Lock Repair in Durham

Lock Repair in Durham

This page is about locks in Durham that still work, but badly, and locks that have stopped working. It explains how the faulty part is found, and when a repair is enough.

The Durham jobs on it include two cheaper outcomes than a new lock: a single hook casing replaced in Neville’s Cross, and an auto-locking door in Framwellgate Moor converted to manual locking.

We cover the whole Durham area for this service, including Bearpark, Belmont, Bowburn, Brandon, Carville, Coxhoe, Croxdale, Dragonville, Gilesgate, High Shincliffe, Kelloe, Langley Moor, Littletown, Meadowfield, Newton Hall, Pity Me, Quarrington Hill, Shadforth, Sherburn, Sherburn Road, Shincliffe and Ushaw Moor.

Handle Lifts But Door Won’t Lock

When the handle lifts but the door will not lock, check whether the door has moved before blaming the lock. In Belmont a newly fitted uPVC door had been hung too far from the keep, so the hooks caught and the handle was hard to lift; once the door was realigned it locked with no issues. See the job In Durham a composite door was hard to lock because of a faulty gearbox and poor alignment; a new gearbox was fitted and the door realigned. See the job

For gearbox faults, multipoint lock issues and dropped uPVC doors, see our uPVC door lock repairs in Durham.

Snapped Key or Key Stuck in the Lock

Do not force a snapped or stuck key. A key that will not go in at all can mean the lock itself has jammed: at the Kelloe care home above, the lock had jammed so the key could not be inserted, and it was replaced. A key that turns but will not lock the door is more often the gearbox, as on a Neville’s Cross door where the gearbox was changed. See the job

If a stuck or broken key has left you locked out, use our emergency locksmith service in Durham.

Lock Jobs Around Durham and What Was Done

These are lock jobs we have completed in the Durham area. Some locks were repaired; others were replaced because the lock had failed or the keys were lost.

• Top hook would not retract — Neville’s Cross. The front door was hard to open because the top hook would not retract. Once the door was opened without damage, the hook casing was found to have fallen apart; a new hook casing was fitted and the door realigned. See the job
• Door would not open — Brandon. A failed mechanism and a faulty cylinder stopped the door opening. Entry was gained without damage, and the mechanism and cylinder were both replaced. See the job
• Fault on an auto-locking door — Framwellgate Moor. Instead of replacing the whole locking strip, the auto-locking was removed so the door locks manually, and an anti-snap thumbturn was fitted for easier use. See the job
• Keys lost — Brandon. The customer could not lock the door after losing the keys. The old lock was removed and a new anti-snap lock fitted. See the job
• Jammed lock at a care home — Kelloe. Early on a Sunday morning a care home could not get into its medication room: the lock had jammed and the key would not go in. The lock was removed and a new one fitted, so staff could get back in. See the job

Lock stiff, jammed or keys lost? Send a photo of the lock on WhatsApp, or call us.

Repair vs Replacement

Not every faulty lock needs replacing, and the Durham jobs above show both sides. Repaired: the Neville’s Cross door kept its mechanism and was given only a new hook casing, and the Framwellgate Moor auto-locking door was made manual instead of having its whole locking strip replaced. Replaced: the Brandon lock after the keys were lost, and the Kelloe lock that had jammed.

• A repair is usually possible when one part has failed or the door has moved.
• A new lock is the better answer when keys are lost, the lock has jammed or failed inside, or it gives too little security.

You are told which it is, and the price, before any work starts.

Lock Repair Coverage Across Durham

Lock repairs are carried out in Durham city and in Belmont, Brandon, Framwellgate Moor, High Shincliffe, Kelloe, Neville’s Cross and Sherburn, which have their own pages, and in Bearpark, Bowburn, Carville, Coxhoe, Croxdale, Dragonville, Gilesgate, Langley Moor, Littletown, Meadowfield, Newton Hall, Pity Me, Quarrington Hill, Shadforth, Sherburn Road, Shincliffe and Ushaw Moor.

Signs the Fault Is in the Lock Itself

Some symptoms point to the cylinder rather than the door or its mechanism:

• The key will not go in, or goes in only part of the way.
• The key turns all the way round without moving anything.
• The key is hard to turn even with the door open, so alignment cannot be the cause.
• The lock has been snapped, drilled or damaged in an attempt to get in.

If the key turns freely with the door open but sticks when it is closed, the door or a keep is out of line, which is usually a repair rather than a new lock.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a lock be repaired rather than replaced?

Often, when one part has failed or the door has moved. A lock is replaced when it has jammed or failed inside, the keys are lost, or it gives too little security. You are told which, and the price, before any work starts.

Do you cut keys or do car keys?

No. We do not offer auto locksmith services and we do not cut keys.

Nearby Locksmith Areas

We also cover nearby locksmith areas from our Durham service page.