Advice From the Van
Locksmith Guides
The questions people ask on the phone, answered properly. Each guide is written from the jobs Kenny has attended around Ickenham and West London since 2006, uses the same starting prices you will find on our price guide, and tells you when you do not need a locksmith at all.
If the door is the problem right now, skip the reading and call 07904 594452.
Locked out or broken down
What to do in the next ten minutes, and what a genuine locksmith will and will not do at your door.
- Locked Out of Your House? What to Do (and What Not to Do) Locked out of your house or flat? A calm 6-step checklist, what a locksmith asks on the phone, and why 95% of doors open without damage. Call 07904 594452. Read the guide →
- Will a Locksmith Drill My Lock? When Drilling Is a Last Resort, and When It Is Not Most locks are picked, not drilled. When a locksmith should drill, which locks need it, what it costs and what to ask first. Call 07904 594452. Read the guide →
- uPVC Door Won't Lock or Handle Won't Lift? Causes and Fixes Why a uPVC door won't lock or the handle won't lift, 6 safe checks, and what a repair costs: gearbox from £85, alignment from £65. Call 07904 594452. Read the guide →
Insurance, standards and security
The lock standards insurers write into policies, explained in plain English with the prices alongside.
- Do You Need BS3621 Locks for Home Insurance? How to Check Your Doors Most insurers ask for a BS3621 five-lever deadlock on wooden final exit doors. Check yours in 2 minutes or have one fitted from £120. Call 07904 594452. Read the guide →
- Anti-Snap Locks Explained: TS007 Stars, Sold Secure and What to Fit Lock snapping opens a plain euro cylinder in seconds. How TS007 stars work, how to check your lock, and anti-snap upgrades from £95. Call 07904 594452. Read the guide →
- Smart Locks in the UK: What They Fit, What Insurers Expect, and When You Still Need a Locksmith Smart locks on UK doors: retrofit vs replacement, the BS3621 and TS007 rules that still apply, and what a locksmith does when one fails. Call 07904 594452. Read the guide →
- How Much Does a Locksmith Cost in West London? (2026 Price Guide) Locksmith prices in West London explained: lockouts from £85, cylinder changes from £65, no call-out fee. Get a fixed price by phone on 07904 594452. Read the guide →
Moving, letting and managing property
Who holds keys, when locks must change, and how to do it without paying for hardware you do not need.
- Moving House? Change the Locks on Day One (and What It Costs) Yes, change the locks when you move house. What it means for uPVC, composite and timber doors, a day-one checklist and costs from £45. Call 07904 594452. Read the guide →
- Landlord Lock Changes: Between Tenancies, HMOs and Lost Keys Do landlords have to change locks between tenants? No blanket duty, but rekeys from £45 and cylinder swaps from £65 make it easy. Call 07904 594452. Read the guide →
Choosing a locksmith
Who is actually coming to your door, what the trade does and does not require, and the questions worth asking before you agree a price.
- How to Find a Genuine Local Locksmith (and Avoid the Call-Centre Trap) 9 questions to ask before you book a locksmith, the warning signs of a call-centre reseller, and what a fair price looks like. Call 07904 594452. Read the guide →
- Are Locksmiths Licensed in the UK? Qualifications, the MLA and DBS Checks Explained No licence is needed to trade as a locksmith in the UK. What that means, which checks exist (MLA, DBS, training) and what to ask. Call 07904 594452. Read the guide →
How These Guides Are Written
- From real jobs, not search results. Every fault described is one we see on doors within 25 miles of Ickenham, and the fixes are the ones actually carried in the van.
- Prices are the live ones. Any figure in a guide is the same starting price published on the price guide, so nothing here is out of date the moment the pricing changes.
- Standards are named, not implied. BS3621, BS8621, TS007 and Sold Secure are quoted by name so you can check them against your insurance wording yourself.
- No scare tactics. Where a guide tells you a problem can wait, or that you can fix it without us, that is the advice we would give on the phone.
Spotted something wrong or out of date? Tell us on the contact page and it will be corrected.
Rather Just Ask?
Describe the door and the problem on the phone; the advice is free and the price is fixed before we set off.