Rekeying
Rekeying changes what the lock accepts, not the lock itself. Old keys stop working, a new key takes over, and the hardware you already own stays on the door.
What this covers
Everything listed here is work we actually carry out. If your situation is not on the list, describe it when you call and we will tell you honestly whether it is ours.
The missing key is retired, so it no longer matters where it ended up.
Retiring every key handed over by previous occupants, tradespeople and agents.
A clean key handover between tenancies without replacing sound hardware.
Reducing several different keys down to one that opens the doors you use.
Commercial premises where keys have circulated and the count no longer adds up.
Where different people need access to different areas under one overarching key, subject to the hardware in place.
If the locks are in good order and simply need to stop accepting the old keys, rekeying is usually the cheaper and less invasive option. Nothing is cut, drilled or removed from the door.
Rekeying is not always possible. Some cylinders cannot be rekeyed economically, and hardware that is already failing should be replaced rather than recombinated. We will tell you which situation you are in before quoting.
Most properties quietly accumulate keys. A copy for the cleaner, one for a family member, a set that went to a tradesperson, another cut when someone was locked out. Individually reasonable, collectively unknowable.
Rekeying draws a line under that. From the moment it is done, the keys in circulation are the keys you have handed out — and you know how many there are.
Settling into a house or apartment is the natural moment to rekey. You inherit whatever keys existed before you, and you have no way of knowing who still holds one.
It is a small job on a day when everything else is being sorted anyway, and it removes a question you would otherwise carry indefinitely.
Related
One problem tends to sit next to another. These are the services that most often come up in the same conversation.
Questions
In many cases yes. If the lock is in sound working condition, rekeying changes the key it accepts while keeping the hardware on the door. Some cylinders cannot be rekeyed practically, and worn hardware is better replaced.
Yes. Once a cylinder is rekeyed, keys cut to the previous combination no longer operate it. That is the point of the job after keys have gone missing.
Usually, where the locks are compatible with each other. Keying alike is one of the most common reasons people ask for rekeying, and it makes a noticeable difference to daily use.
Treat it as prompt rather than panicked. If the missing keys were labelled with an address, or lost together with identification, it is worth doing straight away and mentioning that when you call.
Location
We work from Acland Street, which means the properties on this page are the ones around us — not a suburb we drive through occasionally.
Get in touch
Tell us what you need help with and we’ll help you find the right locksmith service.
