General

1.1 All easily accessible doorsets (including garage doorsets and communal entrance doorsets) that provide access into a dwelling or into a building containing a dwelling should be secure doorsets in accordance with paragraphs 2 to 1.4.

NOTE: If a garage has no interconnecting doorset allowing access into the dwelling, garage doorsets need not be secure doorsets. Where access to the dwelling can be gained via an interconnecting doorset from the garage, then either the garage doorset (pedestrian and vehicular) or the interconnecting doorset should be a secure doorset.

Design of secure doorsets

1.2 Secure doorsets should be either:

a. manufactured to a design that has been shown by test to meet the security requirements of British Standards publication PAS 24:2012, or

b. designed and manufactured in accordance with Appendix

NOTE: Doorsets satisfying other standards that provide similar or better performance are also acceptable. These standards include:

• STS 201 Issue 5:2013

• LPS 1175 Issue 7:2010 security rating 2

• STS 202 Issue 3:2011 burglary rating 2

• LPS 2081 Issue 1:2015 security ratingFurther advice is available in Secured by Design’s New Homes 2014.

1.3 Letter plates, where provided, should:

a. have a maximum aperture of 260mm x 40mm, and

b. be located and/or designed to hinder anyone attempting to remove keys with sticks and/or insert their hand, for example by incorporating a flap or other features to restrict access.

NOTE: Letter plates meeting the requirements of the Door and Hardware Federation’s (DHF) technical specification TS 008:2012 have been shown to protect against the attacks mentioned above.

1.4 The main doors for entering a dwelling (usually the front door) should have a door viewer unless other means exist to see callers, such as clear glass within the door or a window next to the doorset. The same doorset should also have a door chain or door limiter.

NOTE: In some situations a door chain or limiter is not appropriate, for example where a warden may need emergency access to residents in sheltered housing. Alternative caller-identification measures, such as electronic audio-visual door entry systems, can be used to identify visitors.

Installation and fixing of secure doorsets

1.5 Frames should be mechanically fixed to the structure of the building in accordance with the manufacturer’s installation instructions.

1.6 Lightweight framed walls should incorporate a resilient layer to reduce the risk of anyone breaking through the wall and accessing the locking system.
The resilient layer should be timber sheathing at least 9mm thick, expanded metal or a similar resilient material. The resilient layer should be to the full height of the door and 600mm either side of the doorset.

Section 1: Doors