Why won't my uPVC door handle lift up?

Open the door and try the handle gently. The Master Locksmiths Association's guide says that if it lifts easily when open but not when shut, door adjustments will usually fix it. If it will not lift with the door open, it says that is often a lack of lubrication or a mechanism breaking down. Some doors have features that stop you doing this test, so it does not work on every door.

A failing mechanism tends to give warning, and the MLA guide mentions floppiness, crunchiness and some give in the handle. It puts a handle that lifts part way and stops, with a key that will not turn fully, down to misalignment, and warns that leaving it unadjusted can end with the gearbox failing. A handle that will not go down at all is most commonly a failed gearbox.

The handle itself is rarely the problem. The MLA guide says you should not normally need a new handle, because it carries on working once the real fault is fixed. That is worth knowing before buying parts, because a new handle will not cure a dropped door or a broken gearbox.

Do not force it, and do not turn the key while pushing hard on the handle. Extra force goes through the spindle into the gearbox, and one locksmith guide warns that if the handle is stiff with the door open, carrying on can leave the door deadlocked shut. If it is jammed, leave it as it is so the cause can still be seen.

If the door is out of line, realigning it costs £110 on weekdays from 8am to 6pm, £140 on evenings and weekends, and £150 from 10pm to 8am. A failed gearbox is the same labour price plus the part, and a uPVC centre gearbox part is £50. Both include travel and up to one hour on site, and the price is fixed before we set off.

Related questions

• Why does my uPVC door lock when I open it but not when I close it?
• Can you replace the locking mechanism on a uPVC door?
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