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Tenant Eviction Locksmith Oxford Lock Changes for Landlords
We attend the eviction appointment booked by the county court bailiff or High Court enforcement officer, change the locks once possession has been lawfully taken, and hand you new keys and an itemised invoice.
Book an eviction lock change
Tell us what you need and we will call you straight back. Calling is quickest: 07520 644 595. Photos by WhatsApp: 07466 695655
Only after lawful possession
We act once a bailiff or enforcement officer has taken possession.
Timed to the appointment
Booked to the date and time on your bailiff notice of eviction.
Every entry point secured
Front, back, side and communal doors changed and windows checked.
Paperwork for your file
Itemised invoice listing each lock fitted, for your records.
As a tenant eviction locksmith in Oxford, we change the locks for landlords and letting agents at the eviction appointment, once a county court bailiff or High Court enforcement officer has lawfully taken possession. The service costs £165 to £225 plus locks, is booked to the time on your eviction notice, and covers properties across Oxford and Oxfordshire from our North Oxford base.
We are locksmiths, not lawyers or enforcement agents. We do not serve notices, remove occupiers or decide whether an eviction can go ahead. The information on this page is general and is not legal advice. It sits within our locksmith services for Oxford.
Where the locksmith fits in the eviction process
In England, removing a residential tenant normally has to go through the courts. In broad outline, and subject to the type of tenancy and current law, the steps look like this:
Notice
The landlord serves the correct notice on the tenant. The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 has abolished Section 21 no fault notices for most private tenancies in England, with the changes coming into force during 2026, so most claims now rely on Section 8 grounds. Check the current rules for your tenancy.
Possession order
If the tenant does not leave, the landlord applies to court and a judge decides whether to grant possession and by what date.
Enforcement
If the occupier is still there after that date, the landlord applies for enforcement: a warrant of possession carried out by county court bailiffs, or, with the court’s permission, a writ carried out by High Court enforcement officers.
Eviction appointment
The bailiff or officer sets a date and time, takes possession at the property, and that is the point at which we change the locks.
Not legal advice
This is a simplified summary and the law changes. Speak to a solicitor, a landlord association or Shelter’s guidance before acting. Changing locks to exclude a residential occupier without following the proper process can be an illegal eviction and a criminal offence under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977.
Paperwork we ask for before an eviction lock change
Because we are changing locks on a home someone has been living in, we check the paperwork before we book and again on the day. Please have ready:
- A copy of the possession order and the notice of the eviction appointment from the bailiff or enforcement officer, showing the address, date and time.
- Photo ID for the landlord, or for the letting agent attending, plus proof that you own or manage the property, such as a management agreement or Land Registry title.
- Contact details for the officer attending, in case the appointment moves.
- Details of every door that needs changing, including side gates, garages, sheds, meter cupboards and communal doors in a block.
If the paperwork does not add up, or the officer is not present and has not confirmed possession, we will not change the locks. That protects you as much as anyone, because an eviction that goes wrong can be expensive and slow to put right.
What happens on the day of the eviction
- We arrive early. We aim to be at the property a little before the booked time, so we are ready when the officer arrives.
- Possession is taken. The bailiff or enforcement officer deals with any occupiers and confirms that possession has been handed to you. We do not take part in this.
- Entry if needed. If nobody answers and the officer asks us to open the door, we use non destructive methods first. Destructive entry, at £129 to £169 plus a new lock, is a last resort and agreed with you first.
- Locks changed. We change the cylinder or lock on each external door and fit any extra security you have asked for.
- Walk round. We check windows, patio doors, back gates and the garage for weak points, and point out anything left insecure.
- Keys and invoice. New keys go to you or your agent, with an itemised invoice listing each door and part.
Appointments sometimes move at short notice. If the officer reschedules, tell us as soon as you know and we will rebook for the new time.
Securing a property after possession
Once the occupier has gone, it is worth assuming that copies of the old keys are still out there. Many rentals around Cowley, Headington and Blackbird Leys have uPVC or composite front doors with a euro cylinder, which can be changed quickly. Older terraces may have a rim nightlatch and a mortice deadlock, and both need changing.
Where the existing cylinders are basic, the eviction is a good moment to fit TS007 3 star anti snap cylinders, especially if the property will sit empty for a while. If a multipoint mechanism is worn or damaged, see our multipoint lock replacement service.
There are separate rules about belongings left behind by a former occupier, and you may need to keep them for a period and give notice. Take advice on this before clearing the property.
Lodgers, abandoned flats and commercial tenants
Not every case follows the standard tenancy route, and these are the situations where landlords most often ask us to come without a bailiff. Our answer in each case is that we need to see that you have a lawful right to change the locks.
Lodgers in your own home
Lodgers who share living space with the landlord can sometimes be excluded occupiers with fewer protections, but this depends on the facts.
Get advice before changing locks
Property seems abandoned
Even if the tenant appears to have left, the tenancy may not have ended. Changing locks too early is a common mistake.
Confirm surrender or obtain possession first
Shops and offices
Commercial leases follow different rules and may allow re-entry in some cases. We act on written instructions from the landlord’s solicitor or enforcement agent.
Commercial work handled case by case
For locks on shops and offices more generally, see our commercial locksmith page.
Lock changes between tenancies without an eviction
Most landlord work is far simpler than an eviction. When a tenant leaves by agreement and returns keys, it is still sensible to change or rekey the locks before the next tenant moves in, because you cannot know how many copies were cut.
A standard door lock change is £65 to £85 plus a lock at £25 to £40, with three keys included. If the locks are in good order, a lock rekey at £45 to £65 per lock is cheaper. Our article on locksmiths for landlords and letting agents covers check in and check out key routines in more detail.
Tenant eviction lock change prices
Prices include VAT and labour, locks are listed separately, and the full cost is agreed before the appointment.
| Service | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Tenant eviction lock change | £165 to £225 | Plus locks, booked to the eviction time |
| Additional door lock change | £65 to £85 | Plus lock £25 to £40, 3 keys included |
| Anti snap cylinder upgrade | £95 to £135 | Plus cylinder £50 to £120, TS007 3 star |
| Destructive entry if needed | £129 to £169 | Plus new lock, only if other methods fail |
| Window locks | £35 to £55 | Plus lock £15 to £30 each |
| Mailbox lock | £59 to £89 | Plus lock, for flats with post boxes |
| Extra keys | £8 to £25 per key | For agents and contractors |
Prices include VAT and labour. Parts are listed separately. See the full Oxford locksmith price list.
