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Original poster

There must always be keys near doors?

172 replies

Namechange202323 · 05/08/2023 11:55

im sick of arguing with DH and my parents about this. With UPVC doors that are locked with a key from inside, rather than putting keys on a hook near door, they will take them into the house / upstairs, pockets whatever. Meaning you have to find a key to open the door and/or leave the house! I feel really strongly (from a fire risk etc), that we should always be able to get out and there should ALWAYS be a key at the door. They just don’t care as much and don’t think it matters. Even if it means a visitor is waiting for a few mins while they go get a key. Please tell me they are being ridiculous, and if there are any ideas to make sure key is always there. We have loads of spares and every so often I’ll put all 4 spares on the hooks but within a week they are in pockets / bags etc and need to be found! grrrr!

OP posts:
YetMoreNewBeginnings · 05/08/2023 12:18

My front door key is on a massive key ring for this exact reason.

It’s too big and heavy for anyone to stick in their pocket or carry

Also would be incredibly difficult for anyone to fish for as the keyring is so heavy so even if they got it flat to fit through the letterbox it would be a struggle.

Though tbh having been in a house fire I’d rather risk my car/Tv/stuff than lose even a second to get out.

creamcheeseandlox · 05/08/2023 12:18

We have a thumb turn on the inside of the front door and the garage door so in a fire there isn't the panic of trying to find keys which despite some peoples assumptions that it'll be easy to find a key, in a smoke filled house on fire, the panic and zero visibility, would mean very small chance of finding the key.

Original poster
Namechange202323 · 05/08/2023 12:21

Thanks all - DH thinks I’m being irrational to get annoyed too much about this to cause arguments (I’m past the stage of gently reminding him).

DM, ironically is massive on security, checking locked doors when she goes out (has OCD). Will need to keep her keys in her handbag next to her while she sleeps. Doesn’t like the idea of them being close to the door as (burglars/string/whatever). But I’d honestly rather leave a door open than be trapped inside!

OP posts:
CloudyMcCloud · 05/08/2023 12:21

That’s really poor and there’ll be info on people dying in a fire due to this

As @FrangipaniBlue post shows too

AlmostTotallyFake · 05/08/2023 12:21

We are only alive because our keys were accessible when my house was on fire.
I would rather be burgled than not be able to get out and I will never forget what inhaling smoke was like as long as I live. Its not a nice way to go.

Muststopeating · 05/08/2023 12:23

FrangipaniBlue · 05/08/2023 12:13

Honestly, I'd rather be burgled than my family die in a fire.

100% this... Annoyingly we couldn't get a thumb turn for our front door (some random awkward sized lock) despite having the damn thing custom built.

But the key is ALWAYS in it. Back door has a thumb turn. Patio door has key in it... It is the only one that you could smash the glass to access the key but it's triple glazed so not sure how easy that would be?

Still don't care. Fire risk trumps burglary risk any day!

Original poster
Namechange202323 · 05/08/2023 12:23

I’m so sorry to hear this 💐

OP posts:
MooseAndSquirrelLoveFlannel · 05/08/2023 12:24

We keep the keys close to the door but not visible. I'm terrified of a house fire, and needing to get my kids out the house safely.

We now have twist locks. But me and DH disagree on shutting doors. He likes all downstairs doors open to let air circulate. I want them all closed as they as fire doors and could buy that needed time!

creamcheeseandlox · 05/08/2023 12:25

If someone wants to break Into your house they will get in, key in the door or not. I'd rather be alive if my house is on fire thanks.

Clefable · 05/08/2023 12:26

Ours hang up beside the door. There's no way for a burglar to 'fish' them due to the layout and the dog would have alerted us long before they got anywhere near anyway. Our back door key is always in the lock. I too would rather risk a burglary, unlikely in our very safe area and with a dog in the house, in the night than be trapped in a fire.

CloudyMcCloud · 05/08/2023 12:27

MooseAndSquirrelLoveFlannel · 05/08/2023 12:24

We keep the keys close to the door but not visible. I'm terrified of a house fire, and needing to get my kids out the house safely.

We now have twist locks. But me and DH disagree on shutting doors. He likes all downstairs doors open to let air circulate. I want them all closed as they as fire doors and could buy that needed time!

I’m with you. Close the fire doors, at night at least

Does he want them open at night? Ours is the kitchen door which is a heavy fire door slider, it’s alway shut at night

wonderstuff · 05/08/2023 12:28

All our doors have keys in them all the time except the front door which has a thumb turn on the inside. I’ve been in a house when it’s caught fire, it was very, very quick to spread, with upvc you can’t easily break windows, I’d change the lock on the front door if your worried about burglars using the letterbox. House burglaries are much rarer now than they were last century, the only things people really want are cash and car keys, I’d never keep car keys near the door.

