What I do on a snapped or broken lock
First, entry. If the cylinder is snapped on a UPVC door, half the cylinder may still be in place, I can usually remove the remaining half and operate the lock directly. If it’s a night latch that’s seized, or a mortice that won’t turn, I pick or bypass as with any standard lockout.
Once you’re back inside, the replacement matters more than the entry. Whatever went wrong with the old lock, snap attack, mechanical failure, seized internals, I’m not going to refit a like-for-like replacement that fails the same way next year.
For Euro cylinders on UPVC or composite doors, the flat £120 fits a BS Kitemark 3★ anti-snap cylinder, that’s the highest UK rating, with:
- Sacrificial snap lines that break only a decoy section under attack
- Hardened anti-drill pins
- Anti-pick security pins
- Usually a longer key warranty from the manufacturer
The new cylinder sits flush with your handle furniture. Anything sticking out more than about 3mm is easier to grip with a pipe wrench, which is exactly what burglars exploit.
For 5-lever mortice locks (older wooden doors, Victorian terraces), I fit BS3621-rated replacements that meet most UK home insurance requirements. Pricing for mortice replacements varies depending on the lock, I’ll quote before fitting.
For Yale-style night latches, a like-for-like replacement is straightforward. If you want to upgrade to a deadlocking latch (cannot be opened from inside once locked from outside, useful if the door is ever forced through a nearby window), I’ll quote the upgrade.