Am I right to be annoyed by this?

onomatopoeia99

My front door is unlocked while I'm there. I loathe Yale type locks for their ability to lock you out without you using a key to lock it (and thereby lock you out without the key to get back in), so min is permenantly latched. When going out I lock the front door with the Chubb on the way out, that way I know I have the key with me.

Last time my parents visited my mum complained about me leaving the door unlocked all the time!

millysg1

I leave my front door unlocked when we are in until we go to bed. Back door left open to let air through and windows ajar. We live in a pretty safe area so feel comfortable doing that when we are home.

fatpiggy

ameliarate wrote: »

surely if you are in and robbed the insurance will still pay even if the door is unlocked. I rarely lock my front door, unless i am in the garden. Of course I do have a big dog, though he is a lurcher and so may or may not get up if someone comes in !

A work colleague of mine came home with his wife after a day out. She went in the front room, he went into the kitchen, unlocked the back door and put something out in the dustbin, went back in and joined his wife. After a while their neighbour opposite telephoned and asked if they had visitors as she had seen a man in their front bedroom. My colleague went upstairs, found nothing and went back to the phone (neighbour had stayed on the line) but she insisted she could see someone so he and his wife both went upstairs - and met a thief running out. He pushed the wife down the stairs and made his getaway. They soon realised their new digital camera (this was new technology then, so expensive) and some cash had gone. The house hadn't been broken into, so the thief must have have been hiding in the garden, and when my colleague came out of the garden and into the front room, had slipped in through the back door. They claimed on their insurance who refused to pay because the house wasn't locked at the time. I'm afraid the first thing I do when I get home from work is lock the front door behind me and I never leave anything in sight from the window. It is no different from leaving valuables in sight in your car as far as I'm concerned.

pickledonionspaceraider

I agree with others OP, it is their house - so their rules. When you move out you can live as you wish

Personally I couldn't live with my parents!

Mr_Toad

My parents were the same.

It was a ritual, every morning they'd open the garage door, the garage is large and the back door is in the garage. They would not only unlock the back door but open it, there is a catch on the wall to hold it open although there is an inner door that they kept closed but not locked.

They weren't concerned that due to the size of the garden, huge, that not only was the house open but there was often nobody in it as Mum might be in the garden and Dad would be in his workshop, halfway down the garden and about 150yds from the house!

In contrast everything was shut up and locked like fort knox after dark.

It always seemed strange to me but I never said anything other than the occasional comment about security.

The house is in a very nice area that wasn't on the way to anywhere so any strange vehicle or person would stand out.

I'm now living there and I never open the garage door unless I'm getting the car out so there is no access to the back door and the front door is always locked.

zarf2007

pickledonionspaceraider wrote: »

I agree with others OP, it is their house - so their rules. When you move out you can live as you wish!

It's all very well saying that but surely they have some responsibility to the security of their guests and guests belongings? If my parents acted like that and my stuff was stolen with no insurance I would be fuming due to their stupidity. They might have done this in the 'old days' but the recent homeowner attack in Wimbledon shows that those days are long gone.

It takes no time just to keep the front door on a Yale type latch which is adequate while people are at home.

Oh and OP, with regards to your bank account being robbed, if you really want to do secure online banking, do it on a Mac.

PlymouthMaid

We always lock our front door even when home as several neighbours have suffered opportunistic burglaries in the past few years. I also close the window in the living room if I go out to the back room for the same reason.

System

Just hide your stuff in your room. Its not worth making a fuss over if you are moving out soon.

dandelionclock30

What about suggesting she gets a chain?, then she can have the door open a bit and have the saftey of the chain on at the same time?
I think they are a good idea as then you dont have to open up fully to undesirables on the doorstep.

marisco_2

tranmereforever wrote: »

they have 4 laptops and an Ipad on view through the front window - on the table - and a door unlocked

A person can only push their luck so far. One day your mum may well come unstuck, leaving such expensive items on clear display with an unlocked door, and end up wishing she had heeded your wise words. Some folk only do learn the hard way though. Not worth falling out with her by pushing the sound advice any further. If you have anything of value then make arrangements to store it elsewhere till you move into your own place.