Lock Replacement, Change & Fitting – Find a Locksmith Near You

If you are thinking about changing or replacing door locks (or window) for your home or business, a locksmith vetted by the MLA will be able to fit a replacement lock from smart locks to uPVC door locks.

You may also want to upgrade your locks to comply with insurance standards or need to replace faulty locks due to damage.

If you have just moved into a new home, the first thing to do is change your door locks.

Unsure of what type of door lock you have? – Read our Door Lock Type guide here

Door Lock Replacement & Fitting Services

A local MLA locksmith can fit, replace and change all types of door locks such as:

• uPVC door locks – on front and back doors
• Garage door locks
• Euro lock cylinders – anti snap – on front and back doors
• Mortice Locks – deadlock / sashlock
• Yale Locks (Night Latches) – on front and back doors
• Rim cylinders for Night Latches easily replaced
• Patio door locks
• British Standard Locks
• Smart Locks
• Keyless Entry Locks

Read our locksmith price list for estimated costs here – we also tell you how long the job will take to complete.

Changing & Replacing Door Locks

Common Reasons For Changing Locks

A locksmith can help change & replace house lock if you have lost your keys, the lock is faulty, or are you are locked out of the house.

The most common reasons a new lock will need to be fitted range from the following:

• Change Locks after moving into a new home
• Keyless Entry with Smart Locks –  Upgrading your locks to Smart Locks
• Upgrade locks to BS 3621 – Locks require upgrading for insurance reasons (for example your insurance may stipulate that locks conform to British Standard 3621) or for peace of mind.
• Lost keys – You have lost your house keys, or someone has a key that should not.
• The lock is faulty or damaged – the lock is beginning to be unreliable and can be hard to operate. (Usually either worn or faulty.)
• Keyed Alike – changing your locks to keyed alike so multiple locks are opened with one key – Read our keyed alike guide here

How to tell if my locks are British Standard?

To find out if your current locks are to British Standard, look for the BSI kitemark symbol on the faceplate of the lock, this is the part you cannot see when the door is closed.

Please read our guide to BS3621 locks and how to tell here which answers every question you may have about BS3621 standard locks.

A lock with the BS Kitemark on

What type of door are BS3621 standards locks found on?

The type of door is another factor, normally BS3621 locks are found on doors where the frame and door are made of timber.

• Ground floor exteriors doors usually have BS3621 Standard Locks 
• Can be fitted on interior doors.

Doors above ground floor are tested to BS8621 which is the same security level and would also carry a BSI kitemark symbol.

Locks that must meet BS3621 Standard

• Mortice Lock & Cylinder Rim Locks can be required to meet BS3621 or BS8621.

Door Lock Replacement & Change

A locksmith can replace and fit all door lock types usually found on residential/commercial properties, which are the below three types of door locks:

1.  Night Latch Fitting & Replacement  (often referred to as a Yale type lock)

There are many different types of night latches with sizes, which are mostly used on front and back doors.

Night latches a locksmith can change:

A locksmith can replace all types of night types, including the rim cylinder and even upgrade your existing rim lock, such as below:

• Standard Traditional Night Latch
• Deadlocking night latch
• Auto dead locking night latch
• Double locking night latches

Unsure about the type of night latch to fit or change? See our guide to night latches here

What a nightlatch looks like

About Night Latches

• How it operates: Pull or ‘slam’ door shut (the door is latch locked) and requires a key to open from outside
• On the inside:  the latch part of the lock is retracted usually by operating a small lever or handle.
• Should NOT be the only lock on the door
• Standards: to meet BS3621 & BS 8621 – Read our BS3621 Lock guide here
• Door types: Used on front/back and other entrance doors and mainly wooden doors

Manufacturers of Nightlatch locks:

• Yale
• Ingersoll
• Era

Price of Night Latch Lock Replacement

The cost of a nightlatch replacement lock can be found on our locksmith price list here

2.  Mortice Lock Fitting

This type of lock is normally fitted inside the door, they are difficult to pick open as the lock mechanism is fitted in the door frame.

There are only two sizes available.

What a mortice looks like | Image provided by ERA

• Security usually ranges between 2 lever and 5 lever British Standard – the more levers usually means the more secure the lock is.
• Insurance companies prefer this standard as it means the lock has been tested against popular types of attack for a certain period of time.
• Should ensure your property or business is secure if attacked.
• Standards: to meet BS3621 – Read our BS3621 Lock guide here
• Door Types: Mortice locks are commonly found on wooden doors & sometimes aluminium

Manufacturers of Mortice locks:

• Union (formally Chubb)
• Yale
• Era
• Asec
• Securefast

Price of Mortice Lock Replacement

The cost of a replacement mortice lock can be found on our locksmith price list here

Types of mortice lock are:

The main types of mortice locks you will find on your home’s locks are as follows:

Mortice Sash Lock Fitting

A mortice sash lock is normally fitted to a wooden door on a domestic home, sash locks are opened by using a key and the handle.

Has a handle – a mortice style lock with a handle is called a sash lock.

A sashlock has a handle | Image provided by ERA

The handles operate the latch on the lock which keeps the door shut when pushed or pulled closed.

