Low Cost Interventions
11. Portable Door Locks for Travel and Temporary Accommodation
Portable locks provide an immediate physical barrier for people staying in hostels, B&Bs, emergency temporary accommodation, sofa-surfing, or unsafe housing - especially for vulnerable women, trafficking victims, and young people in crisis.
Portable Locks (metal, high-strength): £12-£25 each
Carry Pouch & Instructions: £1-£3
Safety Briefing Card: £0.20
300 unit rollout: Approx £4,000-£6,500
Procurement: 1 week
Distribution via outreach teams: 1-2 weeks
'How to use safely' Training: 1 day
Total: 2-3 weeks
Replacing lost/broken units (10-20% pa): £300-£900 pa
Effectiveness
Portable locks can prevent a door being opened even with a key, access card, or PIN, offering strong privacy and security in temporary settings. They are found to be strong, quick to deploy, and suitable for most door types.
Audits of budget accommodation show door gaps of >1.2cm in 68% of hostels, reducing the reliability of wedge-type locks, meaning quality portable locks must be selected, not consumer-grade wedges.