Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

801 replies

patienceandprudence · 20/10/2021 19:48

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.

OP posts:
NotMyCat · 21/10/2021 00:03

The one time actually I didn't lock it, was the morning I woke up and my back had gone. I was so so thankful it was open as nobody else has a key! The GP got buzzed in by a neighbour and let themselves in my door to load me with drugs. I had tried for an hour to get out of bed whilst on the phone to my dad who was fed up of the screaming and rang the GP who came out with diazepam

grapewine · 21/10/2021 00:04

Yes. The main door locks automatically, and then I lock my flat door when I get in, and obviously when I leave.

PigletJohn · 21/10/2021 00:07

my door has a self-locking latch

you can't open it from outside without a kewy

When occupied, you can open from inside with the handle

when unoccupied, it can be deadlocked with a turn of the key to prevent, for example, a child who has been pushed in through a window, opening the door to let the rest of the gang in, and enabling them to walk out through the door with their loot.

There are people who try door handles to see if they are unlocked. A handbag on the hall table, a jacket slung over the stairs with a wallet in the pocket, car keys put down just inside the door, can be gone in seconds.

Amrythings · 21/10/2021 00:07

Yes, locked and keys stashed away, never mind being burgled, the toddler would be away up to the ice cream shop given half the chance, so we are like Fort Knox.

Birdkin · 21/10/2021 00:12

@Namechangedforthethousandthtim

I don't have much worth robbing but I do watch a lot of crime TV!
Yes do other people not worry about murderers? I wouldn’t even sleep with windows open for awhile after reading about a serial killer (The night stalker possibly?) who gave up on a victim as her windows were locked and went and found someone who hadn’t!
Ozanj · 21/10/2021 00:21

Leaving it unlocked invalidates your home and car insurances in case of theft

FSPea · 21/10/2021 00:33

@frazzledasarock

No I don’t. But my front door cannot be opened from the outside without a key.
So yes then, basically... Hmm
caringcarer · 21/10/2021 00:44

Front door locked day and night as we all have keys. Back door into garden open during summer during day. Only accessible through house or through 8 foot gate kept locked.

silentpool · 21/10/2021 01:26

I always keep doors locked. I did grow up in a high crime country. Windows etc are closed when going out/before bed (except in the bedroom I am in - but it's not wide open).

Brandy1444 · 21/10/2021 01:59

Always locked. My house was burgled in the day time once whilst I was home (totally unaware) they came in through an unlocked front door, just walked right in and took my bag from the hallway table. It terrifies me even thinking what could have happened. Now I have a door that locks automatically.

dayslikethese1 · 21/10/2021 02:01

I don't understand why anyone would just leave their doors unlocked? Anyone could just waltz in.

frazzledasarock · 21/10/2021 02:07

@FSPea no it locks separately. I’ve never come across a front door that opens from the outside by just using the door handle.
By using the handle on the inside the door opens but not the outside. Unless it’s locked.

TravelDreamLife · 21/10/2021 02:19

Crime of choice in our area are thieves who walk in your front door or take fly screens off & come in through your window, when you're home, steal your purse, keys & take your car & whatever else they can flog. So, yes, my doors are always locked. I have lockable security flyscreen type doors on all external doors (common for airflow in AUS where I am) & now have non removable security screens on windows as well. Makes my house very unattractive to thieves. I'd rather not have my home violated & stuff stolen.

If you leave your house unsecured, not being burgled yet is pure luck. Give it time....

mathanxiety · 21/10/2021 02:55

I don't understand why anyone would just leave their doors unlocked? Anyone could just waltz in.

But they would have to try every door on the street to find the one that's unlocked.

How likely is this to happen?

mathanxiety · 21/10/2021 02:57

The one time I did get burgled, the doors were locked and the windows shut. The burglar broke a window.

laudete · 21/10/2021 03:04

Yes; doors are always locked. Tbh, gates are usually locked too.

PyongyangKipperbang · 21/10/2021 03:06

@mathanxiety

I don't understand why anyone would just leave their doors unlocked? Anyone could just waltz in.

But they would have to try every door on the street to find the one that's unlocked.

How likely is this to happen?

More often than you would think, especially in areas with rows of houses that front straight onto the pavement.

Easy for an opportunist to walk down the street, trying each door as they go past and being ready to run if anyone confronts them.

See the posts above where PP's have had someone try to walk into their home, get chased out and then actually do get in to the house/flat next door.

Flowerpowwer6 · 21/10/2021 03:14

It's a silly thing to do OP. I would woke to my bf shouting me (finished my nights shifts) so it took me a few minutes to get up. It was like something out of a horror movie. The front door handle was moving up & down and the man was very persistent he wanted to come in our house! I could see he had a canula in his hand so I assume he was unwell/intoxicated or both.

Honestly I've forgot to lock my door before but I'm grateful that night I didn't. I had to call the police.

Flowerpowwer6 · 21/10/2021 03:17

@mathanxiety

I don't understand why anyone would just leave their doors unlocked? Anyone could just waltz in.

But they would have to try every door on the street to find the one that's unlocked.

How likely is this to happen?

It happens! This is not Dubai. I think it's unfair on your neighbours. Why tempt fate and leave your door unlocked? It's not just burglars there's a lot of mentally well people about.. ffs just lock your doors.
ThirdElephant · 21/10/2021 03:25

@mathanxiety

I don't understand why anyone would just leave their doors unlocked? Anyone could just waltz in.

But they would have to try every door on the street to find the one that's unlocked.

How likely is this to happen?

Pretty likely, actually. Half of all burglaries are opportunistic rather than pre-planned, and 64% occur while residents are on the premises.

www.google.com/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/money/theft-home-unlocked-secure-occupied-holiday-tech-valuables-insurance-b1368712.html%3famp

mathanxiety · 21/10/2021 03:29

I think there's a climate of unwarranted fear.

Burglars everywhere just waiting for a chance to pounce, and people who are mentally unwell roaming the streets?

Flowerpowwer6 · 21/10/2021 03:34

@mathanxiety

I think there's a climate of unwarranted fear.

Burglars everywhere just waiting for a chance to pounce, and people who are mentally unwell roaming the streets?

Have you never watched crime watch? People who burgal its how they make their living. I wouldn't want you as my neighbour holding such a dim and relaxed view.

Perhaps it's never happened to you yet... you sound like you need a rude awakening!

ThirdElephant · 21/10/2021 03:34

@mathanxiety

I think there's a climate of unwarranted fear.

Burglars everywhere just waiting for a chance to pounce, and people who are mentally unwell roaming the streets?

Statistics. 64% occur when people are at home. It's easily done- open a door, grab a handbag, leg it down the road. Or grab items through an open window. Makes sense when you think about it- try 100 doors, even if only 5 are unlocked you've still done fairly well, without any need for smashing windows. And, from the looks of this thread, far more than 5 would be unlocked. What part of it seems so unlikely to you?

Locking your door is a simple protection against a common crime.

Flowerpowwer6 · 21/10/2021 03:37

People even pick pocket never mind and that's without even noticing... it happened to my mother she left her flat and swore she went straight to the post office and the money had GONE! ... @mathanxiety is having a laugh.

SirenSays · 21/10/2021 03:49

I have to keep my front door locked, my dog can open it otherwise!

I don't think it's hysteria to be careful though. Two men have tried to get into my home and another one succeeded while we were asleep upstairs.

In my parents very nice village there have been loads of burglaries recently. First they came for farming equipment and now they're after everything. Police warned that they think they know who the culprits are, they just need to be able to prove it, but that they're very dangerous men so not to confront them.

Swipe left for the next trending thread