Just posted off yesterday my deposit and acceptance of devis for electric gates controlld by a telecommande in the house.
Afterwards thinking about it, as I live alone and have, I thought, everything controlled (dog etc) in the event of my demise in the middle of the night, how can the designated people get in to sort me out and deliver the dog to his authorised backup home?
And while I’m about it, if I am alive and there is a power cut, or if the house is on fire destroying the power, am I trapped in the garden with my cars in danger of destruction?
Should have asked all this of the supplier I know, it is amazing what occurs to you in the middle of the night, but not beforehand. 
So a simple question. Can remote gates be opened from the outside without a remote, and hopefully, without damage?
Ask you installer to fit an external keypad for your gates. Then you can leave the PIN code with someone you trust. This is what we do.
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Thank you, good idea, and I will, but that doesn’t answer the power cut scenario does it? 
Several things.
the gate will have a control box on the outside with a digital key pad. Let your contact know the code and they will be able to enter.
is the gate mains electric or solar pwered? If solar no issue with power cuts.
if mains electric and power goes off there is a key provided which opens a panel on the drive mechanism which allows you to disconnect the electric drive and simply push the gate open
Mains powered because he asked me to indicate the route to the source in the house. So, also a good idea and thank you.
I will ask about being able to push them open too with whatever method they have, I am not fitting them for security purposes anyway, it is just that it is an awkward method at the moment and requires a degree of strength which, with increasing age, I may not possess. 
Most electric gate systems should have a key device to unlock the motor arms so that you can release the gates if the power goes. Check this with your installer.
My gates (sliding) have a lever that you can unlock with a key that disconnects the drive gear from the rack on the gate so you can push it open. It also has a backup battery which is good for a few open/closes if the power fails.
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All good advice, thank you all again. Next job is a quick email to the man. 
Our electric gates have a key to turn them to manual but there are also batteries next to the motors that can operate them during a power cut. The installers never told us this but another firm who did some work showed us and they looked like normal batteries.
Thanks @Jennifer11 I have just sent an email to the man dealing with the matter and asked him what methodes they have in place for emergency opening without power. It is an important point which did not occur to me before.
As I said, not a security worry but I can see the gates from my kitchen veranda and, although it rarely happens, people can gain entry at the moment without waitng for me to answer the bell and I would hate for Jules or any future dog to get out and run onto the road.
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