Quick answer: Windows are often the weakest point in a home, especially those on the ground floor or hidden from the street. Many older windows have no locks at all, or handles that no longer engage properly. Fitting simple key-operated window locks makes forcing entry far harder and slower, which is usually enough to send an opportunist elsewhere.
Most people I meet spend all their worry on the front door. They upgrade the cylinder, fit a decent nightlatch, maybe add a chain, and then quite reasonably feel they have done their bit. But in nearly 20 years of locksmithing around Southampton and the Waterside, I have lost count of the number of break-ins that came through a window rather than a door. A determined intruder is lazy at heart. They will always go for the easiest way in, and far too often that easy way is a window with no working lock on it.
Could dodgy window locks invalidate your home insurance?
Here is something most guides on this topic flag that the post above does not: your window locks can affect whether your home insurance actually pays out. Most insurers require key-operated window locks on all ground-floor and accessible windows, such as those near flat roofs or drainpipes. You might not be insured if you do not have certain types of locks on your external doors and windows, because when you apply your insurer will check what locks you have fitted, and if they do not meet the required standards you could face a rejected claim later on. Dig out your policy schedule and check exactly what it asks for on windows, then make sure those locks are fitted and actually used when you are out. It only takes a minute and could save you a very expensive headache.
According to Bugsy’s nearly 20 years of locksmithing around Southampton and the Waterside, plenty of break-ins come through unlocked windows rather than doors, so it is well worth checking your window locks meet whatever your insurer asks for.
Which window lock actually suits your type of window?
Here is a point most decent guides make that the post above skips over. Different windows want different locks, and fitting the wrong one is money down the drain. Older timber sash windows that slide up and down usually take sash stops or key-operated fasteners. Casement windows that swing outward on a hinge take a locking handle or a small key-operated bolt fitted onto the frame. uPVC casements often need a completely different bit of kit again. In nearly 20 years around Southampton and the Waterside, I have seen plenty of locks bought off a shelf that never fitted the window in the first place. If you are unsure what you have got, I will happily take a look. No call-out fee, and I am about 24 hours.
Frequently asked questions
Do I really need locks on my windows if my doors are secure?
Yes, honestly you do. In nearly 20 years around Southampton and the Waterside, I have seen plenty of break-ins come through unlocked windows rather than doors. Intruders take the easy route, so a window without a working lock is often exactly what they are hoping to find.
Which windows are most at risk in my home?
Ground floor windows are the obvious worry, but do not forget anything reachable from a flat roof, a bin store, or a garden wall. Rear and side windows out of view are favourites too. If someone can reach it without being seen, it is worth protecting properly.
Can you fit new window locks or just repair old ones?
Both, gladly. I can repair sticky or seized locks, replace broken handles and mechanisms, or fit fresh key operated locks where there are none. If you are unsure what suits your windows, I will happily take a look and talk you through the sensible options.
How quickly can you come out, and is there a call-out fee?
There is no call-out fee at all, and I am available 24 hours. Whether it is a planned upgrade or an urgent problem after an attempted break-in, just give Bugsy a ring. I cover Southampton and the Waterside, so I am rarely very far away when you need me.
