Is your handle stiff when locking your door ?

Just completed a challenging job that highlights the critical importance of proactive lock maintenance. An elderly lady found herself in a distressing situation: her key was stuck on the inside, preventing her from locking the door and leaving her vulnerable.

It transpired the issue was a faulty gearbox, jamming the cam. This required significant time to dismantle. To ensure her immediate security, we fitted an overnight gearbox and new lock while we await the specific replacement parts.

The vital lesson here: If your door handle feels stiff, tight, or difficult to operate when locking, please get it checked immediately. This is a clear warning sign of an underlying fault that will only worsen. What could have been a simple door alignment or minor adjustment if caught early, unfortunately, escalated into a more complex and expensive repair due to delayed attention.