Plain-English problem guide
Door will not lock
How to tell whether it is the alignment, the handle, the cylinder or the multipoint mechanism at fault.
What to do first
- Do not keep forcing the handle
- See if it locks with the door open
- Get urgent help if you cannot secure the property
Find a locksmith Avoid making it worse
- Slamming or levering the door
- Taking a multipoint mechanism apart yourself
- Leaving an unlocked door unattended
How a locksmith might tackle it
- Realigning the door and the keep
- Repairing the handle or spindle
- Repairing the gearbox or locking strip
What changes the cost
- What the door is made of
- Whether the part is easy to get hold of
- Any alignment work needed
- Whether it is out of hours
What to prepare
- Photos of the door edge
- What the handle does
- Any make on the mechanism
