The short version. Keep & Strike Plate Adjustment with Keywise starts from £75, agreed before any work begins, with no call-out fee and no VAT. For anything urgent I aim to be with you in around 30 minutes across Southampton and the Waterside, and the number you call is answered by Bugsy himself.
The keeps (strike plates) are the slots in the frame that the bolts and hooks shoot into. When a door drops even slightly, the bolts stop lining up with the keeps and the door feels stiff or will not lock at all. Re-setting the keeps is a quick, low-cost fix that often saves a much bigger repair.
What is included
- Alignment checked the length of the door
- Keeps re-positioned or replaced to meet the bolts
- Full lock test so it throws cleanly first time
From £75. Across Southampton and the Waterside, day or night, no call-out fee.
Family-run, Waterside-based since 2013, DBS checked and fully insured, with a perfect 5.0 Google rating. No call-out fee, no VAT, and a 12-month guarantee on every part fitted. The price I quote is the price you pay, agreed before I start.
Need a locksmith now? Bugsy answers the phone himself, no call centre. No call-out fee. Call 07453 327708 for a quick honest quote.
Why keeps drift out of line
Doors move over time. Timber swells and shrinks with the weather, hinges wear, and a uPVC door will sag a touch as the panel settles on its packers. When that happens the bolts and hooks no longer meet the keeps square, so you end up lifting the handle harder, wiggling the key, or leaning on the door to get it to lock. That strain gets worse, not better. Left long enough it wears the gearbox in a multipoint lock, and then you are looking at a full lock repair instead of a small adjustment. Sorting the keeps early is the cheap way out.
When I come out I check the alignment along the whole length of the door, not just the one bolt that is catching. Sometimes it is a single keep that needs shifting a couple of millimetres. Sometimes the frame has moved enough that the keeps need replacing to meet the bolts properly. Either way I test it fully before I leave, so the lock throws clean first time and the door sits right. If the trouble turns out to be the lock itself rather than the keeps, I will tell you straight and quote that up front before doing anything.
Keep adjustment starts from £75, and there is no call-out fee, no VAT, and no fix no fee. I cover Southampton and the whole Waterside, Hythe, Holbury, Fawley, Blackfield, Dibden, Marchwood and Totton, along with Eastleigh, Romsey, Lymington and across the New Forest, day or night. Most SO45 jobs I am on-site in under 30 minutes.
If your door is stiff or will not lock, don’t force it. Call Bugsy on 07453 327708. I answer the phone myself, no call centre, and you will get an honest quote before I start.
Common questions
How much does keep and strike plate adjustment cost in Southampton?
Keep adjustment starts from £75, and that is with no call-out fee, no VAT, and no fix no fee. I quote you the price before I start, and the price I quote is the price you pay. If it turns out to be a single keep needing shifting a couple of millimetres, or keeps needing replacing to meet the bolts, I will tell you straight up front. All parts fitted come with a 12-month guarantee.
Why won’t my door lock unless I lift the handle hard or lean on it?
That usually means the door has dropped and the bolts no longer line up with the keeps in the frame. Timber swells and shrinks with the weather, hinges wear, and uPVC doors sag as the panel settles on its packers. So you end up wiggling the key or leaning on the door to lock it. Don’t force it. Re-setting the keeps is a quick low-cost fix that stops the strain getting worse.
Can I get a locksmith out at night for a door that won’t lock?
Yes, day or night, weekends and bank holidays included. I answer the phone myself, no call centre, so ring Bugsy on 07453 327708 for an honest quote before I start. I cover Southampton and the whole Waterside, and most SO45 jobs I am on-site in under 30 minutes. If your door won’t lock, don’t leave it open overnight, just call.
Will adjusting the keeps really fix it, or do I need a whole new lock?
Often the keeps are the whole problem, and re-setting them saves a much bigger repair. When I come out I check the alignment along the whole length of the door, not just the one bolt catching. If the trouble turns out to be the lock itself rather than the keeps, I will tell you straight and quote that up front before doing anything. No surprises, no drama.
Do you do keep adjustment outside Southampton, in the Waterside and New Forest?
Yes. I cover Southampton and the whole Waterside, Hythe, Holbury, Fawley, Blackfield, Dibden, Marchwood and Totton, along with Eastleigh, Romsey, Lymington and across the New Forest. Day or night, no call-out fee. Most SO45 jobs I am on-site in under 30 minutes. Family-run and Waterside-based since 2013, DBS checked and fully insured. Call 07453 327708 and I will sort it.
Bugsy Edwards
Founder, Keywise 24hr Locksmiths. Family-run on the SO45 Waterside.
This advice comes from a working locksmith, not a content writer. Bugsy answers his own phone, and was named the Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner's 2024 Community Volunteer of the Year. 5.0 from 304 Google reviews.
Call 07453 327708