Haverford, PA Building Safety: Door Locking Hardware (2026)

Section 104-12 of the Haverford Township Housing Code, adopted in 1971 and amended in 1972, sets a door security standard for multifamily housing in Haverford Township, Delaware County. It reaches all presently existing multifamily dwellings and apartment house buildings as well as every such structure built afterward, so there is no grandfathering for older buildings.

The lock requirement covers all doors giving entrance to any part of the structure. The code defines a self-closing lock as one encompassing a device that will ensure closing after the door has been opened for use and that can be opened by someone entering from outside only with a key. A door that stays propped, or a latch that does not return on its own, does not meet the definition.

The second subsection adds a way to screen visitors. Each multifamily dwelling or apartment housing building needs an intercommunication system or bell system connected to each dwelling unit, or it must have a security guard to patrol the premises. The owner chooses between the two.

These hardware rules work alongside the fire-safety duties in § 104-13. Section 104-13E separately requires the owner of a multiple-family dwelling of three or more units to equip all doors giving access to interior corridors or stairs with a self-closing device that ensures closing after opening, and to keep those doors in good repair. The Director of Code Enforcement enforces Chapter 104, and a vacant rental unit must pass inspection under § 104-11 before reoccupancy, which is the practical moment these items get checked.