7eleven · 05/08/2023 12:29

A relative of mine who is a fire fighter goes round his friends and family’s houses and takes all the keys so that the windows CANNOT be locked. He hates with a passion downstairs windows even being locked, let alone keys out of the lock.

In the event of a fire, locked windows are hazards. Modern windows don’t even need to be locked for security reasons.

creamcheeseandlox · 05/08/2023 12:30

MooseAndSquirrelLoveFlannel · 05/08/2023 12:24

We keep the keys close to the door but not visible. I'm terrified of a house fire, and needing to get my kids out the house safely.

We now have twist locks. But me and DH disagree on shutting doors. He likes all downstairs doors open to let air circulate. I want them all closed as they as fire doors and could buy that needed time!

I always close doors at night. It's proven that if a fire is contained in a room with the door closed it can buy you valuable time to get out as doesn't spread as fast.

ParkingTrouble123 · 05/08/2023 12:30

I got extra keys cut specifically for this purpose, so everyone has a set of keys, plus a couple of spare sets, PLUS one key for each door that never leaves the house and is constantly hung on a hook near the door but out of sight from the outside (say if a burglar peeped through the letterbox, they wouldn’t see it.

i agree I’d rather be burgled than burnt alive.

CKL987 · 05/08/2023 12:32

I was only having a conversation with my DH yesterday about the fact that doors in this country can be locked on the inside and need a key to open. Our front door is not upvc and can be unlocked from the inside and he didn't realise that some properties will have front and back doors that need a key to unlock from the inside. He is from overseas and was aghast about the fire risk.
I agree with you. Whenever I stay at parents house I always make sure there are keys by the front door when we go to bed.

Twyford · 05/08/2023 12:32

elenacampana · 05/08/2023 12:04

I don’t leave my keys in or near the door. Burglars use a technique called fishing to get them and then let themselves in. I know where they are elsewhere in the house, but no, never ever near the door.

This.

OP, just get Yale locks fixed.

7eleven · 05/08/2023 12:32

Oops I read this as windows being locked. Same advice for doors though, even more so. Doors need to be able to be unlocked and opened immediately, in an emergency.

TheChosenTwo · 05/08/2023 12:33

Yes we always leave keys by the doors, back doors have keys in locks. Would rather be burgled and have people steal my stuff which can be replaced than my family perish in a fire. Absolutely no contest.
All doors are closed at night, they are all fire doors - dh didn’t really understand for ages why I kept asking him to close them if he was coming up after me at night until I pointed out that they were fire doors when closed or just doors when not!

caringcarer · 05/08/2023 12:34

I'm a Foster Carer and we have to have a key on a hook inside the front porch so in a fire we could all escape. It's in our fireplan.

LisaD1 · 05/08/2023 12:34

My friend had a house fire a few years ago, they had the key on top of a cupboard and someone moved it. It took her a few mins to find the key. Those few mins cost the life of her dog, she got everyone else out but the dog ran under the table. She says to this day that if the key has been where it should have been they would have all got out safely.

the someone who moved the key was her husband, her now ex husband as she never forgave him.

id rather be burgled than trapped in a burning house!

Original poster
Namechange202323 · 05/08/2023 12:36

Thanks for the suggestions - can the thumb turn locks be fitted to PVC patio double doors? I think this may be the solution! For our home at least. Not sure I’ll be able to convince my parents to change their locks - I think they were also heavily influenced by that burglar ad years ago!

OP posts:
Azaeleasinbloom · 05/08/2023 12:37

All my external doors have the same lock - one key opens them all. There is one close to, but not in each door, we have keys on our car key rings and I keep a key, plus a window key in the escape box under the bed. Wherein I have the keys, torches, dog leads. Fire extinguisher also by the bed and elsewhere in the house.
window keys on hooks under the sills. Having an escape route in a time of panic is so important. More so if you have kids or elderly / unfit people in the house.

Burglars can deal with the dogs, or risk having a fire extinguisher blasted in their faces.

RidingMyBike · 05/08/2023 12:38

Yes, fire hazard. If you need to get out quickly in the middle of the night you don't want to be fumbling around for keys.

We have a thumb turn lock on the inside so you don't need a key to get out.

Gnomegnomegnome · 05/08/2023 12:41

Ours are near the doors but out of arm’s reach. The windows are never locked.