To think it's ok to leave the door open for 15 minutes each weekday?

[ILoveMyGonk]

DS started secondary school this year and comes home himself on the bus. I'm at home working at my computer. Generally, when he gets home, he rings the doorbell and I go open the door for him. However, I now have a 15 minute on-camera meeting that exactly coincides with when he gets home, and obviously it gives a terrible impression if I need to leave during the meeting, even though it's only for a minute.

I want to leave the door unlocked, so he can just come in. (It also would need to be open just slightly, the way the lock works.)

DS and DH both think this is way too unsafe and refuse. DS is also refusing to carry a key, as he is afraid of losing it.

AIBU to think it's okay to leave the door open? It's broad daylight, not a terribly crime-ridden area, and only 15 minutes. We even live opposite a primary school, and it's very busy that time of day. I can even see the path leading up to the door from where I'm working, though I'm not sure I could actually get to the door in time to close it if I saw someone concerning approaching.

Get a keysafe. We h

Do you have a back door you could leave unlocked.

I personally wouldn’t be happy with the door open.

maybe hid a key just this once

You can do what you want but when it comes to claiming off your house insurance you will be deemed to have been negligent. For that reason alone I wouldn't do it

Sorry, never managed to do that before!

We’ve had a keysafe for years, it’s brilliant. My two children can let themselves in without needing to carry a key, us adults have a backup in case we forget ours, it’s so useful.

I have my front door unlocked absolutely loads but I wouldn’t advise people to do this as I know it’s probably not the best thing to do.

Your DS needs to accept that he’ll have to carry a house key OR he’ll have to wait outside for 15 minutes.

No one can answer this for you as everywhere is different- our door is unlocked most of the night usually as my ds hasn’t held onto a key… I appreciate others wouldn’t do this. 15 mins during the day while you are in the house - I wouldn’t worry about in the slightest

I'd make it easy to come round the back if possible. But I leave in a very safe town and have accidentally left the door open, and left keys overnight on the outside of the front door to no issues before.

Your soon needs to get used to carrying a key. Get a carabiner or something to clip it to his bag.

The really simple.solition here is for your son to take a key. He needs to learn to keep it safe and lose it, he can clip it to his bag for example?

I would absolutely do this yes. It’s 15 minutes in the middle of the day, you’re in the house it’s not empty and the door will be barely open so not obvious to anyone.

I wouldn’t get a key safe, I’ve heard issues with them before and here’s a current thread:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5452527-key-safes-a-cautionary-tale

If your son has started secondary, he can carry his own key and let himself in.

Why on earth don't you just give him a key?

He's 11! He can carry a doorkey, surely. Failing that, he'll have to stand and wait outside until youte ready to let him in. A few days of standing on the doorstep like a lemon should encourage him to take the key.

Negligent. For leaving the door unlocked when you’re in? Come on.

Put a tracker on the keyring and use a shoelace or something to permanently attach it to his school bag in a way that means he can still use it.

The solution is for your ds to have a key and not be terrified of losing it. If he does, then you’ll have to answer the door that time.

While she's in the house? I've never known any insurance that says you must lock yourselves in. Imagine its a lovely sunny day and you have patio doors open. Are you expected to lock them if you pop to the loo or make a cuppa?

I'd usually say it was fine and often left my door unlocked while I was in the house, last week, I had a visit from an absolute weird man, drunk ranting in a different language, Ukrainian, so going forward, I would advise against it.
I was thankful that the lock was on.

Why hasn't he got a key?

Leaving it ajar for 15 minutes sounds fine, when you are the only one at home, so it is mainly your risk.

Potentially you could get an outside key box and put the key there early in the afternoon so your DS can use it to let himself when he comes.

In the end, DS needs to learn to carry a key, you have a right to leave the house.

Whilst you're in the house? Absolutely fine. We never lock the doors until we go to bed.

He either is responsible and carries a key or doesn’t want to be responsible for a key and as a result waits outside for 15 mins in the pissing rain

I think it's fine to leave the door open. If your family aren't happy with it, just have a place to hide a key- under a rock, etc, and put a key out every day rather than leaving the door open. No one is going to find a key and break in during those 15 minutes- the tis absurd.

If he does, he will have to wait 10 minutes or so to be let in.