Locks explained
Door lock types, explained
What each kind of lock is, where it belongs, the standard to look for on it, and what it costs to have one fitted.
Euro Cylinder Locks: Sizes, Standards and Fitted Cost
A euro cylinder is the keyed barrel on most uPVC and composite doors, also called a lock barrel or cylinder lock. It works the door's lock but is a separate part, so it can be changed on its own. Look for TS 007 3 star or SS 312 Diamond. A change costs £105 to £175 fitted (MLA price list; MyJobQuote).
Smart Locks: Keypad, Fingerprint and App Entry Explained
A smart lock opens by code, fingerprint, phone app or fob, as well as or instead of a key. Some fit over your existing lock on the inside; others replace it. Look for the BSI Kitemark for smart locking devices, keep the cylinder graded, and check with your insurer. Fitting is charged by time, at £65 to £85 an hour (MLA price list, Checkatrade and Bark).
Internal Door Locks: Bathroom, Bedroom and Office
Internal door locks are for privacy, not security. Bathrooms usually take a thumb turn lock with an emergency release outside; bedrooms and offices a mortice sashlock or a euro cylinder with a thumb turn inside. In shared houses, locks on escape routes must open from inside without a key. Fitting is charged by time, at £65 to £85 an hour (MLA price list, Checkatrade and Bark).
Door Lock Types: Which Lock Is on Your Door?
Most UK front doors use one of three lock types: a euro cylinder working a multipoint lock on uPVC and composite doors, or a mortice deadlock and a night latch on timber doors. Smart locks sit on top of these. Knowing which you have tells you the standard to ask for and roughly what a fitted replacement costs.
Mortice Deadlocks: 5 Lever, BS 3621 and Sashlocks
A mortice deadlock is a lock body set into the edge of a timber door and locked with a lever key. On a final exit door, insurers usually want a 5 lever lock to BS 3621, marked with the Kitemark. A sashlock adds a handle-worked latch. Fitted, a BS 3621 deadlock costs £100 to £205 (MLA price list, Checkatrade, MyJobQuote and Bark).
Shed and Gate Locks: Hasps, Padlocks and Latches
Sheds are usually secured with a hasp and staple and a padlock, and gates with a latch, a bolt or a lockable gate lock. The weak point is often the fixings or the timber, not the lock. Sold Secure grades padlocks and hasps, so look for a grade. Fitting is charged by time, at £65 to £85 an hour (MLA price list, Checkatrade and Bark).
Patio, Sliding and French Door Locks Explained
Sliding patio doors lock with hooks that grip the frame, worked by a euro cylinder; French doors use a multipoint lock on one leaf and shootbolts on the other. Both depend on the cylinder grade, so look for TS 007 3 star or SS 312 Diamond. A uPVC mechanism repair costs £85 to £300 (MLA price list; MyJobQuote).
Garage Door Locks: Up-and-Over, Roller and Side Doors
Most up-and-over garage doors lock with a central handle that drives rods or cables to latches at each side. These wear and can leave one side unlatched, so many owners add a floor-mounted defender or extra bolts. A side door into the house needs front-door grade locks. Work is charged by time, at £65 to £85 an hour (MLA price list, Checkatrade and Bark).
Night Latches: Yale-Type Rim Locks and BS 3621
A night latch is the box lock on the inside face of a timber front door, often called a Yale-type lock after the old brand name. It latches as the door shuts. A basic latch adds little security on its own; a deadlocking version to BS 3621 can be locked with a key. Fitting is charged by time, at £65 to £85 an hour (MLA price list, Checkatrade and Bark).
Deadbolts in the UK: What the Term Means
In the UK, "deadbolt" usually means the bolt of a mortice deadlock, or any key-worked bolt with no latch. The American-style deadbolt, fitted through a round hole in the door face, is less common here. On timber doors the lock insurers look for is a BS 3621 mortice deadlock, at £100 to £205 fitted (MLA price list, Checkatrade, MyJobQuote and Bark).
Anti-Snap Cylinders: TS 007 3 Star and SS 312 Diamond
An anti-snap cylinder is a euro cylinder built and tested to resist snapping. Look for TS 007 3 star, a 1 star cylinder paired with a 2 star handle, or Sold Secure SS 312 Diamond. Insurers often expect one on uPVC and composite doors. Fitted, an anti-snap cylinder costs £137 to £150 (MLA price list; Checkatrade).
Multipoint Locks: How They Work and Why They Fail
A multipoint lock secures a uPVC or composite door at three or more points along its edge, driven by a gearbox behind the handle and locked by a euro cylinder. When it fails, the cause is usually a worn gearbox or a door that has dropped. A mechanism or gearbox job costs £85 to £300 (MLA price list; MyJobQuote).