Modern keys...

[The Natural Philosopher]

That is in fact the issue. Years ago when I was burgled, the French doors were unlocked. Fortunately the perps were a bit thick and had jemmied a window instead. I got paid OK

One salient fact from that was the joyous policewoman who informed me that they had also B and E'd a house with a woman and child in it "So now we can charge then with Robbery With Violence and that will get them seven years instead of three!"

So anyone who walks into your house while you are in it, you can tell them that you will in the end get them done for robbery with violence if they don't scarper.

Another salient fact is when the police ask you to ID your goods at a police station 70 miles way, only ID enough to help them get a conviction and don't tell the insurance company more than that. It took me two years and 240 miles of travelling to get back the items the police did recover during which time the insurance did NOT pay for the items because they had been 'recovered'

[Chris J Dixon]

I bought a house, over 40 years ago, from a police sergeant. The only thing securing the outward opening timber French door was a bathroom door bolt, which would not have delayed anybody for more than a few moments.

Chris

[Steve Walker]

A friend bought an ex-police house in the '90s. It had a few extra storage and utility rooms compared to the similar, surrounding houses and they had rather sturdy doors and frames. It didn't take long to realise that they were holding cells from the days when there were far more police and little centralisation.

SteveW

[The Natural Philosopher]

All that held that window in place was a swivel catch. I reckon less than a second to get in the 'fully locked' entrance.

To be honest a vibro saw would have cut though the lath and render wall in under a minute..

It makes nonsense of door locks, but that's what the insurance company likes isn't it? Chubbs on the doors.

The last way I'd force entry to my house is through a door.

[Bob Eager]

Our front door has a BS3621 Yale lock. The insurance company are happy with that, and it self locks.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Self locking is a nightmare in the country when you spend half your time outside the house in the garden

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[Bob Eager]

I can open it from my mobile phone. Or indeed any phone, with some effort.

[alan_m]

My DG front door is similar BUT on first pulling the door closed one cannot enter again without the key. Then pulling up on the handle engages a further multipoint locking mechanism which can be disabled again by pulling down on the handle unless the key is inserted and turned to further lock the multipoint mechanism

The same locking mechanism works slightly differently from inside in that the door can be opened without a key unless the multipoint mechanism is engaged AND locked in place with the key.

My back door seems to be the same as yours, a full door length multipoint lock can be engaged/disengaged and the door opened with the outside or inside handle unless locked with the multipoint mechanism in the engaged position with the key.

[The Natural Philosopher]

An elderly friend has this: I keep a piece of bent metal strip outside his house so I can push it through the letterbox and open the door from 'outside'.

[Andy Burns]

Mine has a little 'snick' you can lift on the way out if you haven't got your keys in your pocket.

[Chris J Dixon]

That is fine, provided you always remember. :-(

Once got caught out by the door on a flat I was living in. It opened outwards and had a rim latch. Locked out, the only equipment I had was in my Honda C50 tool roll.In the end I jammed in a spanner handle to open the gap, and a screwdriver, which happened to have a broken blade, had a sharp enough point to inch the bolt backwards.

Chris

[PeterC]

Last GF's house had that - it wore to the point of failing if the door was semi-slammed. I replaced the whole lock but didn't trust it. Don't like failure-critical thingies.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Just have the door swinging open then if the only lock is a Chubb?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Never known any night latch that can't be locked open.

But I'd guess that is too complicated for you?

[Roger Hayter]

Are you the kind of super-person who can actually remember to do this

*every* time? Most people are only saved a lot of money and inconvenience by having a hidden key outside somewhere.

[Roger Hayter]

You are allowed to have a spring-operated latch and door knobs/levers.

[whisky-dave]

I'd prefer them not to get in and attack me or scare the shit out of a young child.

And how do you know they would care, perhaps they'd prefer to knife you enable the to take more stuff and take a risk of not being caught.

wouldn't it be better to have locked doors?. Do you leave your car door unlocked too ?

[whisky-dave]

why not bury a set of keys in the garden or do the classic and hide them under a flower pot.

[whisky-dave]

I have 2 spare sets of keys that are left with local friends, that live less than 20mins walk away. I have their keys too.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Well I ditched all Yale type latches when I rebuilt the house. I have door handles to latch the doors and chubbs to lock em

I certainly wouldn't carry my keys when gardening. Only when mowing or using the mower as a tractor. Then they stay IN the mower.