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Smart locks

Smart locks are fitted at a locksmith's normal labour rate, £65 to £85 an hour in daytime across the Master Locksmiths Association's 2026 list, Checkatrade and Bark, with the lock itself on top. Many fit over an existing euro cylinder, so the cylinder still does the locking. That cylinder's rating, not the app, is what an insurer looks at.

Illustration: a keypad lock

What this covers

Typical price. Fitting is usually charged as labour, at £65 to £85 an hour in daytime across the MLA's 2026 list, Checkatrade and Bark, with the lock on top.

What the job covers

  • Fitting a smart lock that turns the inside thumbturn of a euro cylinder
  • Fitting a keypad or fingerprint lock to a front door
  • Pairing the lock with its app and setting codes for family or guests
  • Fitting an anti-snap cylinder behind the smart lock so the door keeps its rating
  • Swapping a failed smart lock back to an ordinary key lock

What is involved

A smart lock lets you lock and unlock with a phone, a code, a fingerprint or a fob, and often keeps a log of who came and went. There are two broad kinds on UK doors.

Retrofit smart locks, such as Nuki and the Yale Linus, fit on the inside of the door and turn the key or thumbturn of the existing euro cylinder. From outside, the door looks and locks as before. What keeps a burglar out is still the cylinder, so it should be anti-snap, rated TS 007 3 star or SS 312 Diamond, and many of these locks need a cylinder that still turns when a key is left in the other side. The Ultion Nuki pairs a smart unit with an Ultion cylinder for that reason.

Replacement smart locks take the place of the handle set or the lock, with a keypad or fingerprint reader outside. On a uPVC or composite door they have to suit the multipoint mechanism. On a timber door, check whether the lock meets BS 3621 if your insurer asks for it, because many smart locks do not.

A locksmith's part is the door: choosing a lock that suits it, fitting the cylinder and hardware, and checking the multipoint still throws fully when the motor turns. Most smart locks for homes run on batteries, and fitting those is locksmith work. Anything that needs mains power, such as an electric strike, a powered gate lock or a door entry panel, needs an electrician to do the wiring. Ask what happens when the batteries run down, and keep a mechanical key somewhere you can reach it.

Choosing someone for the job

Ask for the total before work starts: the lock, any new cylinder, fitting and VAT. Tell the locksmith the door type and the lock already fitted, and ask whether the smart lock you have in mind suits it. Ask which cylinder they will fit behind it and its rating, since that is what keeps the door secure. Ask your insurer whether the policy names BS 3621 or TS 007, and get the standard on the invoice. Ask how the lock opens if the batteries or your phone fail. If anything needs mains power, ask who does the wiring: a locksmith fits the lock, an electrician connects the supply.

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Common questions

Are smart locks safe on a front door?

They can be. A retrofit smart lock is only as secure as the cylinder it turns, so fit an anti-snap cylinder rated TS 007 3 star or SS 312 Diamond. A replacement smart lock should suit the door's multipoint mechanism. Ask your insurer before fitting, as policies often name a standard.

Do smart locks affect home insurance?

They can. Many policies ask for a BS 3621 deadlock on timber doors, or a multipoint lock with a TS 007 3 star or SS 312 Diamond cylinder on uPVC and composite doors, and some smart locks meet neither. Check the policy wording and keep the invoice showing what was fitted.

What happens if a smart lock's battery runs out?

Most warn in the app well before the batteries are flat, and a retrofit lock leaves the cylinder working with an ordinary key. Some keypad locks have an emergency power point or a key override. Ask how yours opens with a flat battery before you buy it.

Can a smart lock be fitted to a uPVC door?

Yes. A retrofit smart lock fits over the inside of the existing euro cylinder and works with the multipoint mechanism, and some replacement handle sets are made for uPVC doors. The cylinder may need changing for one that turns with a key left in the other side.

Does a locksmith fit smart locks?

Many do, and battery-powered locks are fitting work: the cylinder, the hardware and checking the mechanism. A lock or entry system that needs mains power needs an electrician for the supply. Ask whether the locksmith has fitted that make before, and who will set up the app.

Is a keypad lock the same as a smart lock?

Not always. A mechanical push-button lock opens with a code and needs no power or app, and suits back doors, offices and outbuildings. An electronic keypad lock usually runs on batteries and may connect to an app. Both should be checked against the standard your insurer asks for.

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