To lock the front door even when we are in?

[fitofthegiggles]

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.

I don't think anyone has actually said that their front door doesn't lock at all? That would be a huge security risk, no matter how safe the area is.

The front doors with handles on are often UPVC ones, ours was fitted about 15 years ago

I never kept my side door locked when we were in although the front door is a Yale type lock. Village location, low crime. That was until my neighbour had her purse and house keys stolen by a couple who, one went to the front door and while neighbour went to see who it was, the other one went in via her side door. I realised that these two had been to mine as well only I had my purse in my hand when I went to answer the door because I was expecting the Avon lady who needed paying and my keys were in another room. Lucky escape.

I'm genuinely baffled by posters who don't lock their doors. Why risk it?

I've never had a house fire but I still have working smoke alarms because minimising risks is a sensible idea.

I mean when you close it. Do they mean people can just open it from the outside?

We actually have two front doors (porch and inner one) and one just closes no automatic lock but the inside one locks and will lock you out if you forget your keys.

Because I don't think my street or the people walking along it are something I particularly need protected from?

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?

Mine can't be opened from the outside without a key, I thought all doors were like this. I don't know anyone who has a door that can just be opened by anyone without a key.

Ours has a yale lock so locks automatically. We deadlock it with a key at night or if we go out.

If your front door is locked, how easy would it be to get out in the event of a fire?

Our door needed a key to open it from the outside. From the inside it's a turn of the lever on the lock.

Can't think how that would be simpler. If it needed a key on a lock on the inside, I'd keep the key in the lock.

Mine needs a key to open from the outside. I thought that was normal as I've never had one you could just open

We do the same. My aunt had the police knock on her door one night. They'd just caught 2 fourteen year old boys who had walked in their kitchen and had stolen her handbag. My aunt and uncle were watching TV in the next room. at the time.

They all need keys to open from outside it's just that some lock automatically as you shut the door and others you need a key.

We just slide the bolt across overnight. If we want to be extra cautious we slide both the top and bottom ones. But during the day we don't because we have five dogs, CCTV cameras, a ring doorbell, and other stuff that would alert us to someone coming onto our drive. Unless I'm alone and I'm not planning to go out. In that case I slide one of the bolts across.

Mine can only be opened from outside with a key. If it could I probably wouldn't bother locking it, but we're very rural and have a very guardy German shepherd, anyone that opened the door would get a big shock!

However without the dog I would lock it, 100%

I always lock mine too. Lovely small seaside town on the west coast of Scotland and we live in the “nice bit” of town.

Keeps other people out, keeps toddler in and stops MIL walking in unannounced which she loves to do 😁

Always lock ours OP. I actually take the key out aswel but that's a habit from toddler years because they could reach and turn the key. So it's in a basket next to the door out of reach. Also means husband/kids can get in using their own key without having to ring the doorbell. My brother thinks I'm nuts but 🤷🏻‍♀️
I've a long hallway before you get to my living room door so people would be able to come in and go upstairs without me hearing them in reality. I have absolutely nothing worth stealing though so any thieves would be majorly disappointed 🤣

Yes this.

I didn’t realise most weren’t like this

We always lock our front door for safety. And people such as debt collectors can enter houses with unlocked doors. And after that you can not refuse them entry.

I dont even understand how this isnt a thing with every single door!

For me, locking a door, is double locking it! Which I do when I leave the house and it is empty.

But if Im in, I just close it, and no one can just walk in from outside.

Yeah. Had a tradesman* try to get in recently. Heard a key wriggling in the lock, assumed it was a family member, opened to the door to find some random standing there. He claimed he got the wrong house, wasn't apologetic at all. He didn't knock either. He would clearly have walked straight in had I not locked the door.

*at least, he was dressed like a tradesman...

I too am baffled by people who apparently have front doors that don't automatically lock when closed!

Do yourself a favour and get a Yale lock fitted!

Not true. My front door doesn't automatically lock to people outside. It has to be locked inside with a key.

I only lock my door at night, never in the daytime, even if I'm going out for the day.

Do you leave your door unlocked at night when you go to bed?