Lock Changes and Replacement

When Is It Time to Change Your Locks?

A lock change makes sense when you can't account for every working key, when the hardware is damaged or when a lock has started to fail. It's also a sensible time to upgrade an older cylinder.

Moving Into a New Home

Receiving the keys does not tell you how many copies are still in circulation. Replacing the locks on every entrance you use, including rear and side doors, means you start with a known set of keys. Request a quote for every door at once so the work can be planned as one visit.

Lost or Stolen Keys

If missing keys could be linked to your address, changing the affected locks stops them from working. Where you are also locked out, our house lockout service restores access first, with the new lock quoted separately.

Damage After Forced Entry

A cylinder or lock case damaged in a break-in usually needs replacing, but the frame, keeps and handles need checking too. Where the entrance cannot be secured, burglary repairs and emergency securing can be arranged alongside the lock change.

Replace or Repair: Getting the Decision Right

Not every faulty lock needs new hardware. A door catching on its frame may only need adjustment, and a worn part inside otherwise sound hardware can often be replaced on its own through our lock repairs service.

Replacement is recommended when a lock is damaged beyond a practical repair, parts are no longer available or the existing keys need to stop working. 24hrs Locksmiths tells you which option applies and why. The decision rests on the condition of the lock rather than a habit of fitting new parts, as it does across all our locksmith services in Newcastle upon Tyne.

Replacement Locks for Newcastle Terraces, Flats and Estate Homes

Property types across Newcastle call for different hardware. Victorian terraces in Heaton, Fenham, Sandyford and Jesmond often have timber doors with mortice locks and night latches, while Tyneside flats have separate upstairs and downstairs front doors that each need their own lock. Post-war and newer estates mostly use uPVC and composite doors with euro cylinders, and each new cylinder is measured on both sides so it suits the handles without projecting.

Larger period homes in Gosforth and Jesmond may have several older locks on one door, and owners often prefer to keep the original look. Replacement locks are chosen to suit the existing preparation, so the door is altered as little as possible.

Lock Changes for Landlords, Agents and Business Premises

Landlords and letting agents often need locks changed between tenancies, particularly in student lets around Newcastle University and Northumbria University. Changing cylinders at each changeover keeps control of who holds keys. Call to check availability for a planned appointment between move-out and move-in dates.

For shops, offices and managed buildings, the affected entrances and any existing key arrangement are confirmed before work starts. Our commercial locksmith services cover business entrances in more detail.

Reasons to Book a Lock Replacement With 24hrs Locksmiths

Each lock change is handled the same way, whether it's one cylinder or every door in a building. In practice, that means:

• Serviceable hardware is repaired or kept rather than replaced by default.
• New locks are selected for the door and the way it is used, with anti-snap cylinders fitted to compatible doors.
• Timber, uPVC and composite doors are all covered, along with window locks.

What Sets the Cost of Changing Locks?

The price depends on the number of locks, the type of hardware, the specification chosen and the fitting work involved. A straightforward cylinder change is a different job from replacing a damaged mortice lock or a full multipoint mechanism, and the timing of attendance can also affect the total.

Photographs of the handles, keyholes and door edges can help identify the existing arrangement before a visit. Our locksmith prices page explains the main cost factors.