First test the handle and key with the door open. If they work open but not shut, the door is out of line and the keeps, rollers or hinges need adjusting. If they are stiff, floppy or jammed even when open, the gearbox or multipoint lock usually needs replacing, so stop and do not force it.
Start with the door open. Lift the handle gently, then turn the key, and compare that with how it feels when the door is shut. Smooth when open but stiff when shut points to alignment. Stiff, crunching or floppy even when open points to the mechanism inside the door. One locksmith guide warns that if it is stiff with the door open, carrying on can leave the door deadlocked shut.
Some checks are safe for anyone. Look for scrape marks on the keeps, check the gaps around the door, tighten any loose handle screws, and wipe the hooks, rollers and keeps clean. ERA, which makes multipoint locks, advises lubricating all moving parts with a light non acidic mineral oil such as 3 in 1 twice a year. Do not spray oil into the cylinder.
Adjusting a keep is the next step, and it is within reach if you are careful. ERA's fitting instructions describe loosening the keep screws, sliding the keep insert along its slotted holes, and tightening it again with a hand screwdriver. Mark where it sat first, move it a millimetre or two at a time, and test with the door open and then shut after each move.
Stop if a screw spins without gripping, if the door has to be lifted to close, if the handle is stiff with the door open, or if it is late and this is your only secure door. Hinge adjustment and gearbox replacement are better left to a locksmith. If the door is new, check the guarantee first, because one hardware maker says adjustments should only be made by a qualified engineer.
Do not leave the house with the door unlocked, because insurers can make locked doors a condition of cover. Realigning a door that will not lock costs £110 on weekdays from 8am to 6pm, £140 on evenings and weekends, and £150 from 10pm to 8am. That includes travel and up to one hour on site, and the price is fixed before we set off.
Useful next steps
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