5 ways you could easily get locked out of your house!

When people hear that someone has locked them self out of the house the most common responses are along the lines of ‘how on earth did they manage that?’ and ‘that’s something I’d never do!’

Unfortunately lockouts are a lot more common than you might think and are rarely caused by the owner just losing their keys. Hopefully by sharing the 5 most common ways people get locked out of their property you can avoid it happening to you and your family.

Do get in touch if you find another way so we can help you to get back inside your property safely, and then of course add it to our list of lock out scenarios…

1. Slamming doors – British weather causing havoc!

So many of the lock outs we are called to are down to a typically British blustery day. You can be putting the rubbish outside or hanging out the washing with the door open when a gust of wind from outside or through an open window slams the door shut. With certain locks this can mean you are immediately locked out of the house.

Our advice is to use a door stop if you are just nipping out for a under a minute, or if you are going to be a while or going further to secure the door and lock it properly taking the key with you.

2. Problems with the keys

Of course there is the occasional scenario where someone has lost their keys (it happens to the best of us!) but there are also other issues with keys that cause lock outs too. One of the most common problems is where someone accidentally uses the wrong key in the lock – the wrong key can jam easily in the lock or could even snap off, leaving you out in the cold. Sadly all too often there are also times where we get called out because keys have been stolen.

One of our top tips is to ensure you mark your keys properly so that you never use them in the wrong lock – this can be done using rubber key covers, and is especially important keys can look so similar nowadays. If you are out and about keep your keys on your person discreetly at all times to avoid any chance of them being stolen and never write your address on a key ring.

3. Broken locks

Of course another situation which could leave you shut outside of your home or business is the lock itself breaking or failing. The fastest remedy is to call a local locksmith to repair or replace the lock, but a couple of tips we can give you to prevent your lock breaking is to look out for any potential problems early on, or arrange a security assessment if you think your lock is a bit tired and doesn’t comply with the latest British Standards.

4. Keys on the other side of a uPVC door lock

A regular culprit in lock outs is the uPVC door lock. A common mistake with is for someone to leave the key in the inside of the door – a key cannot then open the door from the outside, so you can be locked out even if you carry a spare with you. Another possible way to get locked out with a uPVC door lock is if the multipoint lock itself fails – this could mean a significant repair and an inconvenience if this is the only access door to your home.

It’s important to not get into the habit of leaving keys in the lock in the first place. Especially with ‘letterbox burglaries’ being on the up – this is where the thief puts their hand or a device through your letterbox to hook your keys out from the lock. Keep keys safely out of sight until you’re actually leaving the property.

5. Getting locked in rather than out!

Ok, so whilst this technically doesn’t count as getting locked out, being locked in at a property or a particular room in the house can be equally as worrying and inconvenient. We often receive calls from people who have ended up being locked in due to a faulty lock (a serious concern in case of an emergency), and also situations where internal locks can jam leaving someone locked in a toilet or other room. To avoid any potentially distressing situations always keep the number of a locksmith handy and in bathrooms try to place the lock out of reach of young children.

Who would you call if you were locked out?

If you ever get locked out we can be there within the hour to help you safely gain access to your property and secure your home.