Eviction locksmith · Greater Manchester · 24/7
Eviction locksmith, Greater Manchester.
Get a price in 2 minutes
Give us the date and the postcode. We ring you back with a fixed price.
- From £120
- Attend with bailiffs
- Certificate provided
- Keys to landlord only
- £1m public liability
- DBS checked
We attend evictions across the ten Greater Manchester boroughs, alongside County Court bailiffs or High Court Enforcement Officers. We change the locks at the point of possession, cut a full set, and hand them to the landlord or agent named on the writ. Nobody else.
Read this first: we cannot change locks on your say-so
This is the part that gets landlords into trouble, so we will be blunt about it.
Changing the locks to remove a tenant without a court order is unlawful eviction under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977. It is a criminal offence. It carries a fine, potentially a prison sentence, and civil damages that routinely run to thousands. It does not matter how far behind the rent is, whether the fixed term ended, or what the tenant has done to the property.
If you ring us and ask us to change the locks on a property with a tenant's belongings in it, and you cannot show us a warrant or writ, we will say no. Not because we are difficult, but because we would be committing an offence alongside you.
What we need to see: a warrant of possession (County Court) or a writ of possession (High Court), and the enforcement agent on site. With that, it is lawful, and we are there.
What happens on the day
1. We arrive before the agent
Usually 15 minutes early. We park, we look at the door, we work out what lock it is and whether we have the part on the van. We do not knock.
2. The agent takes possession
Their job, not ours. We stand back. We do not speak to the occupant, we do not carry anything out, we do not get involved in the conversation.
3. We change the locks
Once the agent confirms possession. Typically 20-40 minutes for a standard front and back door. Longer if it is a uPVC multipoint that has been forced.
4. Keys and paperwork
Full set to the landlord or agent named on the writ. A dated certificate listing every lock changed, the door it was on, and how many keys were cut.
What it costs
| Job | Price | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Attendance + one door (euro cylinder) | £120-160 | 20-40 min |
| Attendance + front and back door | £160-220 | 40-70 min |
| Mortice lock, per additional door | £55-85 | 30-60 min |
| uPVC multipoint, forced or damaged | £90-150 | 45-90 min |
| Extra keys, per key | £8-15 | on site |
| Boarding up after forced entry | £80-140 | 30-60 min |
Fixed price agreed before the day. No call-out fee. Invoiced to the landlord or agent if you need it for the possession costs.
Abandonment is not eviction
Landlords ring us about this constantly. The tenant has stopped paying, the post is piling up, nobody answers, the property looks empty. Can we change the locks?
No. "Looks abandoned" is not abandoned. A tenant on a six-week holiday, in hospital, or staying with family still has a tenancy and still has protection. If you are wrong, you have unlawfully evicted them and the fact that it looked empty is not a defence.
The route is a possession order, then a warrant, then us. There is no shortcut, and the locksmith who offers you one is selling you a criminal record.
Where we cover
All ten Greater Manchester boroughs. Evictions are booked in advance, so distance is not the constraint it is for an emergency call.
Related
Questions people actually ask
Can I change the locks if my tenant hasn't paid rent?
No. Changing the locks to remove a tenant without a court order is unlawful eviction under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977. It is a criminal offence, and it carries a fine, a possible prison sentence, and civil damages that commonly run into thousands of pounds. Rent arrears do not change this. The fixed term ending does not change this. Damage to the property does not change this. You need a possession order, then a warrant or writ, then an enforcement agent on site. Only then can a locksmith lawfully change the locks.
What paperwork do you need to see before you'll change the locks?
A warrant of possession from the County Court, or a writ of possession from the High Court, plus the enforcement agent physically present at the property. That is the whole list. We do not need the tenancy agreement, the arrears schedule or the section 21 notice. If you have a warrant and an agent, we change the locks. If you do not, we will not, and we will tell you on the phone rather than turning up and refusing on the doorstep.
Who do you give the new keys to?
The landlord or the managing agent named on the writ or warrant, and nobody else. Not a family member, not a builder waiting outside, not the neighbour who has been keeping an eye on the place. If the person on site is not the named party, they need written authority from the named party, and we will wait while you sort that out. We also give you a dated certificate listing every lock we changed, which door it was on, and how many keys were cut.
How much does an eviction locksmith cost in Manchester?
Attendance plus one door on a euro cylinder is £120 to £160. Front and back door together is £160 to £220. Additional mortice locks are £55 to £85 per door. A uPVC multipoint that has been forced during the eviction is £90 to £150. Extra keys are £8 to £15 each. Boarding up after forced entry is £80 to £140. The price is fixed before the day and there is no call-out fee. We can invoice the landlord or agent if you need it for possession costs.
The tenant has disappeared and left belongings. Can you change the locks?
Not on that basis. Abandonment is a legal conclusion, not an observation. A tenant who is on holiday, in hospital, in custody or staying with family still holds the tenancy and still has protection from eviction, and a property that looks empty is not evidence of anything. If you change the locks and you are wrong, you have unlawfully evicted them, and the fact that it looked abandoned is not a defence. The correct route is a possession order, a warrant, and an enforcement agent. Any locksmith offering you a shortcut is selling you a criminal record.
Do you attend with High Court Enforcement Officers as well as County Court bailiffs?
Yes, both. High Court writs of possession are usually enforced faster and the HCEO will often want a tighter time slot, so tell us which route you are on when you book. It changes nothing about what we do on the day, but it changes how we schedule it. We arrive about 15 minutes before the agent, assess the door, and wait for them to take possession before we touch anything.
Can you do the locks the same day I get the warrant?
Usually yes, but the enforcement agent sets the date, not us, and they typically book weeks ahead. Ring us as soon as you have the appointment and we will hold the slot. Same-day is realistic for an abandoned or already-vacant property where possession is not contested, because then it is simply a lock change and we can be there within the hour.
What if the tenant refuses to leave while you're there?
Then we stand back and wait. Removing an occupant is the enforcement agent's job and their legal authority, not ours. We do not speak to the occupant, we do not carry belongings out, and we do not get involved in the conversation. We change the locks once the agent confirms possession has been taken. If the agent postpones, we leave and rebook, and you are not charged for the aborted visit.