Lock Upgrades in Surrey, Hampshire & Berkshire
Unlock Greater Home Security with Jet Locksmiths' Expert Advice
Most homes have adequate locks. A surprising number have locks that are years out of date, no longer meet their insurer’s requirements, or provide far less resistance to modern burglary techniques than their owners realise. A lock upgrade isn’t about spending money for the sake of it; it’s about making a targeted, informed improvement to a specific weak point.
Jet Locksmiths have been advising homeowners and businesses across Surrey, Hampshire, and Berkshire on lock upgrades for over 22 years. We’ll look at what you have, tell you honestly what’s worth changing and what isn’t, and carry out the work to a high standard with no call-out fee and a fixed price agreed upfront.
Why Upgrade Your Locks?
There are several situations where upgrading makes clear sense:
Your current locks are old or worn
Locks that are more than ten years old, particularly mortice locks and older euro cylinders, may no longer provide the protection they once did, and may not meet the standards now required by most home insurers. A worn lock is also more likely to fail mechanically, creating an inconvenient or costly lockout.
You’ve had a break-in or a near-miss
A burglary is the most obvious trigger for a security review, but a near-miss, an attempted forced entry, tools found near a door, or a neighbour’s property targeted is just as valid a reason. Once a street or area has been identified by opportunist burglars, the same properties tend to be revisited.
Upgrading before rather than after is always preferable.
Your insurer requires it
Many home insurance policies specify minimum lock standards for external doors, typically BS3621 for timber doors and TS007 3-star for euro cylinders on UPVC and composite doors. If your policy includes these requirements and your locks don’t meet them, a claim following a break-in may be disputed.
We can advise on exactly what your insurer requires and fit the appropriate locks with documentation confirming compliance.
You’re moving into a new property
A new home is the ideal moment to assess the locks from scratch and upgrade anything that falls short. Previous occupants may have had keys cut, and the lock specifications may be years behind modern standards.
You’ve had building work or trades in the property
Any time multiple people have had access to your keys, during a renovation, for example, it’s worth considering a lock change. Upgrading at the same time adds genuine value.
Which Locks Are Worth Upgrading?
Not every lock in a property needs to be a premium specification. A sensible upgrade focuses on the doors and windows that represent the highest-risk entry points — and uses the right product for each.
Door/lock type | Recommended upgrade |
UPVC or composite front door (euro cylinder, standard grade) | TS007 3-star anti-snap cylinder, which resists lock snapping, the most common UK burglary technique |
Timber front or back door (mortice lock, non-British Standard) | British Standard BS3621 mortice deadlock, required by most home insurers for wooden external doors |
UPVC or composite door (standard handle and gearbox) | Upgraded multi-point mechanism with anti-lift hooks prevents the door from being lifted off its hinges or the bolts being bypassed. |
Ground floor or accessible windows (basic catch or no lock) | Key-operated window locks or espagnolette bolts prevent opening from outside and satisfy insurer requirements |
Front or back door — any type (want keyless convenience) | Smart lock installation, keypad, app, or fob entry with full audit trail and remote access control |
Any external door (older rim latch / Yale lock only) | Add a mortice deadlock below the existing latch, provides a second independent locking point and meets BS3621 on timber doors |
Understanding Lock Security Standards
Lock standards can feel technical and confusing. Here’s a plain-English explanation of the ones that matter most:
BS3621 – British Standard for mortice locks
This is the standard most home insurers reference for wooden door locks. A BS3621-certified mortice lock has been independently tested to resist picking, drilling, and sawing. The kite mark on the lock face confirms it meets the standard. If your timber doors don’t have BS3621 locks, there’s a good chance your insurer requires them.
TS007 3-star – the standard for euro cylinders
This rating, from the Door Hardware Federation, is equivalent to BS3621 for euro cylinders used in UPVC and composite doors. A 3-star-rated cylinder provides meaningful resistance to lock snapping, picking, drilling, and bumping, the techniques most commonly used by burglars targeting this type of door.
Two-star and one-star cylinders offer partial protection; a cylinder with no star rating offers none.
Sold Secure Diamond
The Master Locksmiths Association’s own certification, which in practice sets a comparable standard to TS007 3-star. If a cylinder carries either the TS007 3-star or Sold Secure Diamond rating, you can have reasonable confidence it’s genuinely protective.
PAS 24 – enhanced security for doors and windows
PAS 24 is a higher-level standard applied to the whole door or window assembly, not just the lock. Doors and windows certified to PAS 24 are tested as a complete unit, including the frame, hinges, and glazing. You’ll often see this referenced in relation to new-build properties. The locks within a PAS 24 door still need to meet TS007 or BS 3621 standards.
Lock Upgrades for Rental Properties
Landlords have a legal obligation to ensure rented properties are reasonably secure, and the locks fitted are part of that responsibility. Many landlords upgrade locks between tenancies as a matter of routine, both to satisfy this obligation and to provide incoming tenants with genuine confidence in the security of their new home.
We regularly work with landlords and letting agents across Surrey, Hampshire, and Berkshire, and can accommodate multiple properties. If you manage a portfolio and want a reliable locksmith to carry out lock upgrades and change-of-tenancy lock changes, contact us to discuss how we can help.
Areas We Cover for our Locksmith Services
Our team provides locksmith services across Surrey, Hampshire, and Berkshire, including: Camberley, Guildford, Farnborough, Woking, Basingstoke, Bracknell, Aldershot, and many more. Not sure if we cover your area? Get in touch, and we’ll confirm straight away.