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Window Lock Replacement Oxford uPVC and Sash Windows
Seized uPVC window handles, lost window keys and sash windows with no locks at all, sorted across Oxford with the right part for the window rather than a one size fits all lock.
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Tell us what you need and we will call you straight back. Calling is quickest: 07520 644 595. Photos by WhatsApp: 07466 695655
Sash window locks
Dual screws and sash stops for the Victorian and Edwardian sashes Oxford is full of.
uPVC espag handles
Locking handles matched by spindle length, offset and screw centres.
Child restrictors
Limit the opening on upstairs windows with a release adults can use.
Discount for several
£35 to £55 per window plus £15 to £30 per lock, less for multiples.
Our window lock replacement service in Oxford repairs and fits locks on uPVC, aluminium, sash and timber casement windows, from £35 per window plus a lock of £15 to £30, usually within 10 to 30 minutes of your call inside the city. We replace stiff or broken uPVC locking handles, fit key-operated locks to older timber windows, and secure sash windows so they open a little for air but not from outside.
Fitting several windows on one visit costs less per window, which is why most people do the whole ground floor at once.
uPVC window handles and espagnolette locks
Most uPVC windows fitted since the 1990s use an espagnolette mechanism: a metal strip running inside the frame edge, moved by the handle, that pushes mushroom-shaped cams into keeps on the frame. The handle is the part you see, and it usually has a small key lock in its base.
When a handle will not turn, the mechanism or gearbox behind it is often the real culprit. When it turns freely but nothing locks, the spindle has usually sheared. To replace a handle correctly we need four things:
- Spindle length, typically 20mm to 40mm, measured from the back of the handle base.
- Inline or offset, depending on whether the spindle lines up with the screws.
- Screw centres, usually 43mm on modern uPVC, but older frames vary.
- Locking or non-locking, and whether the key is a common type or restricted.
Older aluminium and early uPVC windows often use cockspur handles that hook onto a wedge on the frame. Those are a different part, and we carry common sizes.
Sash window locks for Oxford's period houses
Walk down almost any street in Jericho, Summertown, Grandpont or East Oxford and you will see vertical sliding sash windows. The usual catch on top, a fitch fastener, holds the two sashes together but is often unlocked and easy to work back with a blade from outside.
Dual screws
A threaded bolt passes through both meeting rails and is tightened with a small key. Discreet and strong, and usually fitted in pairs on wider sashes.
Sash stops
Small key-operated stops fixed to the frame so the lower sash can open about 100mm for ventilation but no further.
Locking fitch catches
A replacement for the top catch that locks with a key, keeping the period look on the meeting rail.
If your house is listed or in a conservation area, small locks like these are generally discreet and reversible, but check with the planning office if you are unsure about any visible change to historic joinery.
Timber casement windows with no locks
Hinged timber casements on 1930s semis in Headington, Cowley and Botley were often fitted with just a stay and a cockspur catch. Both can be lifted or wiggled loose if a pane is broken. Surface-mounted casement locks fit over the frame and lock with a key, and mortice rack bolts can be fitted into thicker frames where you want nothing visible.
We check the timber first. A lock screwed into soft or rotten wood adds little, so where the frame is weak we say so and suggest where to fit instead.
Window lock replacement or repair: symptom guide
| Symptom | Likely cause | Usual fix | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Handle will not turn at all | Seized gearbox or sash dropped onto the keeps | Free, adjust or replace mechanism | £45 to £75 + parts |
| Handle spins with no effect | Sheared spindle | New handle with correct spindle | £45 to £75 + parts |
| Window locked, key lost | Locking handle with no key | Open and fit new locking handle | £35 to £55 + lock |
| Draught and rattle when shut | Cams not pulling the sash tight | Adjust cams and keeps | £45 to £75 + parts |
| Old sash or casement with no lock | Never fitted | Dual screws, stops or casement locks | £35 to £55 + lock each |
Repairs are no fix, no fee, the same policy as our lock repair service.
Steel, aluminium and lost window keys
Some 1930s houses around Oxford still have slim steel windows of the Crittall type, with brass or chrome cockspur handles and a peg stay. Locking versions of both parts exist, so we can add a key lock without changing the look. Rust around the catch is common and is usually freed and treated rather than replaced.
Lost window keys are one of the most frequent small jobs. Many standard uPVC handles share a handful of common key patterns, so it is worth trying any small window key you have. If nothing fits, we open each handle and fit new locking handles keyed alike, so one key works the whole house. Write down the handle make before you lose the next one.
New tenants and buyers sometimes find no window keys at all in the handover. That is a good moment to look at the rest of the house too, using our room by room home security checklist, or to book the residential locksmith service for doors and windows on one visit.
Child restrictors and fire escape windows
Upstairs windows need a balance between security and safety. Child safety restrictors limit the opening to around 100mm, enough for air but too small for a toddler, and release with a button or key that an adult can work quickly.
Do not lock your escape route
Bedrooms above the ground floor often have a larger opening window intended as a fire escape route. If you fit a key lock, keep the key in the room, near the window but out of sight from outside. Never leave an escape window locked with the key elsewhere in the house.
Landlords of shared houses should check fire safety guidance before adding locks to any escape window. More home safety and security pointers are in our home security tips for Oxford residents.
Why window locks matter for insurance
Many home insurance policies ask that accessible windows have key-operated locks, meaning ground floor windows and any upstairs ones reachable from a flat roof, porch or extension. A burglar who finds a locked front door often tries the back windows next, especially on houses that back onto alleys or the canal towpath.
A full-house check usually pairs window locks with the doors. Our patio door lock repairs cover sliding and French doors, and door bolts add strength to timber back doors. Everything we offer for homes is listed on our locksmith services page.
Window lock prices in Oxford
VAT and labour are included, with each lock or handle listed separately.
| Service | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Window locks fitted | £35 to £55 + lock £15 to £30 each | Discount for several windows |
| Window lock repair | £45 to £75 + parts | uPVC, sash and casement |
| Lock repair | £55 to £85 | No fix, no fee |
| Patio door lock | £85 to £125 + lock £40 to £80 | If the back doors need work too |
Prices include VAT and labour. Parts are listed separately. See the full Oxford locksmith price list.
