s going out. I just feel safer knowing nobody can just wander in.

My friend’s car got stolen because the door wasn’t locked. They thought it was safe.
The thief helped himself to the car keys and her handbag and drove off. They never found the car.

Oh and the insurance won’t pay because they left the door unlocked.

The police knocked my Aunt's door one night to return her handbag. She was watching TV and two 14 year old boys had walked into her kitchen and stolen her bag, and she hadn't realised. Your Mum is right!

Just put a Yale lock on so that it's locked automatically but easy for the person inside to open without a key.

I think whoever owns the house and pays for contents insurance should decide how strict they are on door locking.

We didn’t use to leave our outer porch door locked during the day, only the inner door - until someone helped themselves to DH’s coat.

My mum lives a small quiet place. One evening someone walked in and took her car keys. They then stole her car, went joyriding and burnt it out

@LemonRoses

Never lock our doors when we are in. Don’t often if we’re out either. Just depends where you live and how anxious you are about crime.

Wouldn't not locking your doors, even when you're out, invalidate your insurance if you were burgled?

I always keep my door locked, even when I'm in. When I was about 17/18 I was at a friend's (nice, safe area) nipped to the toilet and on my way back heard my friend in the kitchen so headed that way only to stumble across a very large man grabbing her handbag and running off. If I hadn't have just been to the loo I'd have pissed myself! Friend sat in the lounge non the wiser.

Their house their rules

CustardySergeant No, a bit of an urban myth, I think. Our policies do not mention locked doors at all. The subject came up before and I checked.
Clearly if we’re away for a weekend and the place is clearly empty, we lock up. Popping a few miles to the village shop or walking the dog, we don’t tend to. Neighbours come for a coffee and let themselves in if I’m obviously in, but working. They make the coffee. It’s nice.

My mum got her insurance for her car despite access being via an unlocked door.

Definitely not being unreasonable.

Safety 101 in the house, always lock the door.

The vast majority of thefts are through an open door.

Much safer to be in a locked house on your own.

She’s not being u reasonable. We always look the doors downstairs if we’re all upstairs for a good while (we’re in a pretty safe area).