uPVC & Composite Door Locks

Don’t replace the door — fix the lock

When a uPVC door stops locking, the first quote many people get is to replace the whole door. That’s rarely necessary. The locking hardware inside a uPVC or composite door is serviceable: the part that usually fails is the multipoint mechanism (the gearbox) running up the edge of the door, or the euro cylinder the key turns. Both can be replaced for a fraction of the cost of a new door — usually in one visit.

The classic warning signs

• You have to lift the handle hard, or it’s gone loose and floppy.
• The key turns but the door won’t lock — the hooks and bolts aren’t throwing.
• The door only locks if you pull or lift it into position.
• There’s a grinding or slipping feeling when you operate the handle.

These are mechanism and alignment faults. Left alone they get worse until the door jams shut or won’t lock at all — so it’s worth fixing early, before it strands you on the wrong side of the door.

Snap protection that actually matters

“Lock snapping” almost always means euro cylinder snapping — the cylinder fitted to most uPVC and composite doors. A standard cylinder can be defeated in seconds; a TS007 3-star anti-snap cylinder is built to resist it. We measure your door and cut the replacement to the exact length (a cylinder that protrudes is the easiest target there is), then fit it so it sits flush and secure.

Realignment, the overlooked fix

Doors move with the seasons. A door that has dropped on its hinges puts the mechanism out of line with the frame keeps, which is what forces you to lift or shove it to lock. We realign the door and adjust the keeps so it locks cleanly with no fight — often the single most satisfying repair we do.

Every uPVC repair is guaranteed, and we’ll always tell you honestly when a repair is the right call versus a full mechanism upgrade.