Guides
Guides for gates, porches, lets and the doors in between
Practical reading for owners, residents, hosts and shopkeepers on this coast: gates under the pines, porches, pools, lets, empty houses and break-ins. Each piece finishes with the service that deals with it.
2 guides
Homes and urbanisations
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Garden gate locks under the Campoamor pines
Needles, resin, dust and a summer of sun. Why the lock on a garden gate under the pines seizes, what you can safely do about it, and when it needs replacing.
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Locked out by the communal pool, in a swimsuit and without a phone
Towel, flip-flops, no keys and no phone, and the door clicked shut behind you. How to get help from the pool of a complex, and how to pay for it afterwards.
3 guides
Lets and owners abroad
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What a summer of guests does to a holiday-let lock
Dozens of check-ins, sandy keys and doors slammed in the heat. What a busy summer does to the locks of an Orihuela Costa holiday let, and what to check in September.
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The smart lock went flat with guests on the doorstep
A keypad that stays dark, guests with suitcases and a host abroad. How a smart lock with a dead battery is opened, and how to stop it happening in August.
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What to ask the neighbour to look at on your front door
A neighbour who checks your house while you are in the UK can spot a forced lock early. What to ask them to look at on each door, and what to send you.
2 guides
Locks, sliders and shopfronts
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Taking on a shop unit, and the locks that come with the lease
A new lease in a commercial centre comes with a bunch of keys and no list. Which locks to change before you open, which belong to the landlord, and which to leave alone.
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The glazed porch on a townhouse, and the lock nobody checks
A glazed porch looks like a room and locks like a cupboard. How the aluminium enclosure on a townhouse is opened, how its lock fails and what improves it.
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