Door locks and home insurance policy

littlemissmoney

Hi

Please can you clever people help me!?

My home insurance policy (with Zurich) says my door must be secured by a "5 lever mortice deadlock or rim automatic deadlock OR the manufacturuer's key operated integral multi-point locking system".

Please can someone tell me how I can check this? I've done some googling and I don't think I have a 5 lever mortice lock as my key doesn't look like that. How can I tell if I have the other two? I can't find any photos on google and basically don't have a clue! Please help.

[Deleted User]

Hi,

here's some pics, may help.

littlemissmoney

Thanks. Looking at those photos, my two locks look very much like the "Cylinder Rim Doorlock". Is that ok? What does a deadlock mean?

littlemissmoney

Just to add a bit more info in case it helps...

Both locks can be locked from the inside, but not with a key. For the top (Yale?) lock you turn the lever from horizontal to vertical. For the bottom lock, you turn a small knob anti-clockwise.

How do you post a photo? Maybe that would help.

Locknut

It needs to be a BS3621 night latch with auto deadlocking with a key way on the inside to lock the handle too. something like this http://www.safelocks.co.uk/acatalog/yale_pbs1_pbs2.jpg if you could photo it for me I will let you know if its up to standard. remember the back door has to comply too.

littlemissmoney

Here are photos...

Top lock:


Bottom lock:

Locknut

Unfortunatly nither of your locks are up to standard I would suggest upgrading the night latch (top one) to a British standard one thus giving the door a BS rating.

littlemissmoney

Jplocksmiths wrote: »

It needs to be a BS3621 night latch with auto deadlocking with a key way on the inside to lock the handle too. something like this http://www.safelocks.co.uk/acatalog/yale_pbs1_pbs2.jpg if you could photo it for me I will let you know if its up to standard. remember the back door has to comply too.

Hi

Sorry to keep going on about this!

I live in a block of flats and having done some research it looks like I must not fit locks that need to key to unlock them from the inside (due to fire regulations). Does this change anything? Are my locks still rubbish? Changing the locks isn't an option, but I will change my insurance tomorrow if I'm not covered. I just want to be 100% sure.

moonrakerz

littlemissmoney wrote: »

I live in a block of flats and having done some research it looks like I must not fit locks that need to key to unlock them from the inside (due to fire regulations). Does this change anything? Are my locks still rubbish?

That sounds a bit dodgy to me ! Ask your landlord, or whoever told you this, to give you chapter and verse on this "fire regulation". This type of lock is easily accessed and opened from the outside.

Locknut

No, As you do not need a key to unlock it from the inside but if the door had a large glass door you can lock the internal handle.

littlemissmoney

moonrakerz wrote: »

That sounds a bit dodgy to me ! Ask your landlord, or whoever told you this, to give you chapter and verse on this "fire regulation".

I found it by googling.
http://www.iomfire.com/fire_safe/forms/Flats%20Regs%201996.pdf
http://www.met.police.uk/crimeprevention/communual.htm