Lock Changes and Rekeying in Manchester
Moved house, lost a key, parted with a tenant or a partner. We change or rekey the locks the same week, keyed alike if you want one key for every door.
- British Standard locks as standard
- Keyed alike on request
- Daytime rates, same week
Most lock changes we do in Manchester are not about a broken lock. They are about a key that is somewhere it should not be. A house purchase in Heaton Moor where the previous owner had three lodgers. A flat in Ancoats where the spare went missing on a night out. A tenancy in Fallowfield that ended badly. A separation. In every case the fix is the same: make the old keys useless, quickly and without fuss.
This page covers planned lock changes and rekeying at daytime rates. If you need locks changed tonight because of a break-in, our burglary repair and emergency locksmith pages cover that.
Rekey or replace
Rekeying keeps the lock body and changes the pins, so it suits a good lock with a bad key history. Replacing is the better answer when the existing lock is cheap, worn or below the standard your insurer expects. On the uPVC doors of Sale and Cheadle that usually means swapping a basic euro cylinder for a three-star anti-snap one. On the timber doors of Chorlton and Prestwich it often means upgrading a two-lever mortice to a five-lever British Standard deadlock. Our locksmith looks at what is fitted and tells you which route makes sense, and the comparison below gives the short version.
Keyed alike, and key control
For a house with a front door, a back door, a side gate and a garage, one key for everything is a genuine convenience. Keyed-alike cylinders make that straightforward. For landlords and agents we go further and keep key records against each property, so a change-over between tenancies is a phone call rather than a site visit to measure up.
If you are reading this because a uPVC door has stopped locking rather than because of a key issue, the uPVC door lock repair page and our guide on why a uPVC door will not lock are the better places to start. And if the change follows a burglary, read what to do after a break-in first. The rest of what our Manchester locksmiths do is on the hub page, or call 07343 065023.
Rekeying compared with a full lock change
The honest short version. The locksmith confirms on site.
Rekeying
- Best when
- The lock is good quality and only the keys are the problem
- Time on site
- About 20 minutes per lock
- Cost
- Lower, no new hardware
- Keys supplied
- Three new keys
- Improves security rating
- No, the lock stays as it was
Full lock change
- Best when
- The lock is worn, cheap, or below the standard your insurer expects
- Time on site
- About 30 to 45 minutes per lock
- Cost
- Higher, includes the new lock
- Keys supplied
- Three new keys, more cut on request
- Improves security rating
- Yes, if upgraded to BS 3621 or TS 007 three-star
When to change the locks
If any of these apply, it is worth a daytime visit this week.
Lock change and rekeying prices
Supplied and fitted at daytime rates. Confirmed on the phone before booking.
- 01RekeyRekey an existing euro cylinderFrom£45Three keys supplied
- 02Anti-snapAnti-snap euro cylinder, TS 007 three-star, fittedFrom£85Common sizes carried on the van
- 03MorticeBS 3621 five-lever mortice deadlock, fittedFrom£120Timber doors, includes new keep
- 04Keyed alikeKeyed-alike set of three cylinders, fittedFrom£180One key for front, back and garage
Indicative placeholder — confirm against /pricing before publishing. A callout charge applies to single-lock visits and is stated on the pricing page.
Full pricing and what is includedOther locksmith services
Often booked in the same visit as a lock change.
- Emergency Locksmith24-hour emergency locksmith across Manchester and Greater Manchester. Lockouts, snapped keys and break-in make-safe, with a locksmith on the way within 45 minutes and the price agreed first.within 45 minutes
- 02Burglary Repair and Make-SafeMake-safe and repair after a break-in across Manchester: forced doors and frames re-secured, locks replaced, boarding up arranged, and paperwork your insurer will accept.
- 03uPVC Door Lock RepairuPVC and composite door lock repair across Manchester: multipoint gearbox replacement, realignment, snapped cylinders and floppy handles, usually fixed in one visit without a new door.
- 04Security UpgradesHome security upgrades in Manchester: anti-snap cylinders, British Standard deadlocks, window locks, door reinforcement and a plain assessment of where your home is weak.
Ask me anythingQuestion 01 of 05Question 02 of 05Question 03 of 05Question 04 of 05Question 05 of 0501Should I change the locks when I move into a new house?
Yes, and on the day you complete if you can. You have no way of knowing how many keys the previous owners cut over the years, or who still has one. A full change on the front and back doors of a typical semi takes under two hours and is one of the cheapest pieces of security you will ever buy. Book it before the removal van arrives and we will meet you there.
02What is the difference between rekeying and changing a lock?
Rekeying keeps the existing lock body and changes the pins inside so old keys no longer work. It is cheaper and quicker, and suits a good-quality lock that is simply out of date on keys. Changing the lock replaces the whole unit, which is the right choice when the existing lock is worn, below British Standard, or a cheap cylinder that would fail a snap test. We advise on site.
03Can I have one key for every door?
Usually. Keyed-alike cylinders are supplied so that the front door, back door, side gate and garage all open on the same key. It works across uPVC, composite and aluminium doors with euro cylinders, and we can add a mortice deadlock on a timber door to the same suite in many cases. Tell us how many doors when you book and we will bring the set.
04Do landlords have to change locks between tenants?
There is no legal requirement in England, but most agents and landlords do it as standard, because an outgoing tenant who kept a copy is an obvious risk and a deposit dispute waiting to happen. We rekey or change at daytime rates, hold key records against each property if you want us to, and can invoice the agency monthly. See our landlords page for details.
05Which locks do insurers want?
For timber doors, a five-lever mortice deadlock to BS 3621, sometimes with a BS 8621 escape version on the inside of flats. For uPVC and composite doors, a multipoint lock with a TS 007 three-star cylinder, or a one-star cylinder with two-star handles. We fit these as standard and note the specification on your invoice, so you can quote it if your insurer asks.
Book a lock change this week
- Insurer-compliant locks
- One key, every door
- Price confirmed before booking
New home, new keys. You don't know who has the old ones, and neither did the last owner.
