had burglary today, advise for next time please!

michelle2008

Thumb turn are safer though in case of fire. We had a fire safety officer come to work who was really worked up about people who can't get out of their front door cos they can't find the keys.

SJshah

phill99 wrote: »

Sorry but that really is a stupid statement.

An insurance policy is your LAST line of defence.

The first line if defence is high quality security.

I don't think I phrased it clearly...
In the event of a burglary, nothing is better than having an insurance policy to fall back on.

Hence why I recommended alarms and cctv, or even deterrants.


@OP: IMO, the easiest option is super-glue and screw the door's letterbox shut and get some deterrants to make the burglars look elsewhere.
Keep checking if you can somehow afford cover http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/insurance/home-insurance.

xyz123

Thanks for ur replies. I had high security ABS locks fitted. In our door there is a latch outside so don't need to lock the door when going out, but door can still be opened from inside without key.

Have security light fitted at front and have already arranged for contents insurance. Am so so so gutted re insurance as insurance company added contents cover to building policy for free. We were just talking abt getting it sorted yesterday. Only if I had called in morning. So difficult to forgive myself.

Will look at shutting door letter plate. Had a look last night there are lockable letter plates available. Will get it sorted today.

And will also get door locking mechanism updated to allow for door looking from outside.

Ta

victor2

Had a locksmith out when the lock mechanism in our UPVC door broke with the door locked. It was a "secure" door with sliding locking bolts around the edge. Locksmith took the handle off, drilled a small hole where the handle had been and opened it - in about 2 minutes. He did that from the inside, but did say if he was outside it would have taken him a couple of minutes longer but there would still be no visible damage.
He did also point out that it doesn't matter how strong the door is if the frame isn't up to much.

OP - make sure when you take out the insurance policy, that doors and windows meet the stated requirements. The insurers take your word for it, until you claim. Then they look for failings.

morganedge

john.h wrote: »

I use a key to open the front door from inside..

Fair enough, then!
My door 'locks' itself when closed and can't be opened from the outside without a key, but from the inside you just pull the door handle and it opens.
No letter box or way to pull it from the outside, either.

I think it was the same at my old house, too.

Lots of different types of doors, I guess!

JethroUK

most upvc doors are totally dead locked with a key so can't be opened from inside or outside without a key

so I'm struggling to imagine how they opened the door from any side without a key

do you deadlock it (turn the key fully locked)?

maninthestreet

OP - was the door actually locked with the key, or did you just rely on the fact that the door couldn't be opened from the outside when it was shut???

Mojisola

morganedge wrote: »

When you're inside your house and you want to open your front door, you don't use a key, do you?

Yes. We lock the door when we come home so need to unlock it to get out.

If we left it unlocked and were upstairs or out in the garden, anyone passing could open the door and we wouldn't know.

jblack_2

Fitting a cowl like this may help;

http://www.diy.com/nav/build/doors-windows/door-furniture-accessories/door-furniture/letterboxes/B-and-Q-Value-Security-Letterbox-Cowl-White-10798461

vaio

xyz123 wrote: »

........ have already arranged for contents insurance. Am so so so gutted re insurance as insurance company added contents cover to building policy for free. We were just talking abt getting it sorted yesterday. Only if I had called in morning. So difficult to forgive myself. ..........

That's surprising especially as you've just had a break in.

I'd double check to make sure they noted the break in otherwise you could well find they will reject any future claim.