Letterplates offer ‘powerful protection’

Door hardware manufacturer Arrone, a Hoppe Group brand, is encouraging door manufacturers to ensure letterplates meet building regulations requirements and are not the weak link when it comes to door security.

Approved Document Q of the Building Regulations calls for doors and windows to be able to resist unauthorised access. This includes protection against letterbox fishing – a common technique used by criminals to steal possessions within easy reach of a door.

It covers security in new homes and applies to retrofit and refurbishment of existing homes at the time the work was done.

It follows the latest data released in July 2024 from the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW), showing that entry via a door occurred in 72% of reported burglaries between April 2022 and March 2023.

“Letterplates are an often-forgotten consideration for door security, but the right product is a powerful protection against letterbox fishing burglaries,” said Andy Matthews, head of sales at Hoppe (UK).

“The mix of regulations and industry standards to consider on door security can be complex to navigate. Door sets must now adhere to PAS24:2022 on enhanced security performance for doorsets and windows in the UK, which replaced the old standard in September 2024.

“The standard refers to Building Regulations Approved Document Q, which confirms letterplates should have a maximum aperture of 260mm x 40mm. They should be designed to hinder anyone who attempts to remove keys with sticks or inserts their hand – and located on a doorset in a way that prevents this too. This might be achieved, for example, by incorporating a flap or other features to restrict access.”

Door manufacturers should also check specifications for confirmation that the product has been tested to the Door and Hardware Federation’s (DHF) technical specification TS 008:2022, on ‘Enhanced Security and General Requirements for Letter Plate Assemblies and Slide Through Boxes’. This has been shown to protect against letterbox fishing attacks.

Arrone’s new AR708HS TS 008:2022 letterplate is tested in accordance with this technical specification. As well as meeting Approved Document Q requirements, it offers protection from key fishing by opportunistic burglars looking to gain entry via a front door.

“While the overall trend indicates that we’re becoming much savvier when it comes to security, doors are often still a target for opportunist burglars,” warned Andy.

“Homeowners are becoming much more aware of the need to protect their property, but the rise of video doorbells and other smart devices mean that when considering their home security, they often think of the latest technology and other visual deterrents like burglar alarms first.

“They sometimes aren’t aware of the role that high-quality door hardware plays in deterring and even preventing certain burglary methods.”