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Tenants win right to physical keys over smart locks from landlords

cnet.com

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Re: Tenants win right to physical keys over smart locks from landlords

#11

Post by Insanity »

gmueckl wrote: post #6
Y_Y wrote: post #5

Most house locks are trivial to pick in about 30 seconds, and what I've seen of "smart" locks isn't much better. I think if you were really serious about preventing intruders (rather than discouraging opportunism) you need alarms and cameras and someone with a big stick.

How about having some actually solid walls and doors first instead of the cardboard-like materials of many US apartment buildings?

Family recently bought a house in the US, and it is pretty. But it is mainly wood by the looks of it.

I do wonder how well that works (for y'know, not being fire hazard and not being terribly insulated, being able to whither bad weather conditions, ..).

I have not visited their new place yet so I can't comment on what it is like to live there. But houses in Europe just look more sturdy.

That is one thing that makes me think investing in housing in the US is a bad choice. The houses just don't seem like they are build to last. (Again I am judging it just by the looks and I could be completely wrong about it!)

Re: Tenants win right to physical keys over smart locks from landlords

#13

Post by omegabravo »

lucb1e wrote: post #7
Y_Y wrote: post #5

Most house locks are trivial to pick in about 30 seconds, and what I've seen of "smart" locks isn't much better. I think if you were really serious about preventing intruders (rather than discouraging opportunism) you need alarms and cameras and someone with a big stick.

> Most house locks are trivial to pick in about 30 seconds How many training seconds are required to be able to manage an average of 30 seconds? Or do you mean destructive? If yes, is it loud? Maybe the American locks are different (doubt it) but as a casual lockpicker I can say it's not as trivial as you make it sound. Or if you're talking about destructive methods rather than picking, that's still better than an el…

locks that are susceptible to bump locking appear to be trivial to unlock

Re: Tenants win right to physical keys over smart locks from landlords

#14

Post by hansjorg »

lucb1e wrote: post #7
Y_Y wrote: post #5

Most house locks are trivial to pick in about 30 seconds, and what I've seen of "smart" locks isn't much better. I think if you were really serious about preventing intruders (rather than discouraging opportunism) you need alarms and cameras and someone with a big stick.

> Most house locks are trivial to pick in about 30 seconds How many training seconds are required to be able to manage an average of 30 seconds? Or do you mean destructive? If yes, is it loud? Maybe the American locks are different (doubt it) but as a casual lockpicker I can say it's not as trivial as you make it sound. Or if you're talking about destructive methods rather than picking, that's still better than an el…

See lock bumping: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lock_bumping

"Lock bumping takes only an instant to open the lock. The lock is not visibly damaged, although the force of the bump can leave an indentation on the front of the cylinder."

Re: Tenants win right to physical keys over smart locks from landlords

#15

Post by jrockway »

lucb1e wrote: post #7
Y_Y wrote: post #5

Most house locks are trivial to pick in about 30 seconds, and what I've seen of "smart" locks isn't much better. I think if you were really serious about preventing intruders (rather than discouraging opportunism) you need alarms and cameras and someone with a big stick.

> Most house locks are trivial to pick in about 30 seconds How many training seconds are required to be able to manage an average of 30 seconds? Or do you mean destructive? If yes, is it loud? Maybe the American locks are different (doubt it) but as a casual lockpicker I can say it's not as trivial as you make it sound. Or if you're talking about destructive methods rather than picking, that's still better than an el…

The average lock around here can be trivially bumped and slightly-less-trivially picked. I wouldn't say your front door lock is the first lock you should try to pick, but it's definitely the second.

Large apartment buildings of the size this article is about sometimes use better locks. I had a Medeco on one apartment I rented many years ago, but that's the best I've ever seen. Right now, I have a Schlage lock that can be picked in seconds. It's not hard. Americans do not buy elaborate locks. $10 is out of our price range, it seems.

Re: Tenants win right to physical keys over smart locks from landlords

#17

Post by vasama »

hansjorg wrote: post #14
lucb1e wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Most house locks are trivial to pick in about 30 seconds How many training seconds are required to be able to manage an average of 30 seconds? Or do you mean destructive? If yes, is it loud? Maybe the American locks are different (doubt it) but as a casual lockpicker I can say it's not as trivial as you make it sound. Or if you're talking about destructive methods rather than picking, that's still better than an el…

See lock bumping: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lock_bumping "Lock bumping takes only an instant to open the lock. The lock is not visibly damaged, although the force of the bump can leave an indentation on the front of the cylinder."

That's a problem with the lock. Try doing that with a disc tumbler lock.

Re: Tenants win right to physical keys over smart locks from landlords

#19

Post by _v7gu »

mehrdadn wrote: post #12

What happens to such a smart lock if it loses access to electric power (or internet access if it needs one)? Is there a key backup? Do you get locked out of your home if you don't have said backup key with you?

My current apartment has a "smart lock" system for entry into the building. The system becomes unresponsive with no electricity, which means you're locked out.

But you can kick open the door anyways, so at least that's an alternative to being locked out.

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