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Original poster

Changing locks when buying a house

80 replies

PraiseBee · 28/09/2021 10:50

How many people changed the locks when they moved into a new place? My friend said they changed theirs but it didn't cross my mind until they said.

OP posts:
Washeduponthebeach · 28/09/2021 10:52

I w never done it.

FiveShelties · 28/09/2021 10:53

I have never changed the locks but I can see it could be a good idea.

chukwe · 28/09/2021 10:54

I've moved twice and never changed them

Justmuddlingalong · 28/09/2021 10:55

I've always changed the locks and the loo seat.

urbanbuddha · 28/09/2021 10:55

Always changed the locks.

Thecatisboss · 28/09/2021 10:56

I've worked in an estate agents we always recommended it - when we moved we changed the locks as you never know who's got a copy of the keys.

KleineDracheKokosnuss · 28/09/2021 10:57

Always. Easy enough to buy new lock barrels off Amazon.

JLQ1020 · 28/09/2021 10:57

Yes we changed them as soon as we got our keys hate the idea someone could come in with a spare key

Rukia · 28/09/2021 11:00

We changed them after a few months when an acquaintance in another department at work casually said that her best friend used to live at our house and she probably still had a spare key somewhere that she’d try to find and hand over. That key never showed up, but it did make us think about how many other spare keys could be out there for our house.

HeronLanyon · 28/09/2021 11:02

Always without exception and as soon as possible.

Washeduponthebeach · 28/09/2021 11:03

Out of curiosity, how much does it cost?

Ginisatonic · 28/09/2021 11:03

We did once because we had a dispute with the vendor and we didn’t trust him. Also the house had been for sale for a long time and every agent in town had a key for it.

WindyRose · 28/09/2021 11:04

I change locks too but suggest you ask for them to be 'keyed alike' so that 'one' key will open every door, rather than having several keys and having to sort through them every time you need to open a door. Some locksmiths charge a little extra, some don't but it's worth the extra cost, imho.

Real estate agent paid for the locksmith when I bought the current house, was going to do it myself, but he had done it already. I guess because of previous dodgy tenants who had to be evicted for non-payment of rent and all utilities.

reenon · 28/09/2021 11:05

How many people change the loo seat?

HeronLanyon · 28/09/2021 11:06

I once bought a flat from a guy who left a spare set at the pub on the road in case he or friends ever needed them ! Found this kit on night two - had changed my flat lock already but three very drunk women came into shared hallway using said key and were then confused when their second key didn’t work in my door. Whole house agreed to change front door also. Next day. And agreed not to leave keys at pub.

SingingSands · 28/09/2021 11:07

We meant to, but it took us about 12 years to actually get around to it Blush

DigitalGhost · 28/09/2021 11:08

Changed all of ours on the day we moved in as it was previously rented. Christ knows how many keys were in circulation Confused

purplecorkheart · 28/09/2021 11:27

Always. A family friend is a retired locksmith and he always changes the locks for anyone he knows who moves. The last time I moved he was changing the lock as the movers were moving in the first of the furniture. He buys the locks at cost so it wasn't too expensive.

user1497207191 · 28/09/2021 11:30

Yep, always changed them, at the first opportunity after receiving them. When we last bought a house, we had our joiner booked in advance to do the job on the afternoon we picked up the keys. I thought it was something everyone did as the norm.

user1497207191 · 28/09/2021 11:32

@WindyRose

I change locks too but suggest you ask for them to be 'keyed alike' so that 'one' key will open every door, rather than having several keys and having to sort through them every time you need to open a door. Some locksmiths charge a little extra, some don't but it's worth the extra cost, imho.

Real estate agent paid for the locksmith when I bought the current house, was going to do it myself, but he had done it already. I guess because of previous dodgy tenants who had to be evicted for non-payment of rent and all utilities.

That's a brilliant suggestion to have all the keys the same. Can't believe I hadn't thought of it. In fact, I may get our joiner to give us a price to do it.
2catsandhappy · 28/09/2021 11:35

I used to know a thief, he told me this. The house key gets sold on for about £300. The key buyer waits a couple of weeks so that new house owner buys lots of lovely new things for the house. Then the thief lets themselves in and strips the house to make back their money and stolen property profit.
Horrible but true.

FuglyHouse · 28/09/2021 11:43

Always. You don't know who might have spare keys. DP did ours, it wasn't difficult.

LCDP · 28/09/2021 12:13

Yes, you never know who has a copy of the keys, especially if the property was ever a rental.

JessJossJohn · 28/09/2021 13:14

Always after renting a property and the previous occupant tried to sell us a set of spare keys she had.

Open door, unscrew the screw holding the lock in place, slide out the barrel and measure it. Sometimes there is a difference between the "inside" and the "outside" measurements of the lock ie 35mm and 40mm. Go to a hardware shop, get new barrel. Install the same way you took it out with one screw that is accessed when the door is open. Loads of videos on YouTube showing you how to do it and also how to measure.

We have an ABS lock so you cannot have a key cut from it, you need a security number meaning we can lend the spare key out and no for sure they cannot copy it. You never know how many people have keys to a house.

ftw163532 · 28/09/2021 13:20

You don't need a locksmith to change door locks if you already have the existing key. Just buy the same type and switch it out.

It's incredibly foolish not to change the locks.