Keyless door lock

[UncleEbenezer]

Anticipating completion of my house purchase, I have in mind to install a new lock on the front door without the inconvenience of carrying a key around. That raises a few questions:

- Security. What standards/certifications do I need to look out for to ensure something meets insurance industry standards? Should I expect any difficulties there?

- Electronic vs Mechanical. As I understand it, electronic has benefits like being able to set one-off codes for guests, but the drawback of being at the mercy of your power supply. I'm not interested in gimmicks like operating it from my phone.

- Any general gotchas to look out for?

[Slarti]

- Electronic vs Mechanical. As I understand it, electronic has benefits like being able to set one-off codes for guests, but the drawback of being at the mercy of your power supply. I'm not interested in gimmicks like operating it from my phone.

- Any general gotchas to look out for?

Not sure how a mechanical keyless door lock would work, but for either, what happens when they fail? Fail open, or fail closed?

There was quite a long thread on Twitter about app operated door locks being forced upon rented apartments and one of the big problems was no mechanical override and people getting trapped in (or out of) their apartments.

Also, however it works, how do you add/remove a user?

Slarti

[UncleEbenezer]

Not sure how a mechanical keyless door lock would work,
Slarti

Simple buttons. Enter a code and it opens. We had one on the front door (to the building, not the flat) where I lived from 2005 to 2013. That stood up to a couple of times when someone tried to force it. Looked something like this.

[Slarti]

Not sure how a mechanical keyless door lock would work,
Slarti

Simple buttons. Enter a code and it opens. We had one on the front door (to the building, not the flat) where I lived from 2005 to 2013. That stood up to a couple of times when someone tried to force it. Looked something like this.

I've come across those in offices for "secure" areas and seen them broken of emergency access, thought there may be tougher ones for external use.

I'd check with household insurance companies before getting one as I suspect that those who require mortice locks would not accept that type of lock.

Slarti

[BobbyD]

...2. Be mindful of industry standards and insurance compliance

The “smartest” lock you can get for your home is one which not only keeps your home safe, but will lower your insurance premium. The majority of the locks we offer are compliant with the British Standard 3621 for security, and are accredited from the Police’s “Secured By Design” campaign. This initiative is spearheading security devices with a high-quality design which will also work as an effective deterrent against intruders or burglary.

Read more: BS3621 Locks & The Importance of The British Standard

...Are smart locks secure enough to rival traditional door locks?
Not yet. According to tests completed by Lifehacker, there have been few advances in preventing smart locks from being hacked in the last five years, meaning they may be prone to malicious break-in and hacking attempts. They also note that, to break a traditional lock, a burglar needs to be present onsite—not an issue for anyone hacking a smart lock system remotely.

A smart lock should not be your primary mode of door security

Firstly, it is important to note that, whilst we offer a range of insurance approved alarm systems and locks, there are, no smart locks currently on the market which have any impact on insurance policies. As TechRadar notes, “the more we rely on digital companies for the running of our home, the more vulnerable we are when those companies fail”. If you do opt for a smart lock, you should at least ensure that the primary door lock is a traditional lock, manufactured by an established company with a solid reputation and long history in the industry.

https://www.banham.co.uk/doors-locks/lo ... mart-lock/