Hi a friend of mine told me that when she rented out student accommodation there were no locks to the bedrooms doors! I couldn’t believe it. She lived with friends, but I'll be moving to Manchester to do a masters where I'll live with strangers. Is it the norm in private accommodation not to have locks on the bedrooms doors?

Well,from my experience in Leeds,there was no locks on the privately rented accomodation and not until we were bugled twice that the police decided to put iron gates at the main entrance coupled with double-locks on all the doors in the house as well as the kitchen.

apparently if there are locks on doors it changes the letting terms and is no longer let a 'house' so the rules are different for the owner. also it means each room needs a tv licence.

Well I much rather have to pay for a TV licence then be burgled twice like with A1.

Surely if a burglar can get in to your house then they'll not be that put off by a probably less secure bedroom lock?
If it's for piece of mind you could always check with the owner if it's ok to put a padlock on the door yourself.

You're right but it's better than nothing. I rather not spend ~£100 on getting one fitted but have to see what the situation will be.

Private accom probably won't have locks no

i know i am late replying on you VeryPoor
but i think this is important ... cos loosing\facing
thift of your valuable things will put you off your studies
and feel you are targetted. I have to remind you that u
are going to live in manchester (gunchester) which is
diffenitly not that safe ... therefore it is your right
to ask the land lord to put lock for ur room door
or try to find other acomm. bottom line is dont stay
in private shared rented house (even with friends) without
your room door has a lock ... u will feel much secured
and piece of mind. enjoy gunchester and ur course.

Sleepyhead no city is completely safe, so I should worry about having a lock on my door.

Worry more about having a good lock on the front door. The majority of locks on the front doors of student houses can be bypassed in 10 seconds without damage to the lock, so that your insurance most likely wont cover your lost possessions.

And by good lock I mean like one from Kaba, Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, Schlage and BiLock. All the others can be easily bumped.

Thanks for the advice.

I believe it is great opportunity to be a student in Manchester, isn't it? How long, approximatelly, does it take to attend and finish master studies in Manchester (business-economy)?

Approximately 9 years.

I share a private house with 3 others in Fallowfield, Manchester Student Central, it's a good place to live and we have not been robbed, but we are very careful & have an alarm. We don't have locks on our bedrooms but we respect each other's property and privacy so we don't need them. By all means, if you don't trust your housemates, fit a lock. It's your peace of mind at the end of the day. I wouldn't bother locking against thieves - as mentioned, if they can get in your house they can get in your room. My housemates are like family and I can't imagine not trusting them. And not all parts of 'gunchester' are that rough, by the way.

I'm now living in campus accomadation (city campus) so it worked out in the end. :)