The front door of my apartment block needs a key to be unlocked from the inside and from the outside. For safety reasons I installed a key box next to the door with the key inside and a sign, “emergency exit key”.
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You must not love in a larger city. You always lock your doors at night. Sure, I gather when it’s daytime and people are home, but as a guest if you don’t see the owners then you should assume they are not there. Therefore you should make sure their home is locked.
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6th largest city in the nation (PHX) I believe. Denver is 19th?
But I also had this policy when I lived in Manhattan, Newark, Daytona, Orlando, San Diego, and Las Vegas.
I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with making that your policy for your home. But don’t just assume it’s “the way everyone should act”
I admit I am pretty lax about locking the door and I live in London. I’ve even left the door wide open all night but that’s another story …
Same here! Forever telling people to lock it when they come in or go out. It’s even in my houserules now, but No they still dont listen. Clueless people:scream:
All the comments above just show that everyone has a different perception of what’s ‘normal’!
I would never think of locking the door when anyone’s in the house during the day or evening and I think it’s the responsibility of the last person who goes to bed to lock up. In a house with a live in host, that should be the person to do it. If necessary, guests should be told what time that happens. When I had the traditional B & B guests knew that the doors were locked at midnight by me. If they planned to be out later than that, I’d give them a key to get in. That’s my ‘normal’.
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Regardless of what is normal, having locked doors is certainly safer.
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I think what @Amber0517 is saying is that, regardless of how they normally do things, when the host requests that they secure the door when coming and going they should be mindful to do so when they are in HER home.
I also find that people neglect to do so and it’s really annoying. It is in the rental policies and my Check-out list at the beginning and again at the end of the list (please double-check…). And when I send my thank you’s before they leave I state: “It’s surprising how many times guests forget to secure the house upon departure. Please ensure you have locked ALL doors and closed all windows.”
But your guests that are actually in the house with you, leaving you personally at risk. Have you considered posting something next to the front door reminding them to lock the door?
Hmmm… good idea! I’m going to do that myself a.s.a.p.
Being mindful of doing something in a way you’re not used to is difficult. We all know that habits take time to develop and that it’s easy to forget to do something that you’re not used to doing. Trust me I know this as it took me years to get my husband to close the toilet seat. @Amber0517 has an easy way to fix this problem as an unlocked door vexes her. She can install an automatic lock.
Personally, I don’t care if the front door is locked or not; I just want guests to close it so the dogs don’t get out. No matter how many times I say this, guests who aren’t used to living with pets leave the front door wide open when they are going back and forth to their cars. We had one guest come home late and leave the front door wide open. I realized this when my dog tried to go outside to greet the mail carrier. Instead of trying to train every guest we plan to get an automatic door closer.
As I read this thread I was thinking that I should look into getting something that automatically locks. The problem is that we have a front door deadbolt code system instead of keys… wouldn’t the automatic lock require an additional key to access the house?
Yes, toilet seats up are very annoying! 
but the repercussions to an unlocked door are potentially SO much worse (unless you fall in the bowl!). 
Same as your rule about closing the door, my locking door is also a request I take as seriously as you take the dogs thing. If you can’t handle correcting course to abide by new rules for a while, you should stay in a hotel, instead of another person’s home.
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That is debatable. I believe that most people who go to the effort to rob others won’t be deterred by a locked door. My husband used to teach at a juvenile detention center. He told me that a main topic of discussion was how fast and easy it is to pick a lock. On the other hand, you will with absolute certainty have nasty microbes covering everything in your bathroom if you don’t put the toilet seat down.
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Every police department and insurance company recommends locked doors to prevent crime.
A friend in Indiana awoke one morning to a noise in her home and a neighbor’s low functioning austic child was in her home. Thankfully this friend is not one of those that thinks shooting first and asking questions later is a good idea. She was also grateful that her dogs didn’t go out.
With you on the toilet seat thing. It’s crazy how people keep their toothbrush on the sink next to the toilet and then flush with the lid open.
First thing I did when I started having guests was relocate my toothbrush to a sheltered area where it couldn’t get sprayed. Yuck.
I actually think most home insurance wouldn’t pay out if the door was left open …
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He’s probably drunk or stoned.
I leave my toothbrush in a cup with hydrogen peroxide in it.
I would fight them tooth and nail. Our homeowner insurer tried to cancel our policy because we have a pit bull mix. I fought and won. If burglars wouldn’t be deterred by the large dog who doesn’t think people should come in the house until I tell her they are okay, I don’t think they will be deterred by a lock.
Do you charge a stupidity fee for not locking the doors? I recently got security cameras so now I know who keeps forgetting to lock the door. I’m just wondering how to enforce locking the door without negatively impacting my reviews even though guests don’t read the listings or the manual.
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How about a self locking door?
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