Locks, keys and getting back in · Stevenage, Hitchin and North Herts
Locksmith enquiries for homes in Stevenage, Hitchin and North Hertfordshire
Help with lock and key problems for North Herts householders, through an independent enquiry service. Tell us about the door, the lock or the keys and, if you agree, we forward your enquiry to one locksmith who covers your postcode, if any does.
- Shut out, lost keys, faulty uPVC door locks or weak window locks
- Sent to a single locksmith near you, if one covers your postcode
- Free to use, with nothing to sign up for
This is an enquiry service, not an emergency line. If someone is in danger or a break-in is happening, call 999.
Services
What do you need help with?
Locked out of your home
What to do when you are shut out of your house or flat, how a locksmith usually gets you back in and what to tell them. If you agree, your enquiry goes to one locksmith working near you, if one covers your postcode.
About locked out of your homeLock changes after lost or stolen keys
When to change or rekey your locks after keys go missing, what to replace on each kind of door and how to tell your insurer. With your agreement, your enquiry is sent to a single locksmith in your area, if there is one.
About lock changes after lost or stolen keysuPVC and composite door locks
Faults with multipoint locks, handles and cylinders on uPVC and composite doors, and how to make an older door harder to break into. If you agree, one locksmith who works locally receives your enquiry, where one covers your postcode.
About uPVC and composite door locksWindow locks and home security checks
Locks for timber, uPVC and metal windows, a walk-round check of the doors and windows in your home, and what insurers sometimes ask for. With your agreement, one locksmith working near you receives your enquiry, if one covers your postcode.
About window locks and home security checks
Locked out now?
A few things worth checking
Being locked out is stressful. These are worth a moment before or after you send an enquiry.
Try the other ways in first
A back door, patio door or window you can open safely, or someone else who holds a key, such as family, a neighbour, your landlord or letting agent.
If you rent
Your landlord or letting agent may keep a spare key, and your tenancy may say who has to agree to a lock being changed.
If anyone is in danger
If a child or vulnerable person is alone inside and at risk, or a break-in is happening, call 999 now.
How it works
Three steps, one locksmith
- Step 1
Describe the door and the lock
Say what has happened, what kind of door it is, the type of lock if you know it, and whether anything is broken or damaged.
- Step 2
We check who covers your postcode
If you agree, we forward it to one locksmith who covers your address, if any does. Nobody else sees it.
- Step 3
Agree the work with them directly
If it is passed on, the locksmith contacts you to discuss the job and the cost. The decision to go ahead is yours.
Before you enquire
Useful to have to hand
None of this is needed to send an enquiry, but it helps the locksmith understand the job sooner.
- The type of door
uPVC, composite, timber or aluminium, and whether it is a front, back or patio door.
- The lock you can see
On most uPVC and composite doors it is a euro cylinder, often with a multi-point strip along the door edge. Timber doors often have a nightlatch, a mortice deadlock or both.
- What happened
Keys lost or stolen, a key snapped in the lock, a lock that is stiff or will not turn, or damage after a break-in.
- Something showing you live there
A locksmith may ask to see ID or a letter with the address on it before opening a door. It can help to know where one is.
- A crime reference number
If the lock was damaged in a break-in, report it to the police. Insurers usually ask for the reference number.
Areas · Stevenage, Hitchin and North Herts
Areas covered
Not listed? Send your enquiry anyway. We only pass it to a locksmith who covers your postcode, if there is one. More about the areas we cover.
Questions
Before you enquire
Are you a locksmith?
No. Stevenage and Hitchin Locksmiths does no lock work itself; it is an independent enquiry service. If you agree, your enquiry is sent to one locksmith who works in your postcode, where there is one.
What if nobody covers my postcode?
You will hear that from us, and your details are not given to anyone. You are free to find help another way.
Will a locksmith ask me to prove I live there?
They may. Before opening a locked door, a locksmith may ask for photo ID, a utility bill, a tenancy agreement or other proof that the address is yours. If your documents are inside, say so in your enquiry, as they may be able to check them once the door is open.
Someone is in danger or a break-in is happening. What should I do?
Call 999 straight away. This service is not for emergencies where anyone is at risk, including a child or vulnerable person shut inside, or a cooker or bath left running behind a locked door.
Do locksmiths need a licence?
No licence is needed to work as a locksmith in England. That makes it worth asking any locksmith how long they have been working, what the job will cost before they start and whether they will need to drill or replace anything.