Buying an electronic lock? Hong Kong’s Consumer Council suggests you check your warranty carefully

Watchdog took closer look at the sector after receiving complaints from residents who found themselves locked out of – or in – their own homes

When in doubt, ‘try to have a backup key’, council’s chief of research and testing urges

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Hongkongers should take great care when selecting an electronic door lock, the city’s Consumer Council said on Thursday. Photo: Nora Tam

Published: 8:01pm, 14 Jan 2021Updated: 11:30pm, 14 Jan 2021

Hong Kong’s consumer watchdog has warned city residents to be on guard when installing keyless electronic locks for their homes – at least if they do not want to end up locked outside their own flats.

That was the position one local woman found herself in at midnight just a week after her new lock was installed, forcing her to turn to a locksmith when no one at the company answered her calls.

Her complaint was just one of the tales of faulty products and poor customer service that prompted the Consumer Council to look at the sector.

Another Hongkonger was unable to leave her home after an automatic locking mechanism – one she was not even aware existed – suddenly kicked in while she was inside.

Noting that keyless electronic locks have become increasingly popular features of modern smart homes, the council on Thursday urged consumers to check both the system’s quality and warranty terms before selecting one.

Nora Tam, the watchdog’s chairman of research, urged Hongkongers to make sure ‘on-site maintenance and basic unlocking services’ were included in any warranty. Photo: YouTube

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