There must always be keys near doors?

[Namechange202323]

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!

Everyone's keys go on a rack by the front door (apart from DH who keeps his on top of the freezer for some unknown reason). The rack can't be seen or reached by anyone outside the house but means keys are easily accessible and means we're not searching for keys before work/school.

I’m with you OP. I have this argument at home too. Not just fire. What if there’s a medical emergency and no one can access or get out?

I hang keys up downstairs at night. If someone breaks in to get my car keys they can help themselves and I’ll claim on the insurance. Much rather this than them going upstairs and potentially into the kids bedrooms in search of my keys (has happened on our estate).
So no, YADNBU

It’s a self locking latch that’s the point. So always locked from the outside, opens with a latch on the inside. I keep my keys in my handbag as I only need them when leaving the house.

yanbu.
They don't even have to be reaching distance from the door. Just nearby on a shelf, hook etc.

All this thread shows is how easy it is for "modern" to completely fuck up "tried and tested over decades (if not centuries)."

When we had plain old wooden front doors, we generally (i.e. I can't remember seeing anything else) had Yale locks. Which were effectively night latches. They allowed the door to be locked without a key, as well as allowing it to be unlocked from the inside without a key. They even had a safety catch so that when engaged from the inside, you couldn't open then with a key.

Then the flash salespeople turned up, and somehow gaslit us into believing that the uPVC system - which basically takes us back to 1600s lock technology was the best thing since sliced bread.

Which I fucking hate.

That being said, the multi-point locking of most uPCV doors is a massive advance in security. It's nowhere close to swings and roundabouts, but I can see some advantages.

If we try to live by "if it ain't broke" then what was so wrong with the old locks ?

Mine are kept in the door, I'm not worried about burglary although id think all the ring door bells would probably put them off anyway

I don't drive but I've never got why people hide the car keys if they are after your car then they are going to get it. I'd rather not be woken up to someone standing over my bed demanding the car key

If a burglar really wanted my car, I'd much rather them see the keys instantaneously and leave, than walk around the house and put me and kids in danger trying to find them.

Problem with Yale type locks is they can be opened fairly easily by ‘bouncing’ the pins in the lock.
You can buy equipment to do this on Amazon and Ebay.

Problem with Yale type locks is they can be opened fairly easily by ‘bouncing’ the pins in the lock. You can buy equipment to do this on Amazon and Ebay.

That would be exactly what a salesperson would say. And it still doesn't explain how we lost the function of Yale locks.

I used to carry a set of lockpicks. You would be amazed how many places "misplace" the keys to server cabinets. Especially a woman turns up to do the job.

I also recommend glow in the dark keyrings on emergency keys. Easier to see in less than ideal lighting conditions.

Excellent idea! I shall buy some now.

We live in an area like this too. I actually work with a lot of young people who do this. They're usually being exploited in our area to source cars for parts etc and are under a lot of pressure to get the job done. They just want to get in, get the key and get out without seeing you. When they need to go looking for the key they're more likely to run into you in the process and that's when things get out of hand and people end up hurt. So anything like keys/ purse sit on my hall table. If anyone comes in I want them to get out as fast as possible so there's less risk of a face to face altercation.

And the idea of fire is just terrifying. I've insurance on the car and could replace it if needed, I wouldn't be able to replace my family.

Absolutely not being unreasonable @Namechange202323 We have our back door key in the door, but it's within a utility room. The front door key has a little bird on the key fob and a little bird house it lives in where the key always goes, especially at night.

My very very modern composite door has the same type of lock as a Yale, it’s not all modern doors that have the being able to open from the outside option.

Have a thumb turn lock. Don’t leave your doors unlocked and leave car keys in east reach. A wee arse walked into my mums unlocked house during the day and grabbed her car keys. She never even realised until the next day, her car was found burned out a few days later. She always left the door unlocked in the day but not now as the police said it’s a stupid thing to do no matter how nice or quiet and area you live in.

