Security versus safety - flat door locking

[tinnews]

My daughter has just phoned me up because she's locked in her flat, my son was staying with her, has gone out earlier and locked the front door with the mortice lock from the outside. It's simply because he's not used to the flat and locked the door 'automatically' as he went out.

Yes, OK, my daughter should have a key but she can't find it at the moment.

It's not a disaster at the moment because there is no danger, only some inconvenience, but the safety implications do worry me slightly.

What is the accepted/normal/safe way of dealing with this? Are there any sorts of locks one can have which are secure but always enable the door to be opened from the inside in an emergency? Alternatively is there a way of guaranteeing an accessible key?

[Phil]

Alternatively is

[Guy King]

The message from [e-mail] contains these words:

Our neighbours on either side have keys - makes life a lot easier.

[Christian McArdle]

Fit a security latch, such as a Yale PBS1. However, these are only secure if there isn't an easily broken pane of glass that can be reached through to open the door. If there is such an arrangement, then the handle needs to be locked and you are back to square one.

Christian.

[dom]

Simplest solution:

[tinnews]

That's a very expensive small box! Given that in our case this is actually inside the flat it doesn't need to be quite so tamper proof. However, is it any more secure than hanging a spare key on a hook, or fixing it with a piece of chain so that it can't be taken away by mistake?

[tinnews]

OK as long as they're not out and you can contact them in an emergency (e.g. fire) in your flat.

[tinnews]

No, it's a pretty solid front door with no adjacent glass, the only risk is the letter box and I'm sure we can make the latch far enough from that to be inaccessible.

That seems like the solution, thanks!

[Mathew Newton]

available why not just hide it in a cupboard (or similar) near the door (or even hung on a hook if it's not in reach)? No need for an 'orrible looking box!

Mathew

[meow2222]

keyless opening makes burglary a good deal easier. Keyed opening leaves only one option: hide a key and/or each person carries a key.

just always carry a key. I dont see any way round that, and it works well.

NT

[Matt]

and then you'll get.....

"My daughter has just phoned me up because she's locked OUT of her flat, dressed only in a towel she just stepped out of the door to put the wheely bin by the gate and the door slammed behind her with a gust of wind and locked automatically, her husband is 300 miles away at a conference with his mistress and the baby is crying upstairs because it needs a nappy change"

Locks like that are the spawn of the devil, they might possibly offer security but in terms of ease of use they are messy and the potential for screwing up what was a perfectly nice day is enormous.

[Phil]

Hang it on a hook (out of reach) by all means, or hide it - but human nature being what it is you can guarantee it will get 'borrowed' for some obscure reason and not put back. Then it won't be there when it is needed. Much less temptation if you have to break the glass/find a pair of cutters.

[Christian McArdle]

You simply don't leave the house unless you either have a key, someone inside to let you back in, or put it on the latch. If you can't manage that, you shouldn't be allowed a key. Indeed, you should be stuck in a mental hospital bed and strapped down for gross stupidity.

Christian.

[meow2222]

Lol, maybe true. But IRL many people are surprisingly careless routinely, so it does go wrong.

NT

[Mike Harrison]

You can get cylinders for Euro type locks which have key on one side and a knob on the other :

[Huge]

I doubt that. Most burglars get in by brute force.

[tinnews]

knob on the other :

[Christian McArdle]

They are useful if you have a Euro lock type door, typically a uPVC or aluminium type. Mortice and latch type locks are normally fitted to wooden doors.

Christian.

[Roland Perry]

In message , at 08:42:33 on Tue, 22 Aug 2006, [e-mail] remarked:

Curiously enough your insurance company (according to their T&C) doesn't like that sort of thing because it means burglars can use your front door to remove your possession (rather than having to post them through the bathroom window they gained access through).

[Guy King]

The message from "Christian McArdle" contains these words:

D'yer know, I wish I was perfect in every way like you. But I reckon on balance I'll just stay as a human.