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Original poster

To lock the front door even when we are in?

314 replies

fitofthegiggles · 27/07/2023 12:12

Not always but often enough that OH comments that I'm a bit obsessive about it and tbh I feel I'm a bit overly cautious.

Context is we live in a pleasant suburb in a peaceful neighbourhood where there is a very low crime rate. However occasionally over the years people have had someone walk in through their unlocked front door in broad daylight - even when they were in - pinch stuff and scarper. It was quite a scary experience especially for one old person who was living alone. As I say this has happened maybe twice in the 12 years we've lived here. My thinking is "better safe than sorry".

So I lock the front door (it's one of those ones where you have to use the key on the inside rather than a "snick lock" but I leave the key in the door for emergencies) if ever we are in the back garden or upstairs or I'm leaving the (now adult) kids at home and they are upstairs.

They and OH sometimes raise their eyes and think I'm being OTT and to be honest I feel that in terms of crime rate statistics in our area it's not really necessary and I don't want to be that person who thinks there's danger lurking everywhere (I don't believe there is) or give that impression of fear to the kids.
But I still do it.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
7
mommacots · 27/07/2023 14:18

"
Well, that goes for fires too, doesn't it? We don't know how many happen when people are at home during the daytime."

@wutheringkites

True, which makes those stats pretty meaningless all round really

BigGlenda · 27/07/2023 14:18

I always lock mine now. Our car was stolen when someone came in while we were upstairs and stole our car keys and drove it away!

also we have young children, I don’t like them to just wander off into the garden unsupervised. If they ask they can of course play in the garden but I make sure to stay in a part of the house I will easily seem them out there.

probably loads of other justifiable reasons to but I can’t think of them atm

hot2trotter · 27/07/2023 14:21

Always. But then again we are in a 'rough' area.

user1469559754 · 27/07/2023 14:21

I don't understand why you wouldn't? I do it automatically and always have done. I live in a sleepy very low-crime town. Do people who don't lock their door also leave their car unlocked? It's the same thing in my book.

Moveoverdarlin · 27/07/2023 14:21

I’ve never lived in a house where the front door doesn’t automatically lock when it shuts behind you. Can’t imagine being in a house where someone could just walk in the front door. You’re right to lock it.

Thisismynewusername1 · 27/07/2023 14:21

pinkishlemonade · 27/07/2023 14:17

Don’t forget that if you have a key card for your car, you need a holder for it if you put it near your front door. Or someone can steal your car without needing the key, they just need hold an iPad outside your door to copy the key. Several people where I live had their cars stolen that way from their driveway a couple of years ago (I live in a very quiet and usually safe area).

Yep.

spate of burglaries round here recently.

most people get home, lock car, inside, put bag/keys down, take shoes off.

simply opened door, took key, car was gone before the owner even realised.

everyone locks their doors now.

Lachimolala · 27/07/2023 14:22

Wrongsideofpennines · 27/07/2023 12:21

I would lock it. A colleague of mine was watching TV with her kids one evening when an armed gang in balaclavas walked in, demanded their car keys and knicked both cars off the driveway. If the door had been locked then it would have added another layer of protection. She had time off work with the trauma of it all.

There was an elderly lady near me that suffered a horrific sexual assault a few years ago, two men just walked in through her unlocked door. It was just awful. I’ve always thought it could happen to anyone asp our door gets locked as soon as we walk in. It’s a really nice middle class area we’re in as well. Though if anything I think the nicer areas make you more of a target.

CatsOnTheChair · 27/07/2023 14:22

We have a door with handles on the outside, bit you need a key to get it. The biggest composite door supplier in the area couldn't fit that type of lock. It was no negotiable for us.

For those who leave the keys in the door, what happens when someone else comes home?? 4 of us have keys. It would be chaos if DH had to get upfromwfh to let in DS2, then an hour later DS2, then half an hour later me. Or do you all work on the same schedule?

User16496743 · 27/07/2023 14:23

@Tulipvase we have Lloyds premier insurance and locks aren't mentioned, some insurance is a lot less onerous than others in what they stipulate. We have Aviva for our cars for this reason as you don't have to state where you exactly park it and answer a thousand other questions. I would rather pay a bit more for insurance for this convenience.

LovePoppy · 27/07/2023 14:24

YourNameGoesHere · 27/07/2023 12:14

Yes of course. You'd have to be a bloody idiot to not lock your door.

It’s me! Hi! I leave my house fully unlocked all the time lol

my whole family does.

however. Crime rates where we are are exceedingly low. We are often voted safest community in our country

pinkishlemonade · 27/07/2023 14:25

Thisismynewusername1 · 27/07/2023 14:21

Yep.

spate of burglaries round here recently.

most people get home, lock car, inside, put bag/keys down, take shoes off.

simply opened door, took key, car was gone before the owner even realised.

everyone locks their doors now.

Show quote history

Yeah that too but I mean they don’t need to open your door to get the physical key if you have a car key card. They can just do like when they skim your credit card.

medianewbie · 27/07/2023 14:25

YourNameGoesHere · 27/07/2023 13:08

Exactly!

Everyone can say that's never happened to me until it does and then it's too bloody late!

I've never been in a car crash but I wear my seatbelt because I know it would help if the worst were to happen. The same applies to locking my door. No one has ever tried to get in but why would I risk it when I can save myself so much heartache by just turning the key?

Show quote history

And I do think the 'I live in a naice area' or 'I live in a rural area' is a mis-think.

