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 think most front doors lock when you close them, from the outside but can be easily opened from the inside.

That said, if it isn't that type of door I'd lock it but leave the key in or nearby.

I always think generally that you should be able to get out of a house quickly rather than having to hunt for a key to do so, should there be a fire. Or indeed an intruder- I'd be leaving rather than confronting them if it were an option!

@PragmaticWench

thats my preference too, then I know it's at least single locked when I go out, but I lock it with the key too.

However, there are plenty of locks that don't do that. It's a choice when you buy a door/lock. Lots of people worry about locking themselves out or if the door blows closed

in one house with a door like this, my housemate would put the chain on instead of locking it, which I didn't mind if I was home, but drove me batshit when I arrived home and couldn't let myself in! I found it really rude, but she wouldn't even consider using her key to lock the door when inside (said it was safety, but it was just lazy!!)

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?!

I always lock my doors when I’m in.

My husband still leaves the door unlocked and I find it really annoying, I always lock it.

We have had our car stolen from our drive, they walked in and took the keys from inside the hall.

I remember making the comment at the time that we live a nice area etc and the police pointed out that the nice areas is where the value is. Burglars don't tend to go for the rough neighbourhoods.

The comment about leaving a door unlocked when in the home invalidates the insurance is rubbish, we were fully paid out for our car.
No statement on our current insurance either.

Are you talking to us from 1983?

@Ginmonkeyagain · Today 13:16

I 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!

Errr, NO.

I don't know ANYbody who has yale locks/doors that lock automatically these days! We have not had a 'yale lock' since the 1980s. Houses with doors that have yale locks are very easy to break into. Hence why very few homes have them now.

I also assume nobody has an answer to my question... what if someone robs me when I am IN my house, but the door is unlocked? eg... If I have the side door unlocked, and some chancer opens it and nicks my purse/handbag/phone while I am in the lounge/another part of the house???

So I have left the door unlocked but I am IN the house, and I am robbed. Anyone know where I would stand on the insurance? I don't want to ask my insurance company this, and there is nothing in the insurance paperwork that explains it or verifies it.

I have always wondered this......

Anyone?

So people don't lock themselves out 🤷🏻‍♀️

The comment about leaving a door unlocked when in the home invalidates the insurance is rubbish, we were fully paid out for our car.
No statement on our current insurance either.

How is it rubbish? Your home insure most likely would not pay our if entry was gained through an unlocked door or window.

@StarlightLady Basically it's a modern polyurethane door which is identical inside and out, handle, lock etc. ie. you have to use a key to lock/unlock it from the inside in the same way as you do outside.

To be honest I'd rather have one of those older fashioned type doors with the Yale snicker type lock that automatically locks the door when you close it behind you when you go in, or leave it "off the latch" if you prefer. Much easier to open than faffing about with a key and safer in an emergency too. I don't think there would be so many raised eyebrows in the house either as it wouldn't seem like I was "locking us in" each time, it would just be clicking shut.

As I said in my op I do leave the front door key very close at hand if not actually in the lock itself (letter box is well to the side of the door @LonelyBones so there's no danger of anyone reaching in) when we are in so there shouldn't be any danger of getting out quickly in case of fire emergency etc.

But it's good to know from the responses that I'm not alone in this and it's me being reasonable and prudent rather than overly anxious!

• Houses that have a Yale on a wooden door also have a mortice and/or other locks
• Not half as easy to break into them as a UPVC one someone has forgotten to lock behind them
• UPVC front doors look absolutely horrible, particularly on an older house.

Surely it depends on your door and locks.

Presumably all the people saying they lock themselves in have doors like the image marked “a”. A lever handle opening. It’s a modern finish usually found on composite or upvc doors.

If you have a traditional wood door with a door knob like the image I’ve marked “b” no one can walk into your home! It takes a key to open the door.

So no. I don’t lock my front door. But no one can walk in.

If I had a handle style door I’d change the door/handle because I wouldn’t be comfortable with locking people in a house. It’s dangerous.

There are more house fires than balaclava storming gangs.

Most doors with yale locks also have a deadlock. Most (all?) home insurance companies won't insure you otherwise. In my experience they're often found on old style wooden doors on a period property.

@FadeAwayAndRadiate That is why we also have mortice bolts top and bottom on our door, that get used when we are not at home.

Always lock the door - can't see any downsides to doing it, and it is just an extra bit of security.

Our doors are always locked, even when we are at home. Front door has a Yale type lock which needs a key to gain access from outside. It also has a mortice type lock which we lock at night. Back door is permanently locked and the key is in the lock, so getting in from outside can't be achieved. (Now I think about that, I might start removing the key from the back door just in case. )

£30 a week is very, very reasonable.

Wrong thread 🤦‍♀️

@transparentday yep we also have a deadlock.

I did rent a flat that had a door that had to be locked with a key from the inside - it was an utter ballache as my housemates (and I admit sometimes I) would often come home late at night and forget to lock the door from the inside.

More than once I got up in the morning to find the door unlocked, and this was in a less than salubrious part of London.

I have a 5 bar lock on a steel door. It locks from the inside and if the key is turned slightly in the lock, so that it doesn't line up, no-one can open it from the outside.
I can, however. open the door by turning the key (on the inside) although there is a handle to use when the door is not locked.
I leave the key in the lock and would be able to get through the door in case of fire (assuming I could reach the door).
Previous doors have had 2 locks and a chain but I wouldn't trust a chain as they can be forced out of the frame. Double locking is fine as long as the house doesn't catch fire. As are bolts.

So people don't lock themselves out
That seems odd though when doors prime purpose is security.
Locking yourself out isn't a huge deal if you have spare keys with friends/family.

I do ...automatic..come home unlock door ....then re lock it
Sometimes back door is unlocked but it's not accessible to anyone.

I had no idea that anyone would have anything but a self lock on their front door in 2023. What a complete pia. Mine’s a Banham.

@Gribbit987 don't some of those style doors though have handles that when you close them & lift up from the inside they are locked as opposed to needing an actual key to lock?

@fitofthegiggles burglars use a pole or wires to get keys out the door regardless of where your letterbox is. Google it. It’s pretty easy for them.

they do a similar thing to unlock Yale locks via the letterbox.