It was the terrace next to us that went up first. This about 3.30am. A jealous ex firebombed my neighbour. Luckily for her she was out that night, as she had a habit of sleeping on the sofa...there was nothing left of her living room, just a hole to the cellar.

It was the smoke pouring out of my airing cupboard that woke us, that was in the bedroom and the smoke was coming through the connected loft spaces. By this point my porch roof was on fire so we couldn't get out that way. Once we found the key we for out through the back and the fire was spreading that way also, we were lucky we woke with the smoke tbh rather than just go unconscious or else I don't think we would have got out tbh.

How disoriented we were was frightening. While DH was looking for key (and he checked that same pocket 3 times before he found it) I was desperately trying to break the glass on the back door to let fresh air in. Totally didn't think to break the plate glass window next to it or open a window as I was so sluggish by then. The cup of tea the neighbour on the other side made us was THE best tasting one I've ever had!

Luckily we can laugh about it now, and DH rescuing a stuffed gorilla. Our toddler didn't let go of the shirt for weeks.

My house was checked and minor repairs made, a specialist company was sent in by insurance to clean as it was black all through and I got paid out for clothes, carpets etc as they just stunk. Hers was just gutted, and when we actually saw the huge whole in the floor where she would likely have been sleeping on the sofa we realised how fortunate she was.

That also isn't recommended . My parents used to do this - meaning I was unable to get into the house in an emergency .

I had a fire/security check carried out recently by a charity that employs ex firefighters and police officers.

Never leave keys in doors or windows. Keys should be on a hook/bowl/somewhere easy to access in the case of a fire but not in the actual lock as they are easy to steal.

My suggestion is to make two sets of extra keys - one for near the door (check your insurance about leaving keys in the lock as doing so might invalidate your policy) and one for yourself.

We used to keep keys away from doors until we had a fire in the house. The front door key was in the room where the fire was. DH had to risk his life by running into the smoke filled room to get the key or we would all have been trapped. Since then we have always kept keys next to outside doors and locking windows, and our current front door can be opened from the inside without a key.

id rather be burgled than trapped in a burning house!

Me too. I had recurring dreams about being trapped in a burning building, they were terrifying and recurred for years. I can't sleep in a house if I know I need a key to get out in an emergency. This was a real issue when I stayed with a friend who's very security conscious: her doors were all locked and the keys were put away in drawers, and I scarcely slept all weekend.

My doors and windows were only replaced a couple of years ago, so have the latest security standards. My front door locks when you shut it, but you only have to use the inside handle to open it, providing that you haven't locked it with the key from the inside. I never lock the windows.

@elenacampana and @StubbleTurnips , agreed.
Our door and car keys are all kept in a particular top drawer in the kitchen. Any guests are told - and shown - where they are, in case of an emergency.
Certainly we don’t keep them anywhere a thief could ‘fish’ for them.

Re windows, when living abroad we rented out our house, where the bedroom windows could be ‘locked’ so that they would open only a few inches. But you needed the key to open them properly.

One night when we were still abroad and the house was rented to a foreign family with children, I suddenly got worried sick in case there was a fire, they couldn’t find the keys and couldn’t get out.
The next day I made dh phone the letting agents (we only had a phone in his office) and tell them to make sure the tenants were made well aware.

We’ve since had the windows replaced. You can still ensure that they will open only a few inches, so intruder-proof - but all you have to do to open them fully is flick a little device on the frame, which can’t be accessed from the outside.

Yale are not the only brand to make nightlatches. They’re made by many brands. And unsurprisingly the tech has improved since the 80s. Banham nightlatches are almost impossible to pick.

This is why I will only have twist locks on the inside of doors here.

I totally agree this gives me so much anxiety. I literally have nightmares about trying to open a locked front door from the inside. If it is your home (rather than an issue you have while staying at your in-laws?) it is really straightforward to get them changed to a twisty knob on the inside. We did ours in a new house recently. Ugh I'm so sorry you have to put up with that.