• Standards: to meet BS3621 ( a BS 3621 lever lock has to have a minimum of 5 levers )
• Levers: available in 2 lever, 3 lever to 5 lever Mortice Sash lock ( 7 lever is available )
• Door Types: commonly found on wooden doors

Note: As a rule of thumb the more levers a mortice sash lock has the more secure the lock is

Mortice Deadlock Fitting & BS3621 Mortice Deadlock

A Mortice Deadlock is commonly fitted to a wooden home front door, and can only be opened with a key, it locks on the inside and outside.

Does NOT have a handle – a deadlock does not have a handle and is always operated by a key, opened from one of both sides by key.

A deadlock has no handle | Image provided by ERA

• Standards: to meet BS3621 ( A BS 3621 lever lock has to have a minimum of 5 levers )
• Levers: available in 2 lever, 3 lever to 5 lever Mortice dead lock ( 7 lever is available )
• Door Types: commonly found on wooden doors

Note: Again, the more levers a mortice deadlock has the more secure the lock is.

Price of Mortice Deadlock Replacement

The cost of a mortice deadlock replacement lock can be found on our locksmith price list here

3. Euro-Lock Cylinder Fitting

This type of lock is very popular and found on many different types of door locks and security applications.

Euro-Lock Cylinder found on front/back doors

Door types a euro lock cylinder is found on:

• UPVC
• Aluminium shop front doors
• Timber multipoint door locks
• Apartment doors
• Key switches that operate roller shutters on business premises
• and much more.

A fitted Euro lock cylinder on a front door

Euro locks come in an array of sizes and security levels and different finishes to suit application and hardware fitted or required.

Standards of Euro Lock

• Sold Secure SS 312 for cylinders only
• TS007 for cylinders only
• BS 3621/8621 for tested lock case, cylinder and security furniture tested all together

What is the most secure Euro Lock Standard?

The most secure standards for euro cylinders are:

• SS 312 Diamond – this is considered the highest test that a cylinder can be attack tested to.
• TS 007 3 star – this has also been attack tested.

Advantages of Euro profile cylinder locks

• They sometimes have a thumb turn on the inside so exiting the property in an emergency is easy, and can be done without a key.
• These locks can also be keyed alike to suit (1 key works all locks if required.)

Manufacturers of Euro locks:

• Era
• Yale
• Asec
• Evva
• Union
• Mul-T-Lock
• Avocet/ABS
• Brisant
• Federal

Price of Euro Cylinder Replacement

The cost of a euro cylinder replacement lock can be found on our locksmith price list here

Read our guide on the most secure lock to stop lock snapping here

Can you change the lock without a Key?

Key is usually needed

A key is sometimes required to change a euro profile cylinder lock because the cam on the lock needs to be in line with the euro lock body to remove from the door.

Change the lock with no key

If you have no keys and the euro cylinder retaining screw is removed in the usual way, then the euro lock will NOT slide out as the cam is in the wrong position stopping the euro lock from being removed.

A locksmith will be able to attend site and change the euro lock even if no key is available.

Remove the lock non-destructively – They will use an array of specialist tools and knowledge to align the cam in the correct position to remove the euro profile cylinder lock without damaging the door.

KEYS CUT FOR NEW LOCK – When changing your locks always make a new set of keys are cut to prevent being locked out & for security issues.

Can I Fit The Lock Myself?

Fitting and changing any type of lock yourself is a risky thing to do.

You could be putting your property at risk of burglary if you fit the wrong lock or fit the right lock incorrectly, you could be at the risk of lock snapping by fitting the wrong size lock.

1. Lock Standards

There are many standards of locks ( EN1303, BS3621, BS8621, BS10621, TS007 & 3-star, Kitemark, PAS3621, SS312 Diamond.

You need to know:-

• What these lock standards mean
• What minimum requirement your insurance requires
• Whether to for a higher level for peace of mind

To check you have British Standard locks fitted click here – our guide gives you 2 simple steps.

2. Lock Sizes

There are many different sizes of locks, fitting an incorrectly sized euro cylinder can lead to lock snapping.

3. Wrongly Fitted Lock Can Lead to Lock Snapping

Fitting a Euro Cylinder incorrectly can lead to your lock being vulnerable to lock snapping’.

What a wrongly fitted euro cylinder looks like

We recommend finding out the most secure lock cylinder to prevent becoming a victim of this crime.

Garage Door Locks – Fitting and Replacements

Locksmiths can even install and replace garage door locks, they can also help with if you need a replacement lock fitting and changing.

If you have an up and over garage door or a roller lock, the lock or handle can easily be changed and replaced.

Brands of locks a MLA Approved locksmith can Fit

A locksmith approved by the MLA will be able to fit and supply locks from all the leading manufacturers of locks such as….

  

How much does it cost to change the locks??

For estimated costs please see our locksmith price list here – The price a locksmith charges will vary between various locksmiths due to there being no governing body for locksmiths, so there is no price structure that locksmiths have to follow.

The cost to change locks depends on:

1. Where you live
2. The time of day you need the job completing
3. The manufacturer of lock/cylinder you require changing.

We recommend getting a range of quotes from a MLA locksmith in your area.

Further Reading

• How to tell you have BS3621 Locks – British Standard locks explained
• Door & Window Lock Standards Explained – Secured by Design
• ERA’s Guide to lock standards – ERA