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.

@NeedAHoliday2021

We lived next door to a retired chief inspector who helpfully showed us how easy it is to break into a locked house and said that if someone was minded to get in they will do it’s much of a muchness and getting out in a fire was more important.

So it's really easy for someone to get in without a key, but incredibly difficult for me to get out with a key? Right, okay then.

I don't doubt that someone will be coming through a door, locked or not, if they really want to. I've watched thieves in Manchester use fire extinguishers as battering rams. However, that did give potential victims a bit of time to call someone for help. And the locked door did make it much more difficult for opportunistic thieves to get in and out quickly.

As for a fire, I don't leave my keys in the lock because there are glass panels in my doors right near the lock. However, I do leave the keys in the same place, near the door but not somewhere they can be seen and hooked through it. I also have working smoke alarms to give me more warning to get out.

It depends. If I'm in by myself and not expecting anyone for a few hours, I'll lock up. If dh and I are both in we wont.
If I'm expecting people, I wont

I think it’s really stupid to leave the door unlocked. It takes seconds for someone to open the door and pick up a bag , a laptop, wallet, keys etc. Yes it’s true that if a burglar really wanted in they could kick the door down but it’s much more likely they will just try their luck. Also if it is a quick snatch and grab they won’t necessarily take something of monetary value but might grab a bag that has (for example) important coursework in it. Which can end up being more upsetting.

We got robbed when we accidentally left the door unlocked and we’re just in a different room. They just opened the door, picked up a laptop and quietly walked out again. A friend had a mentally ill person open her door and sit on her sofa and refuse to leave. Another friend same scenario and lost their phone which was just on a table in living room. They heard the door but by the time they’d clocked the sound the person had walked into living room, snatched phone and walked out again.

Where I live doors aren't locked even when you aren't in, windows left open for cats, car keys left in the ignition...... it is rural though.

Police advice always used to be to never leave a key in the lock as burglars can easily get it from the other side via standard letter boxes. No I don’t have a ring doorbell and don’t need that in my life. I think circumstances will influence how people behave so where you live is a big thing, the kind of home you have and where you are when home. Dh works from home and looks out the front of them house with his desk facing the window so I guess he’s like a human ring doorbell unless he’s on the loo. But you also can’t walk by our house unless you’re coming to our house and it would be really hard to try to do a quick getaway. On the balance of probabilities, a burglar happening to try my door while I’m in the shower vs the need to escape in a fire - fire would be more likely and more devastating.

I was near black out drunk as a teen and my friend lost her keys in the taxi. It was absolutely pouring rain so when we couldn't get into her house I decided it would be a good idea to just try the neighbours house. The door was unlocked so I just wandered inside in my soaking wet formal gown shouting Hellloooo 😂 they were at another neighbours house and heard my yelling. They were not happy 😂

After moving earlier this year to a lovely, quiet, "nothing ever happens here" cul-de-sac and subsequently being broken into and having both our cars stolen, including my obviously adapted motability car we are now fastidious about doors being locked constantly. Can't ever be too careful now.

Always. And if anyone comes to one door you make sure the other is locked first as distraction burglary is very common. I had someone force their way into the house 8 years ago and since then I don't even open the door unless I'm certain who it is let alone leave it unlocked. I prefer people to arrange in advance if they are coming over so I am not as bothered by unexpected callers.

I always lock my door when inside. First place I moved into after I left home was a new build flat next door to the show flat. Left my front door unlocked and several people walked in, having somehow convinced themselves that my flat was part of the show flat.

I lock my door now because DS likes to fiddle with doors and keys and I’m not going to chase a toddler down the street because he’s opened the door and gone for a wander

@montysma1

Where I live doors aren't locked even when you aren't in, windows left open for cats, car keys left in the ignition...... it is rural though.

It's like that round here. If the truck's not on the driveway then you assume a neighbour borrowed it to do their dump run.

Ours is locked every time either in or out !!

Absolutely always lock the door-I’ve been burgled twice (once when I was in the house) and my mum, who lives in a sleepy, ‘safe’ area, came downstairs to find a drunk/drugged fella in her front room one afternoon. Made my parents far more aware of ensuring the house was secure, even when they’re home. (Luckily man scarpered after my shocked mum screamed & called 999 on her phone-but could’ve been very different)

I always leave my doors unlocked, I see no reason not to. The chances of anybidy walking in in broad day light are very slim.

that depends who else is home, what are they doing, where are they within the house, time of day, if we are expecting people to come over or our family members have just popped out etc.

Our youngest is 7 and knows the house rules relevant for him so we don't have a strict "front door must be locked at all times" safe guarding protocol anymore.

MIL commented the other day that we should so nobody will get kidnapped.
🙄
ffs

@Fluff3 and you're prepared to take that risk?! More fool you.

Clearly Fluff3 has survived this far, so she's demonstrably not a fool.

@mathanxiety no, it's just that so far no one with bad intentions has decided to enter her home. So far.

Any opportunist could enter your house , our doors are always locked

I don't think you're being unreasonable as the risks are low. However, I've know a few people across my life where chancers have nicked handbags from inside unlocked houses during the day. So I try and remember to lock the door during the day. But tbh, always forget. We always lock up before we go to bed.

Only since drunk neighbour staggered in one night going "Oooh this isn't my house!"

Our insurance is invalidated if we don’t lock our doors

@solvendie

Our insurance is invalidated if we don’t lock our doors

Are you sure that this is when you're in the house in the day? Where I work (in insurance) the terms and conditions say all doors and windows need to be locked when you're out and overnight. However there is never stipulation to be locked in the day when you're in the house

Damn right I luck the door. I like to lock visitors in too

Lock even... ffs this stupid phone keypad