Telling us where you are in Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace straddles five boroughs, Bromley, Croydon, Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham, and three postcodes, SE19, SE20 and SE26, so the street name matters more here than almost anywhere.
The two television transmitter masts are visible across much of London, so most people can say which side of them they are. Other clear markers: Crystal Palace Park, a large Victorian pleasure ground, with the dinosaur sculptures; the athletics stadium once known as the National Sports Centre; Crystal Palace station; and the Triangle, a shopping district of three streets forming a triangle. With that and the road, you get the price and the plan for opening the door without damage.
What the homes are like, and what that means for the lock
The area took its name from the palace: the homes around the building became known as Crystal Palace instead of Sydenham Hill. Victorian villas were built on the hill overlooking Croydon. Beyond that, we have not found a reliable published account of the housing here, so we will not guess at it.
What we can say is what we find on the door. Older timber doors usually have a nightlatch and a mortice lock that can often be repaired rather than replaced. Where a house has been split into flats, there is a shared street door and a lock on each flat. uPVC doors fail at the gearbox: uPVC door lock problems shows how to tell.
Common jobs
- Lockouts opened without damage where possible. See locked out: what to do.
- Flats above the shops around the Triangle, after a lost key.
- uPVC doors where the multipoint gearbox has worn and the key turns without locking.
- Lock changes after a move or between tenants.
Questions people ask
Which borough am I in? Possibly any of five. It does not change the price, which is quoted per job before anyone sets off. Just tell us the street.
Do I need the council's permission to change my front door? It depends on your street and borough. A lock is not a door, but ask your council before you replace the door itself.
Nearby
We also cover Sydenham, Herne Hill and Beckenham.
All areas