Front door won't open at all!

[purpleme12]

My front door won't open at all!
The handle normally stops at a certain point when you push it down to open it doesn't it. Well now you can push the handle down even further. Further than it should go.
But I just can't open the door at all!!

Has anyone else ever had this problem??

Does anyone know what might be wrong here??

Can you take a photograph and post it up here, so we can see the type of lock and mechanism? We’ll get you out!

It's just a normal pvc door with a handle that you lift up to lock

But it just won't open at all anymore

I tried to add a picture but it said it's too big. Which is weird cos I've added a picture to a thread before and it's been ok. But I don't know how to make it smaller. But it's just a normal handle you lift up to lock

Can I just double check which side of the door you’re standing on?! Inside?

It won't open on either side

Try pushing the handle up really hard, as far as possible, bang! bang!, a couple of times, and see if that resets the mechanism/tongue set-up. Sometimes that works temporarily till you get a proper fix.

Are you locked out?

uPVC door won’t open? Common causes, DIY fixes, Repair costs

I tried pushing it up but nothing changed

I'll try again later, just in case!!

I'm not locked out or in as we've got the back door still. Back door is just not very convenient as it's off the lounge so carpet in lounge and we don't allow shoes in lounge

I guess I'll have to get a locksmith ☹️

Try these, @purpleme12?

I’m glad you’re safe indoors at any rate.

I wonder if @PigletJohn is around?

This happened to us back in August.

1st the door wouldn't lock properly from inside by lifting the handle up.
Then the door wouldn't shut properly because the lock was jammed open in the side of the door.
Finally, dh pushed the locking mechanism back in and shut the door and nothing worked!

Same as you: we were locked inside the house and couldn't open the door from either side! Thankfully, we have both a back door and a side door so could get in and out.

But we did have to get a locksmith out and he had to force the door open and replace the locking mechanism (£300) 😩

The reason the lock had jammed was that the door was 15 years old and it was normal wear and tear over time!

It's a lot of money 😭

What did he do to fix it? Or is it that once he forced it open it was all ok?

Bear in mind that many links are trying to sell a service.
Locksmith scams: spot the signs of a rogue trader - Which?

No. The gear box needed to be replaced as the lock was broken. So the charge was for opening the door and removing the broken part and replacing it with a new part. But I am in Greater London, so it might cost you less if you are somewhere else.

Thank you

I'm in Yorkshire

Let's hope it's less money!

I had this happen to me last year and it cost £120 to fix. I'm in Yorkshire too!

I hope you get it fixed @purpleme12 .
I love it when threads are this supportive. Thanks everyone.

Have you turned the key to the left when you pull the handle.down. mine started doing this a few weeks ago. Its actually not a bad thing for me as my dog can open doors and likes to.take himself for a wander!

Yes, and I guessed it was a plastic door just from the title. Probably a mutipoint with a Eurocylinder.

Call-out locksmiths are notoriously expensive, and some of them have the trick of footling about for the first hour so they can charge you for two hours work even if it only takes two minutes.

If you can get into your house through the back door or something, look up your local specialist in plastic doors and windows, in the morning. There is bound to be one because they go wrong so often. Friends and neighbours may know who it is. I know my local firm because I see his van so often.

If you ever need a real locksmith, for a British Standard BS3621 lock, than which you will find none better, check the Master Locksmiths Association for a qualified person near you. Your household insurers probably know one.

It's warning you that it's worn out. Get it mended (new mechanism fitted, or possibly adjustment) by your local plastic door specialist before it fails.

Have you tried one of you pushing it shut whilst the other fiddles with handle
on ours the multi lock mechanism had failed
quoted around £200 if I remember
ended up getting a new door sooner than we wanted we were going to to replace it anyway but in a year or so time

This happened to me but luckily I couldn't close the door to lock it so was able to change the barrel (a mechanism had gone in the barrel). Can you get the barrel out with the door being closed and locked?

Interesting, the door is only 3 yrs old! And we don't even use it as the main door. But will dig out warranty paperwork

They sometimes get out of adjustment when the cold weather starts.

Also when the hot weather starts.

Had something similar. Locksmith couldn't get in and had to take panels out of door to get to the mechanism. All sorted with new lock and still have original upvc door, cost £100ish earlier this year.
Try to get recommendation for a local locksmith - see BBC website for recent article about scam locksmiths

The same company that came out to fix my CCTV cameras also do locksmith things. It says they're MLA on the website. So I might use them

Probably a different person who does the locksmith side but the people who gave come out in the past for the cameras were really nice