If you have just moved to Cardiff, you should have the number of a reliable, 24-hour locksmith. The same goes for locals who simply acquired a new or additional property for personal/professional use in the city. As to why that’s an important safety tip, let’s look at the reasons below.
To Have the Locks Changed
Whether the property is old or new, if you own it, you should change the locks as soon as possible. Locks on old properties are going to remain accessible to an indefinite number of people, unless you change them. Even if the property is brand new, you cannot know for sure whether the builders and the seller(s) actually gave up their keys.
Note that if you are renting the place, then you will need express permission from your landlord before you can change the locks. While most landlords should understand why you may need to change the locks for safety reasons in Cardiff, do not proceed until you have their official permission.
In case you are a landlord yourself, then you already know why it’s important to change locks in between tenants. Even if the property is empty for the time being, you should change the locks as soon as possible to prevent unauthorised entry or illegal activities in your absence.
To Regain Property Access
A disgruntled ex-tenant may not leave the keys with you before leaving. Perhaps you don’t have access to a spare key at the time, or maybe the tenant changed the locks without permission before leaving. Maybe, your roommate changed the locks after a break-in while you were away but forgot to give you a key before leaving themselves.
It’s also perfectly possible that you just lost the key and it’s way too cold to spend any more time outside than you absolutely must. Whatever the exact details of any such situation may be, you will need an emergency locksmith, and fast. As long as you have the number, you will be able to call on reliable, 24-hour Cardiff locksmiths at any time to quickly regain property access.
To Prevent Break-Ins
Cardiff is a great place to live in and the capital offers some of the best financial opportunities in Wales. As is to be expected in any thriving metropolitan, Cardiff has its fair share of law-and-order problems as well. Changing old and outdated generic locks in favour of more reliable, British standard door locks can significantly lower the chances of an attempted break-in.
Ask your locksmith to change the generic door locks with BS 3621 5-Lever mortice deadlocks for the best protection against attempted break-ins. If you are working with police-checked/verified Cardiff locksmiths, the lock’s authenticity should not be in question. Nevertheless, you should check for the Kitemark engraving, just to be sure.
Finally, keep in mind that even if your doors are already protected by BS/PAS 3621 multipoint locks, you should still install new ones to prevent unauthorised access.