Window Locks & Child Safety in Sydney Homes

Windows are easy to forget. Most people think carefully about the front door and give little thought to the half-dozen windows around it. Yet windows matter for two quite different reasons: they are a common way into a home, and an open window is a real fall risk for young children.

This guide covers both, with practical advice for the window types found across Bondi Junction, Bondi, Waverley, Paddington and the rest of the eastern suburbs.

Two jobs: security and safety

Window locks make a window harder to open from outside. They stop a closed window being forced or slid open.

Window restrictors stop a window opening beyond a set gap, typically small enough that a young child cannot fall through. They are mainly about safety.

Some products do both: a lock that also lets the window be secured slightly open. Choosing the right one depends on the window, where it is, and who lives in the home.

Child window safety in NSW

Falls from windows are a serious cause of injury to young children in Australia, especially from upper-floor windows and windows above furniture a child can climb.

NSW has child window safety requirements for strata buildings. In general terms, owners corporations are required to ensure that certain openable windows above ground level in residential strata buildings are fitted with devices that limit how far they open. Many buildings around Bondi Junction have already done this; some older buildings still have gaps or broken devices. If you live in a strata building and a window does not have a working restrictor, raise it with your building manager.

For houses, the requirements are different, but the risk is the same. If you have young children, fitting restrictors to upper-floor windows, and to any window above a bed, couch or other climbable furniture, is a sensible step.

Practical safety habits:

• Move beds, cots and furniture away from windows.
• Do not rely on insect screens to stop a fall. They are not designed for it.
• Open windows from the top where possible on double-hung sashes.
• Supervise children in rooms with open windows.

Window types and suitable locks

Timber double-hung sash windows

Common in terraces and Federation homes in Paddington, Woollahra, Waverley and Queens Park. Two sashes slide vertically. Typical options:

• Sash locks fitted where the two sashes meet.
• Sash stops that limit how far a sash can open — useful for ventilation and child safety.

Old frames are often soft or heavily painted, so locks need to be positioned and fixed carefully. See our heritage door locks guide for more on older homes.

Aluminium sliding windows

Very common in apartments and later houses. Typical options:

• Track locks that clamp into the sliding track.
• Keyed sliding window locks fixed to the frame.
• Restrictors that limit the opening for ventilation.

Casement and awning windows

Hinged windows that open outwards, often with a winder. Typical options:

• Keyed winder locks that stop the winder from turning.
• Restrictor stays that limit how far the window opens.

Louvres

Glass louvres are hard to secure well because individual blades can sometimes be removed. Options include louvre clips or bars, or replacing louvres in vulnerable spots with a different window type.

Ventilation without risk

Sydney summers are hot, and many apartments rely on cross-breezes. Locks that allow a window to be secured slightly open give you fresh air while limiting the gap. Ideal for bedrooms at night and for living areas when you pop out briefly. For security, remember that a slightly open window is still more exposed than a closed and locked one.

Keyed or non-keyed?

Keyed locks need a key to open. They are more secure, because an intruder who breaks the glass cannot simply reach in and unlock the window. Keep keys handy and keyed alike so one key fits every window.

Non-keyed locks and restrictors can be released by hand. They are quicker in an emergency, which matters for windows that might be used as an escape route.

Think about fire safety: every bedroom should have a way out. In homes where a window is a secondary escape route, a lock that can be released quickly from inside is important. Keep window keys close to the windows, but out of children's reach, and make sure everyone in the home knows where they are.

Ground-floor and lane-facing windows

For security, the windows that matter most are:

• Ground-floor windows, especially at the back or side of the house.
• Windows facing a rear lane, as in many Paddington terraces.
• Windows near a flat roof, balcony, fence or tree that can be climbed.
• Windows in ground-floor apartments facing courtyards.

Fit these with keyed locks first. Upper-floor windows away from climbable features are lower risk for intruders, but higher priority for child safety.

Signs a window lock needs attention

• The lock does not line up and must be forced.
• The window can be lifted or slid even when locked.
• Keys are missing.
• The lock is loose in the frame.
• A restrictor has been removed or broken.

See window locks for repairs and replacements.

A room-by-room approach

1. Children's bedrooms: restrictors on every openable window, furniture moved away from windows.
2. Ground-floor living areas: keyed locks, ideally keyed alike.
3. Bathrooms and laundries: small windows are still used by intruders; fit locks.
4. Upper-floor windows: restrictors where children are present; locks if near climbable features.
5. Apartments: check building restrictors, add locks to accessible windows and balcony doors.

Renters

If you rent, adding window locks or restrictors is usually a change to the property, so ask your landlord or agent first. In strata buildings, restrictors required under the child window safety rules are the owners corporation's responsibility. See NSW lock change rules.

Combining windows with other work

Window locks are often fitted on the same visit as a rekey or a door lock upgrade. Keying the window locks alike, and alike with each other, keeps things simple. It also saves a separate trip. See security locksmith and residential locksmith.

Common questions

Are window restrictors required in my house? The strata rules apply to strata buildings. For houses, they are strongly recommended where children are present, even where not required.

Can I still clean the outside of the window? Many restrictors can be released by an adult for cleaning, then re-engaged.

Will locks damage my old sash windows? Not if fitted carefully. We choose locks that suit older timber frames.

How many keys will I get? Usually a couple, keyed alike so one key opens every window lock.

Can you fit locks to windows that are painted shut? Often the window needs freeing first. We can advise, though heavy paint or swollen timber may need a painter or joiner.

Do window locks help with insurance? Some insurers ask whether accessible windows are locked. Check your policy wording.

Choosing a lock: questions to ask

When deciding on window locks, these questions help narrow the choice:

• Is this window a possible escape route in a fire? If so, choose a lock that can be released quickly from inside, and keep the key nearby.
• Can a child reach or climb to it? If so, a restrictor is a priority.
• Is it reachable from outside — ground level, a fence, a roof or a balcony? If so, a keyed lock is worth it.
• Do you want to ventilate while away or asleep? Choose a lock that secures the window slightly open.
• What is the frame made of? Timber, aluminium and uPVC all need different fixings.
• Is it in a strata building? Check whether the owners corporation has already fitted devices.

Maintenance

Window locks are simple, but they still need care. Check them a couple of times a year, especially on exposed sides of the house near the coast where salt air corrodes metal quickly. Make sure restrictors re-engage after cleaning — a restrictor left released is a common way they stop protecting children. Replace lost keys before you need them, and keep one spare key in a known, safe place inside the home.

Insect screens are not barriers

Fly screens keep insects out and nothing else. They are not designed to hold the weight of a child or to resist someone pushing from outside. Never rely on a screen in place of a lock or restrictor.

How a window lock visit works

We count the windows, check each frame, recommend a lock or restrictor that suits it, and agree the price before starting. Then we fit everything, key the locks alike where possible, and show you how each one works and how to release restrictors for cleaning.

Get window locks fitted in the eastern suburbs

Call Lizzy Locksmith Bondi Junction on 02 6423 0404, open 7 days, 8:00am – 7:00pm, or send a quote request with the number and type of windows you have.