Beth Townsend
Beth writes for Top Rated Locksmiths, with a focus on helping homeowners compare quotes and ask the right questions. Away from the desk, she is learning Welsh one lesson at a time.
Articles by Beth Townsend
Bifold Door Security and What Locks to Look For
What to ask when buying or checking bifold doors: the locking points, cylinder and handle standard, whether the doors carry a PAS 24 test, laminated glass, and what a locksmith can upgrade afterwards.
Read guide
What to Do When a Child Locks Themselves in a Room
Calm steps for a parent whose child is locked in a bathroom or bedroom, when it is a 999 situation, when a locksmith can help and what it normally costs, and how to stop it happening again.
Read guide
Car Key Fob Not Working and When It Needs a Locksmith
What to check when a car key fob stops working, when a new battery is enough, what a repair or reprogramming normally involves, and when to call an auto locksmith rather than a main dealer.
Read guide
uPVC Door Gearbox Replacement and What It Should Cost
How to tell if your uPVC door gearbox has failed, what a repair or replacement typically costs in 2026, how it differs from alignment or a full multipoint lock, and what to ask a locksmith.
Read guide
Can Tenants or Landlords Change the Locks on a Rented Home?
When a tenant may change the locks, when a landlord may, why a landlord changing locks while a tenant is out can be a criminal offence, what happens between tenancies and who pays.
Read guide
Keyless Car Theft and How to Protect Your Car on the Driveway
How keyless car theft works in plain terms and the simple steps that help: where to keep the key, signal blocking pouches, a visible steering lock, settings and a tracker.
Read guide
How to Measure a Euro Cylinder Before You Replace a Door Lock
How euro cylinder sizes work, what the two numbers mean, why a cylinder should not stick out and how to be sure you order the right length and snap resistant standard.
Read guide
How to Choose a Home Safe and Have It Fitted Properly
Security safes and fire safes compared, what cash ratings and grades mean, where to put a safe, why it must be bolted down and how to check your insurance.
Read guide
Door Chains and Door Viewers to Check Who Is at the Door
How door chains, door limiters and door viewers work, which ones are police approved, how to use a chain safely when someone knocks and what fitting costs.
Read guide
What Is a 5 Lever Mortice Lock and Why Does BS3621 Matter?
What a 5 lever mortice lock is, how to tell if yours meets BS3621, why home insurance policies mention it and what it costs to have one fitted.
Read guide
UPVC Door Lock Problems and When to Call a Locksmith
Common uPVC door lock faults, what causes them, which ones a locksmith can repair and when the cylinder or mechanism needs replacing.
Read guide