Can't lock door!

[Bear]

Our front door's mortise lock has been getting more and more difficult to lock from the outside. I'm assuming it's because it's been so damp/cold for so long the wood has expanded and the male and female bits of the lock are out of alignment. The door needs a good old shove just to close now too.

The lock itself opens and closes easily when the door is open - so it's not something a squirt of WD40 will fix.

We can still use the Yale lock, but I'm concerned about the effect on the insurance cover if not all locks are locked.

Do I need a front new door? £££
A new frame? £££
A locksmith to realign the mortise? ££

Can anyone with experience of this advise on the best way forward (and the most economic - December's bills are still coming in!)

TIA

I'd imagine a new mortice would do you.

A joiner could do that. No idea of cost - I have handy BIL!

It will affect your insurance if both locks aren't used, yes.

I have a slight concern about doing that - if we get a summer this year and the door shrinks won't I just have the same but opposite problem - the new mortice might not fit!

Am I casting round looking for a quick fix when I should just be facing up to having to spring for a new door and possibly frame and then having to paint it and all that malarkey

Why isn't it locking? Is it that that it no longer lines up with the hole? Then I would say just make the hole bigger.

If its because the mechanism is broken/stiff try WD40 (lots) and if that doesn't work then get a new mortise lock and a locksmith can do that and they'll put it in the exsisting hole.

Thanks for starting this thread, have exactly the same problem. Will get dh onto WD40-ing or otherwise it's a new lock.

Can't make the hole bigger - the hole is edged with metal. And it's not that it's stiff.

filed the metal a wee bit - felt like a prisoner trying to escape! - and the lock turns again. Bit tight, but at least usable, now all we need is a prolonged warm dry spell......