Do you lock your door when you’re in the house?

[patienceandprudence]

Inspired by another thread (no prizes for guessing which).

I was surprised that people lock their doors sheen inside the house. Granted, we live in a small house, but it’s in a ‘bad’ area. We never lock our door when someone’s in, except at night if someone remembers. I’d say we leave it unlocked while out a good 30% of the time so if the kids come back or someone drops by to visit they don’t have to wait outside.

In my area this is the norm, and most of the time if you knock you’ll just be called in and told to walk right in next time. We tell anyone the same, even the regular delivery-people know that they can open the door and put the parcel in if it’s open.

Yes. UPVC door, and they are ridiculously easy to open if you know how with just the handle pulled up (apparently)
Always locked, and every adult has a key which they take out with them and lock the door again from the outside, even if anyone is left in. Habit!

Who has a door that doesn’t automatically lock when you shut it?

Plenty of people. I've never lived in a home that had that feature and it isn't the norm in my area.

Always lock if me and kids but if husband in just lock at night. Always leave keys in ,been in house where there was fire at night.

Who has a door that doesn’t automatically lock when you shut it? As in if you shut the door whilst standing outside you wouldn’t be able to get in without a key. Surely this is the minimum for home insurance?!!

My doors don't lock when I close them. I have to physically turn a key in both the front and back doors.

@Miliao

Who has a door that doesn’t automatically lock when you shut it? As in if you shut the door whilst standing outside you wouldn’t be able to get in without a key. Surely this is the minimum for home insurance?!!

Lots of people have doors that don't lock automatically. Mine doesn't. I have to actually lock it with a key

My door doesn’t lock its wooden fire door. You can turn knob inside to lock or key on outside. Presume it’s stop you getting accidentally locked out. In block of flats.

@DaisyNGO

I don't know about the other thread

But I am baffled when people say they live in an area they can do this. Where is the magic place?

Probably remote countryside or off shore islands. Almost certainly nowhere within an hours drive of a city.

Like others have said, however nice your area, burglars have cars, so they travel to nice areas, because that's where people have valuable possessions.

Maybe I’m not so concerned because we don’t have much to steal. There are 2 TVs, one older than my adult DD, phones which everyone has with them… they can take my bag but good luck getting any money

But surely you must be aware that thieves might either try and force you to show them where the non existent valuables are or destroy your house when looking for them? Friend was burgled and they opened every single cupboard and drawer and emptied the contents onto the floor and didn't stop until they found her grandmother's jewellry at the back of her underwear drawer.

That especially shook me up because we have no jewellry or other valuables if you don't get into the fortress like garage where our bikes and diving equipment is. In the main house the most expensive things that aren't bolted down and not with us when we go out are likely to be a bottle of gin or bulk buy sack of cat biscuits, assuming no-one wants well worn clothing, 10+ YO kettles, microwaves etc.

I lock it at night and if I go out, otherwise it's left unlocked.

Always locked here. Rural low crime area but could not deal with complacently allowing an opportunist wander in and help themselves to our belongings. I did once pack a load of kids into the car and drove 40 miles away when I got a call from a friend who knew we were away and house was empty telling me she drove by our house and the door was wide open she pulled it closed but couldn’t lock it.
I was on edge all evening when we got back convinced someone was hiding in the wardrobe waiting to ponce on me.

@Miliao

Who has a door that doesn’t automatically lock when you shut it? As in if you shut the door whilst standing outside you wouldn’t be able to get in without a key. Surely this is the minimum for home insurance?!!

Surely you know that not everyone has a Yale lock?

I don't think they're standard on uPVC doors for a start.

We lock ours not just from a safety point of view,
but also from an insurance one.

My front door locks automatically when you close it, you don't need a key to open it from inside. DH is a retired police officer and he'd have a fit if we left the door open. As for leaving the door open when you are out I remember him challenging a friend about that, he said so you come home and let your children go to their rooms without knowing if a burglar/rapist/murderer was up there waiting for them. She did start locking the door.

He has investigated murders/child murders, I think it gives him a certain perspective.

My door doesnt lock automatically. I always walk in and lock the door behind me, dont understand why you wouldnt....

I don't think they're standard on uPVC doors for a start. I don't have a yale lock but my UPVC door has a lock that locks automatically. The fitter said his firm always use them.

Which thread?

Lock ours at night. Will leave open on the school run, and the garage door - much to DH's dismay. In the summer I also left the patio doors open in kitchen & living room.

Yes but because I have a toddler who can open it

No, but you can’t open it from outside without a key anyway. If you could I would lock it.

If I'm upstairs yes
Downstairs no

Yes I always lock it behind me when I'm home, without fail. We love rurally too and in a nice area with low crime. I still lock it. I couldn't relax otherwise.

I always lock the door when I am in for two reasons.

1. My mum once got burgled when she and my brother sitting in the living room watching TV. The door was unlocked and someone managed to walk in and take a drawer containing bank cards and KEYS. Police call it a "slip in."

1. A drunk male neighbour once tried to get into my flat at 3am, scaring the crap out of me. Thank God the door was locked.

*live

I always lock my doors at night and I'd go as far as to say I'm a bit OCD (I might check the handle 30 times before bed at times) but I never lock myself in during the day, although always when I go out. From today having read the thread, I will.

Could someone please link the thread the OP references?

I lock it if I'm at home by myself

Who has a door that doesn’t automatically lock when you shut it?

Me. Front door locks automatically but back door doesn't, and we use the back door far more often. So have to lock manually.

@Miliao

Who has a door that doesn’t automatically lock when you shut it? As in if you shut the door whilst standing outside you wouldn’t be able to get in without a key. Surely this is the minimum for home insurance?!!

None of our external doors lock automatically. They're all multi-point locks which need a key from inside and out to lock them, which is pretty standard in British homes I think.