Can you change the locks after I get possession of a rental property back?

Yes. Once the property is lawfully back in your hands, the usual first job is a straight lock change so the old keys no longer work. Lock change or replacement is from £90 for the first lock, and any extra locks at the same visit are quoted on the day before we touch anything. No VAT, no call-out fee, price quoted up front. We cover Southampton and the Waterside, day or night.

Do I need to wait until I have legal possession before you change the locks?

Yes, we change the locks once possession is lawfully back with you. That is the point where the old keys need to stop working and the property needs securing properly. We are not here to advise on the legal side, only to sort the locks once the property is yours to secure. Ring us when you are ready and we will get it done, no drama, across Southampton, Hythe, Holbury and the wider Waterside.

How do I keep an empty rental property secure between tenants?

A void property needs to be secure and quiet, not an open invitation. We fit fresh locks, sort window locks from £80, and can put a Sold Secure key safe on the wall from £150 if managing agents or contractors need access without keys floating about. If you look after several units, a master key system from £190 keeps one key per person tidy, priced on site by the number of keys, locks and door types.

The door got damaged during the eviction, can you repair it?

If the door has taken a beating and the multipoint mechanism is playing up, we repair uPVC and multipoint door locks from £70. If a lock needs replacing outright we can upgrade at the same time, for example an anti-snap TS007 3-star cylinder from £150 on a uPVC door, or a British Standard mortice from £130 on a wooden one. We will tell you straight what it needs and quote it up front.

Can you come out quickly to secure a property after possession, even at the weekend?

Yes, we work day or night, weekends and bank holidays included. For most SO45 Waterside jobs we are on site in under 30 minutes. The phone is answered by Bugsy himself, no call centre, so you get a straight answer when you ring. Everything fitted carries a 12-month guarantee on parts. Call 07453 327708 and we will get it sorted, across Southampton, Fawley, Blackfield, Dibden, Marchwood, Totton and the wider New Forest.

For landlords & agents

Eviction & Possession Locksmith in Southampton

Lock changes once you have lawfully regained possession, and securing empty properties, across Southampton and the Waterside. Done properly, and within the law.

If you have lawfully regained possession of a property, I will get the locks changed and the place secure quickly. I am Bugsy, a Waterside locksmith, and I have done this work for landlords and agents around Southampton since 2013. I do it properly and within the law, which protects you as much as it protects me.

Bugsy changing the locks on a property after a lawful possession

What I do around possession

The work landlords and agents call me for:

Changing the locks once possession has been lawfully regained, so the property is yours again and secure.
Attending on the day a county court bailiff or High Court Enforcement Officer takes possession, to change locks the moment the property is handed back.
Securing void, empty and abandoned properties, including emergency boarding and make-safe.
Lock changes between tenancies, so every new tenant gets fresh locks and you know exactly who holds a key.

How a lawful eviction actually works

This trips a lot of landlords up, so here it is in plain terms. To remove a tenant lawfully in England you serve the correct notice, and if the tenant does not leave you apply to the court for a possession order. If they still do not leave, the eviction is carried out by a county court bailiff, or by a High Court Enforcement Officer if the case has been transferred. Only then is possession lawfully yours.

A landlord cannot simply turn up and change the locks to get a tenant out. That is an illegal eviction, it is a criminal offence, and it can land you with a serious bill. My job starts at the right end of that process: once possession has been lawfully taken, I change the locks and secure the property.

I work within the law

I will change the locks once you have lawfully regained possession. I will not change the locks to force a tenant out, because that is an illegal eviction and it would land you in real trouble. If you are not sure where you are in the process, get proper advice first, and call me when possession is yours. Doing it right is the whole point.

Securing empty and void properties

Whether a property is between tenants, has been handed back, or has been left abandoned, I will get it secure. A standard lock change starts from £90. For better protection I fit anti-snap, anti-bump euro cylinders to the TS007 three-star standard from £150, which stops the quick snap attacks that opportunists use on empty homes. If a door or window has been damaged, I can board up and make safe so nobody can get in while you sort the next step. You can see the wider lock work on my services page, and my set prices.

Why landlords and agents trust me

I am independent, I have run Keywise on my own since 2013, and I am DBS checked and fully insured. I hold a 5.0 rating from more than 288 Google reviews, I was the Police and Crime Commissioner's Community Volunteer of the Year in 2024, and Keywise has been a ThreeBestRated top three Southampton locksmith for longer than either other firm. You deal with me directly, not a call centre, with no call-out fee and no VAT. If you look after rentals, see my dedicated page for estate agents and landlords.

Common questions

Can I change the locks after evicting a tenant?

Yes, once possession has been lawfully regained, through a possession order and a bailiff or High Court Enforcement Officer, the property is yours and the locks should be changed. I do exactly that, often on the same day.

Is it legal to change the locks to evict a tenant?

No. A landlord cannot change the locks to force a tenant out. That is an illegal eviction and a criminal offence. The locks are changed after possession has been lawfully taken, not as a way of taking it.

Do you work with bailiffs and enforcement officers?

Yes. I can attend on the day possession is taken and change the locks the moment the property is handed back, so it is secure straight away.

Do you cover the whole Waterside?

Yes, across Holbury, Hythe, Fawley, Blackfield, Dibden, Marchwood, Totton, Southampton and the New Forest.

5Google rating

288+verified reviews

13years independent, since 2013

Bugsy, 2024 Police and Crime Commissioner Community Volunteer of the Year

2024 PCC Community Volunteer of the Year

The number on the van is Bugsy's. He answers it himself, day or night.

Regained possession? Let me secure it.

Bugsy answers the phone, not a call centre. No call-out fee, ever.

Call now, 07453 327708 For agents & landlords

Helpful local advice

More honest guidance for landlords and agents on securing a property.