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Lock Rekey Oxford New Keys Without New Locks
Keep the lock, lose the old keys. We re-lever mortice locks and re-pin suitable cylinders so only your new keys work, and we tell you straight when a new cylinder is the cheaper route.
Ask about rekeying your locks
Tell us what you need and we will call you straight back. Calling is quickest: 07520 644 595. Photos by WhatsApp: 07466 695655
Lock body stays in the door
No new mortice pocket, no fresh holes, original keep and furniture kept.
Old keys stop working
Levers or pins reset so every previous copy is useless.
Keyed alike on request
Front, back and side doors set to take one key where the locks allow.
Straight answer on cost
If a new euro cylinder costs less than rekeying, we say so.
Our lock rekey service in Oxford resets the inside of your existing lock so it works with new keys and every old copy stops working, for £45 to £65 per lock. It suits good-condition lever mortice locks on timber doors best, we usually reach OX1 to OX4 within 10 to 30 minutes, and the lock body never leaves the door.
Rekeying is common in the United States, where most locks are designed for it. In the UK the picture is more mixed, so this page explains honestly which British locks can be rekeyed, when it saves money, and when a new cylinder is simply the better deal.
What does rekeying a lock actually mean?
Every key-operated lock has a set of internal parts that must line up before the bolt will move. In a lever lock, those are flat metal levers, each lifted to a precise height by a step on the key. In a pin cylinder, they are small pin stacks pushed to a shear line by the cuts along the key.
Rekeying swaps or reworks those internal parts so they match a different key. The outside of the lock, the case, the bolt, the faceplate and the keep stay exactly where they are. The result is the same as a new lock from a key point of view: only the keys we hand you will operate it.
It is not the same as cutting a copy, and it is not a repair. If your lock is stiff or faulty, that is a job for door lock repair instead.
Which UK locks can be rekeyed?
Lever mortice deadlocks and sashlocks
The classic long-key lock in a timber door. Many 3 and 5-lever locks can be opened up and re-levered, or set to a new change key, keeping a BS3621 lock in place. This is where rekeying genuinely earns its keep.
Usually the best candidate
Euro cylinders on uPVC and composite doors
Some standard cylinders can be re-pinned, but most are built as sealed units. A new standard cylinder at £25 to £40 is often quicker and costs about the same once labour is included.
Often cheaper to replace
Restricted and high-security cylinders
Anti-snap cylinders with registered key profiles are usually controlled by the maker, and new keys or cores come through authorised channels with your key card.
Replace or order through the maker
Nightlatch cylinders
The round rim cylinder on a Yale-style latch can sometimes be re-pinned, but a matching new rim cylinder is cheap and quick to fit.
Case by case
Send us a photo of the lock face and the key on WhatsApp and we can usually tell you in a minute which group your lock falls into. For a deeper look at lever locks, see our mortice lock replacement and Chubb lock pages.
Rekey or replace: comparing the cost
Here is how the numbers usually fall for the locks we see most across Oxford. All prices include VAT and labour.
| Lock | Rekey | Replace | Usually better |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5-lever mortice deadlock in good order | £45 to £65 | £85 to £115 + lock £35 to £65 | Rekey |
| Standard euro cylinder | £45 to £65 | £65 to £85 + lock £25 to £40 | Similar; replacing is quicker |
| Euro cylinder with no star rating | £45 to £65 | £95 to £135 + cylinder £50 to £120 (anti-snap) | Upgrade instead |
| Worn or 3-lever mortice lock | £45 to £65 | £85 to £115 + lock £35 to £65 | Replace with BS3621 |
The middle row is the honest one: on a uPVC door, rekeying and replacing come out close, so we generally fit a fresh cylinder because it is faster and comes with three new keys. The third row matters too. If the old cylinder can be snapped, paying to rekey it keeps a weak lock. An anti-snap upgrade fixes the keys and the weakness together. Our full locksmith prices list has every option.
When a lock rekey is the right choice
- Period timber doors. On a listed or Victorian front door in Jericho, Headington or central Oxford, keeping the original mortice pocket and brass furniture matters. Rekeying leaves the door untouched.
- A good lock, compromised keys. The lock is a decent BS3621 5-lever but a key has gone missing or an ex-partner still has one.
- Between tenants. Landlords with sound mortice locks can reset keys at each changeover, keeping the same insurer-approved lock. Our tenant eviction lock change page covers repossessions specifically.
- Getting several doors on one key. Front, back and side doors keyed alike so you carry one key.
When it is not the right choice: if the lock is worn, damaged, low security, or you would rather have it done in ten minutes, a door lock change is the better value.
Rekeying several locks to one key
Keyed alike means two or more locks share one key. It is one of the most useful things a rekey can do, especially in older Oxford houses with a front door, a back door and a side passage door, each with its own long mortice key.
- Check compatibility. Locks need a matching key family. Two different brands of lever lock usually cannot share a key.
- Choose the master lock. Usually the best-condition lock sets the key the others are matched to.
- Re-lever or re-pin the rest. Each lock is reset and tested with the shared key.
- Cut spares. Extra keys are £8 to £25 each.
For mixed uPVC and timber doors, the simplest route is often keyed-alike euro cylinders for the uPVC doors, supplied as a set. Businesses wanting several levels of access need a master key system instead; see our commercial locksmith page.
Lost keys and rekeying after a lockout
If you lost your keys and are also stuck outside, we can do both jobs in one visit. Our lockout service gets you in first, and the rekey or cylinder swap follows straight after, so you never spend a night with a lock that someone else can open. Our lost keys package covers entry and making the old keys useless at £75 to £125 plus parts.
To stop it happening again, a key safe, a trusted neighbour with a spare, or a nightlatch that cannot be deadlocked by accident can all help. Our guide on avoiding future lockouts has more ideas. Rekeying sits alongside the rest of our locksmith services for homes and businesses across Oxfordshire.
Rekey and related prices
Prices include VAT and labour, with parts listed separately and agreed before work starts.
| Service | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Lock rekey | £45 to £65 per lock | Existing lock reset to new keys |
| Front/back door lock change (euro cylinder) | £65 to £85 + lock £25 to £40 | Often similar cost on uPVC |
| Anti-snap cylinder upgrade (TS007 3-star) | £95 to £135 + cylinder £50 to £120 | When the old cylinder is weak |
| Mortice deadlock fitting (BS3621 5-lever) | £85 to £115 + lock £35 to £65 | When the lever lock is worn |
| Extra keys | £8 to £25 per key | Cut on site where possible |
Prices include VAT and labour. Parts are listed separately. See the full Oxford locksmith price list.
