Latham's steel door locks

[TakeshiKovacs]

So we're considering a Latham's steel door as a replacement for a hideously warped timber front door.

 

Whilst looking at the locking/handle options they provide there's one thing I've noticed which seems like a genuinely massive oversight.

 

Their main options for lock gearboxes are by Hooply, no issues with the brand itself but the oversight relates to the handle operation. The normal lock has a solid spindle, meaning that the external handle will always retract the latch. With that, if somebody leaves the house (like say a child heading off to school) , when they close the door behind them anybody can now open it from the outside (and no they wouldn't be given a key to lock the door with before anybody suggests that).

 

Even their panic lock that allows unlocking from inside without a key and has split spindles, the external handle always retracts the latch. 🤦‍♂️

 

That's fine for a garage or a back door, but not for a front door. The alternative of having no exterior handle means a blanking plate which doesn't look great.

 

Anybody actually have one of these on their front door and how have you found it in practise?

Edited October 3 by TakeshiKovacs
Minor correction

[markc]

If you don’t want the external handle to work you take the bar out, but then how do you open the door from the outside?

[Roundtuit]

I'm guessing you're used to a nightlatch type lock?

[ectoplasmosis]

We have a GU Secury auto-deadbolt 4-point lock; no handles outside or inside, slam shut, opens via the Euro cylinder key. Works really well. 

[TakeshiKovacs]

5 hours ago, markc said:

If you don’t want the external handle to work you take the bar out, but then how do you open the door from the outside?

Some multi point locks allow the key/thumb turn to retract the latch. No idea if that's the case here.

[TakeshiKovacs]

3 hours ago, Roundtuit said:

I'm guessing you're used to a nightlatch type lock?

On a front door, yes indeed.

[TakeshiKovacs]

2 hours ago, ectoplasmosis said:

We have a GU Secury auto-deadbolt 4-point lock; no handles outside or inside, slam shut, opens via the Euro cylinder key. Works really well. 

Yes the slam locks with auto locking are rather slick. Sadly not supported at all on their doors to my knowledge. 

Edited October 3 by TakeshiKovacs

[Roundtuit]

8 hours ago, TakeshiKovacs said:

On a front door, yes indeed.

Probably not a massive oversight then; more a difference of requirements.  Night latches usually require additional locks on the door for security so are superfluous with multi-point locking systems.  I can't really see an overwhelming argument for having one tbh, but if you can, probably best to replace the door with another timber one and fit one.