I live in a naice part of the Scottish borders. It's like the 1950's around here.
Everyone knows everyone, & you can't hear a fart at one end of the village before the other end smells it as they say (naice...) There is little opportunity for theft, little privacy, a virulent neighbourhood watch & local Facebook societies.
People (mostly!) look out for each other. It's 'naice'.

But crime still happens. Those passing through on main roads. County lines.
Temp delivery people (sometimes). Trades passing through. Teens in trouble.
Naice areas have Naice cars, naice tech, naice jewellery, naice bikes etc
In the last 2 years we've had our local Co-op cashpoint (only 1 in village) ram raided, a local young girl abducted, quite a bit of farm machinery taken, dogs & other livestock stolen. That's without domestic theft. Which is depressingly regular. Yet it is still a low crime area & relatively safe but it doesnt mean it won't happen to you sadly. Crime is distressing & expensive & it happens everywhere.

watersprites · 27/07/2023 14:25

And I do think the 'I live in a naice area' or 'I live in a rural area' is a mis-think.

It really is! burglars are opportunists.

Kitcaterpillar · 27/07/2023 14:26

Do people who don't lock their door also leave their car unlocked?

My car is actually also unlocked and parked on a public road. Honestly, anyone who wants to steal it is welcome to it 😂

(The locks stopped working, I tried a new key, it didn't work, I'm not spending more on it. I don't advise it, obviously)

Tulipvase · 27/07/2023 14:26

CatsOnTheChair · 27/07/2023 14:22

We have a door with handles on the outside, bit you need a key to get it. The biggest composite door supplier in the area couldn't fit that type of lock. It was no negotiable for us.

For those who leave the keys in the door, what happens when someone else comes home?? 4 of us have keys. It would be chaos if DH had to get upfromwfh to let in DS2, then an hour later DS2, then half an hour later me. Or do you all work on the same schedule?

Well this isn’t an issue as we don’t lock it but we would have the same issue if we did and I guess each person would have to re lock the door after them and leave the key out. I just can’t see that happening in our house.

starfishmummy · 27/07/2023 14:27

My in laws don't lock. They have a small house but still it is possible for someone to get in unnoticed especially if they are in the back of the house ( kitchen), upstairs or the garden. Even someone getting in and robbing them that way hasn't altered their habits.

Imdrivinginmygetawaycar · 27/07/2023 14:29

Wow this is eye opening to me.

I really thought most people have doors that lock when they close. Why don't people have these then?

Ours unlocks if we open from the inside so we can easily get out.

Why isn't this standard?

Whinge · 27/07/2023 14:29

LovePoppy · 27/07/2023 14:24

It’s me! Hi! I leave my house fully unlocked all the time lol

my whole family does.

however. Crime rates where we are are exceedingly low. We are often voted safest community in our country

Show quote history

I truly hope you're never the victim of a burglarly or other crime due to this careless attitude. Everyone thinks it won't happen to them, but most of us still take precautions to help reduce the risks rather than laughing about levaing the house unlocked.

HappyAsASandboy · 27/07/2023 14:29

My doors are always locked, y less someone is in the garden, when one door may be closed but not locked. Sometimes the front and back doors are wide open as the kids are in and out, but only if I am downstairs and able to be aware of who is where.

Default is that doors are locked. We have nightlatch locks that lock when the door closes unless you choose to slide the button to make them stay unlocked.

fetchacloth · 27/07/2023 14:31

I always lock my door without fail.
It's not obsessive to do so and makes me feel safer.

TickTickTock · 27/07/2023 14:32

I had a friend who lived in a student house which was previously a doctor's surgery. They had someone walk in the front door and sit in their living room as if it was still the waiting room!

I always keep the door locked but sometimes forget if the kids come in the door after me. One time an Amazon delivery guy just opened the door without even knocking and then got scared of the dog! He then got a bit annoyed that I wasn't keeping the dog away from him. Erm.... You're the one who opened the door mate!! 😬

Going to check the door is definitely locked now

GenieGenealogy · 27/07/2023 14:33

watersprites · 27/07/2023 13:33

I'm guessing but there must be millions of front doors like that, it's a totally normal type of door to have. Are you really not aware that a non locking door exists?

These are newer models I assume? I don't even understand why this would be invented?!

These new-fangled door handles, whatever will they think of next.

YourNameGoesHere · 27/07/2023 14:33

Whinge · 27/07/2023 14:29

I truly hope you're never the victim of a burglarly or other crime due to this careless attitude. Everyone thinks it won't happen to them, but most of us still take precautions to help reduce the risks rather than laughing about levaing the house unlocked.

Show quote history

Quite! What a thing to laugh about. Let's hope you never find yourself in the awful situation.

Anyotherdude · 27/07/2023 14:34

@Tulipvase it might be worth looking through the other documents to see what the insurance company has laid out as a condition of taking on the policy. It’s difficult to tell which Lloyds from your PP, but they both provide insurance cover.
If you can’t find anything it might be worth contacting them to ask directly what their security requirements are. You don’t want to wait until something happens - only for the loss adjusters to decide that your locks were the wrong BS specification…

StefanosHill · 27/07/2023 14:35

GenieGenealogy · 27/07/2023 14:33

These new-fangled door handles, whatever will they think of next.

Show quote history

Is it new? I grew up with a basic non locking door

So I’d equate locking with newer

No idea what the trends are

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