Why Your Door Won't Lock: Common Issues & Fixes

IKS Locksmiths are Barnet Locksmiths approved by the Master Locksmiths Association. We are experienced in door lock repair and replacement. If your door won’t lock we will help you resolve the issue quickly and provide the best long term solution at the best price. In this post, we give you some tips that could help you avoid calling a locksmith!

Common Problems with Door Locks

As emergency locksmiths in London, we are experienced in dealing with the full range of door lock problems. When your door won’t lock it needs to be dealt with as an emergency, just as much as you need a locksmith when locked out. There are common issues that we tend to see. Some issues can resolved by the homeowner and others need professional help.

Why Your Door Won’t Lock

There can be a range of reasons why your door won’t lock from a simple case of dirt in the lock, which can be easily cleaned, to a failed lock that needs replacing, or a UPVC door that won’t lock and needs a new mechanism. An experienced and genuine locksmith will be able to identify the problem by asking questions on the phone, from seeing a video showing the issue or visiting the property, depending on the circumstances and the specific problem.

How To Fix a Door That Won’t Lock: General Solutions and Tips

It is important to secure a door urgently to avoid a break in and to avoid unnecessary problems. When we receive a call about a door that won’t lock we will always help a customer with basic trouble shooting on the phone as a starting point.

Practical Solutions When Your Front Door Won’t Lock

Some door lock problems can be resolved easily with our step-by-step door lock troubleshooting tips. Read and try these to see if you can resolve the issue yourself.

If it can’t be easily resolved you will need a visit from a security specialist to establish why the door lock won’t work so that the best solution to the problem can be established. Always seek professional advice from an approved locksmith to avoid causing further damage to your door, and unnecessary expense.

Troubleshooting Specific Door Types

IKS Locksmiths are experienced in locks repairs for all types of doors

What to do When Your UPVC Door Won’t Lock

There can be a number of UPVC door lock problems. Common UPVC lock problems we see are:

The UPVC door won’t lock when shut or won’t shut at all
The UPVC door handle won’t lift up to lock
The lock has failed and needs to be replaced
The door is catching because it has dropped and needs to be realigned
There is dirt in the lock
The UPVC mechanism has failed and needs to be replaced

Read in more detail about How to Fix UPVC Door Lock Problems and Prevention here. This post gives recommendations of things you can check before calling a locksmith and how to deal with particular UPVC lock problems.

Fixing a Patio Door That Won’t Lock

When you call a locksmith because your patio doors won’t lock, the first thing they should ask is, “What type of patio door do you have?”. A locksmith will need to know whether a patio door is wood, metal, UPVC or composite to start to diagnose the problem. Read here about the different types of patio doors and locks.

IKS Locksmiths are experienced in dealing with all types of patio door problems.

How to Fix a Back Door That Won’t Lock

Again it will depends on the type of door and the specific issue. Whether it is your front or back door contact a locksmith for professional advice to prevent a break in or any further damage to the door.

What to do when your door handle won’t lift to lock

This type of problem relates specifically to UPVC doors. It is most likely a failed lock and would definitely require help from a professional locksmith.

Contact a Qualified Local Locksmith for Door Lock Problems

IKS Locksmiths are security specialists experienced in lock repair, opening and installation. From a door handle that won’t go up to lock, to a key that is sticking in the lock, we can help! Contact our specialists for help with door lock problems. We will help you with trouble shooting tips on the phone as a starting point.

IKS Locksmiths carry out a free security survey and will only charge for work completed at a pre-agreed cost. You can speak directly to a security specialist on: