Usually yes, because you cannot know who still holds a key: previous owners, tenants, cleaners, builders or estate agents. Police security guidance says that if you cannot account for all the keys, change the locks. Start with every outside door.
Police guidance published on ProtectUK says to keep control of your keys, know who has copies, and change the locks if you cannot account for them all. After a move, you rarely can. The Master Locksmiths Association notes that previous owners or tenants, cleaners, babysitters and estate agents could all hold a key, and on a new build so could tradesmen and site staff.
Begin with the outside doors: front, back, side and any patio or French doors. On uPVC and composite doors that usually means a new euro cylinder, swapped whole. A wooden front door often has a night latch with a rim cylinder and a mortice lock, and each takes a key. The Master Locksmiths Association suggests adding window, garage and shed locks to the list.
Use the change to check the standard. West Yorkshire Police recommend 3 stars as the minimum when upgrading a cylinder, meaning TS007 3 star or a 1 star cylinder with a 2 star handle, and name Sold Secure Diamond (SS312) as the other national standard. On wooden doors, look for BS3621 on the faceplate. Check your home insurance policy too, as insurers may require a minimum standard of lock.
The trade off is cost, which rises with every door. If money is tight, do the front and back doors first and the rest later. The Master Locksmiths Association notes you could have the locks keyed alike, so one key opens all your doors. In a flat, the communal entrance usually belongs to the building, so ask the managing agent about that door.
With us, a lock change is £85 between 8am and 6pm on weekdays plus the cylinder, £25 for a standard euro or £60 for a TS007 3 star anti snap, and if you send every door in one job, the whole visit is priced before we set off.
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