Just completed - should I change locks?

poppysarah

Sammy85 wrote: »

Elsien - exactly the same, nice sellers, never crossed my mind to change the locks! Got me thinking now!!

It's something I'm a firm believer in. You just don't know who's got copies of the keys and it'd be horrid to find out someone did have...

It's not dear in the grand scheme of buying a house.

Barneysmom

The people who sold the house to us were very nice. But within a few weeks a load of plants went missing out of the garden........
I got quite paranoid then.

greenface

Congratulations on the new house hope you have many a good year there.

A decent euro barrel lock to fit most PVCu doors will cost no more than a tenner and can be fitted by yourself with a pozi drive in about 5/10 minutes (so long as the door is open and you have the original key)
HERE IS WHERE I KICK MYSELF FOR SAYING THIS BUT REMEMBER THIS

I have fitted doors for over 20 years and have a surplus of locks(changed styles or dimensions etc) that i sell on ebay and they sell well but you do have to be careful who you buy off as i have your lock details and your address (the one i am posting the locks to) I personally dont keep records but i wouldnt like to say who may.
For peace of mind its always worth changing.
HTH
Or get a friend to buy them and you pick the locks up from their house

stef73

Our house was a ex rental house before we bought it . I changed the locks as soon as we had they keys . As previous posters have said you never know who has been given keys in the past .

FreeLocateMe.co.uk

Hi, Personally I have never changed my locks after buying a house but I guess it come down to the areas you live in and the sort of people you bought the house off. If you do decide to though it should just be a case of a simple barrel change and will not cost too much. Hope this helps.

GDB2222

If you have a Chubb mortice lock, you can just get new levers for the inside and new keys. Saves a fair bit compared to a new lock. The levers are easy to fit yourself - a 2 minute job.

telfordwhite

We had our car nicked and never got it back. Keys were either fished out of the lock or somebody came into the house and nicked em while we were in bed. We had been in the house a couple of months and hadn't changed the locks.

Got the locks changed for 100 quid the next day. I don't know if somebody had a key and let themselves in or not but it is a possibility.

Wickedkitten

Yup, we had to change 5 of them last year when we bought our house, but the peace of mind is well worth it.

I did actually have the barrels from our last chance on the offchance that they would fit, but we actually managed to lose the keys for them somewhere during the move

beccad

In terms of costs, we had to change our locks just before Christmas after a break-in, and it was four locks adn some repairs, plus a London Bar being put in and it was just over £300 :shock: That was an emergency job mind you, and the insurance paid out for it...

loulou41

I never got to change mine. The builder still has a key and he did advise me to change the locks as he can vouch for himself but he cannot for other people. I think I will have to do it soon. The previous owners did not worry me as they are decent people and it is in a nice neighbourhood.