Who still has a key to your door?
Previous tenants or owners, their family and friends, cleaners, dog walkers, builders, letting agents and the occasional neighbour “just in case”. You can’t collect them all back — but you can make them all stop working.
If you rent
Whether you can change the lock depends on your tenancy agreement. Ask your landlord in writing, keep the original cylinder so it can go back at the end of the tenancy, and offer a key. Full detail in can tenants change the locks?
If you’ve just bought
Change every door locked by a euro cylinder — front, back, side and garage. While we’re there we’ll tell you what rating each cylinder currently has, so you know where you stand. Each door is £149.
What you get
- Avocet ABS cylinder, sized to your door.
- Three new keys.
- An itemised invoice naming the product and ratings.
- No callout fee, no hourly labour.
Moving-in questions
Should I change the locks after moving in?
It is worth doing. You rarely know how many keys to the old lock exist — previous occupants, their friends, cleaners, contractors or agents may have copies. Changing the euro cylinder means only the keys you are handed work.
I rent — do I need my landlord’s permission?
Check your tenancy agreement. Shelter says tenants can change locks if they feel unsafe provided the old locks are kept to refit at the end of the tenancy; landlord bodies say many agreements require permission. Asking in writing and offering your landlord a key avoids most disputes.
How long does it take?
The fitting itself is typically 30–45 minutes. Planned bookings are usually within 2–5 working days of your email.
I just bought the property — anything else to check?
Check every door with a euro cylinder, including back, side and garage doors, and look at the cylinder face for three stars. If you also have a mortice lock on a timber door, that is a separate lock we do not change.