Home External locks vs Building Regs for fire

hastalavista

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The current policy document for my house insurance has the following

"Burglary prevention
Unfortunately, theft has become part of everyday life in many areas. Most thieves are
opportunists who commit crimes when they spot an easily entered home. Such opportunities can
be removed by fitting and using good quality locks on doors and windows and by installing an
approved alarm system.
• All external doors should be fitted with five-lever mortise deadlocks and the keys should be
removed from the lock.
• All patio doors should be fitted with key-operated patio door locks. The keys should be
removable. A stop should be fitted in the top of the door frame to prevent the doors from
being lifted out of their frame.
• All ground floor windows and other accessible windows, fanlights and rooflights should be
fitted with key-operated security locks or stops with removable keys or key-operated security
bolts with removable keys."

AFAIK the current fire regs look for external patio door locks with the knurled knob on inside.

In addition How do you you 'secure' velux' windows to meet with the last requirement?
 
These are queries that crop up every couple of weeks mainly from generic insurance policies.
The bulk of doors fitted "out there" are multilocking and therefore are not 5 lever mortice locks. The fact that the doors have a metal strip running down the face of the door means that a 5 lever mortice lock can not be fitted.

Sliding patio doors should be fitted with a secondary "Alock" or patio door lock. (cost about 11 euro). For your own security they should be fitted with anti snap cylinders.
If you put in an antisnap with thumbturn and secondary lock, you will keep everyone happy. HOWEVER - putting in a patio door lock defeats the purpose of having a thumb turn - in terms of a quick exit.

Downstairs windows that have espag systems will have a key operated handle. Cockspur handles by and large have no locks. Google images for "era window locks" for an idea of whats required. There are push button types that can be used on velux windows.

It should be noted that no amount of window locks will stop a breakin if the window slips are on the outside of the window.
(You can buy clips that can be retrofitted to stop the glass being removed - but its a hastle fitting them)

Hope that helps.
 
Thanks indeed for that

I have a pair of PVC 'french doors' onto the back garden so they are not sliding patio but have the thumbscrew thing.

How can you fit a dead-locking night-latch to such a door?

I have PIRs in the conservatory where all the window slips are outside
 
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