The question nobody asks the seller
You know the exact moment a property transaction finishes and the new keys are finally handed over. What nobody mentions during that handover is how many other identical sets exist in circulation.
The person handing them over usually does not know the answer.
Our team handles this security gap constantly alongside our emergency lockout service, often on the exact same day people collect their keys. Keys accumulate rapidly over the life of a typical property.
You can expect copies floating around for adult children, a spare left with a neighbour, or one given to a builder that was never returned.
None of those individuals is likely to be a direct threat. The real issue is that you simply cannot account for who holds unrestricted access to your new building.
If you decide to change locks after moving house, you instantly take back control and make every one of those stray keys worthless.
Let us examine the current security data, see what the risks actually are, and explore a few practical ways to secure your new premises.
Who might still hold a key
Recent 2026 Central Statistics Office (CSO) data shows that Ireland experiences over 23 residential burglaries every single day. A full third of those break-ins happen straight through the front door. This statistic highlights exactly why an unknown key history is a massive security blind spot.
We regularly see property owners overlook just how many people retain access to a building. Consider this list of individuals who might still hold a spare:
- Previous owners or tenants and anyone they gave a copy to over the years.
- Letting or estate agents who often hold sets throughout a long sales process.
- Tradespeople who worked on the property and needed temporary access.
- Cleaners, gardeners, and dog walkers hired by the previous occupants.
- Anyone who found a key hidden outside under a fake rock and never returned it.
That last point deserves a special mention. If the previous occupants kept a key hidden under a flowerpot, and it remains there, unauthorized access to your home is sitting in plain sight.
We highly recommend checking all the common exterior hiding spots as soon as you arrive.
Re-key or replace?
When looking for new house change locks, you have two main options for securing your doors. Most Irish homes feature either Euro profile cylinders on uPVC doors or 5-lever mortice locks on traditional wooden doors.
Our technicians can assess your setup and recommend the most cost-effective path. Here is a quick breakdown of how these two approaches compare.
| Re-key | Replace | |
|---|---|---|
| What changes | The internals, so old keys no longer work | The whole lock, hardware included |
| Typical cost | Lower base price per door | €120 to €200 per door (2026 averages) |
| Best when | Locks are modern and in excellent condition | Locks are old, worn, or below standard |
| Bonus | Cheapest way to reset key control | Chance to upgrade security instantly |
Re-keying keeps your existing lock body intact but changes the internal pins so old keys fail. This approach makes perfect sense if your current locks are high quality, in good condition, and simply have an unknown key history.
Replacing is the better call when the hardware feels worn or loose. Many basic Euro cylinders can be bypassed in seconds using a destructive technique called lock snapping.
We see this specific vulnerability constantly, which is why upgrading provides an immediate security boost. Since you are already paying for the labour, swapping to a modern anti-snap cylinder often costs less than you might expect. You get complete peace of mind starting from day one.
Our comprehensive lock repair and replacement service covers both of these options for any door type. If the existing lock is already stiff or fighting you on the way in, why your key won’t turn in the lock is worth reading before you decide between re-keying and replacing.
Do it at the right moment
The best time to act is on or before your actual move-in day. You are already at the property, the rooms are empty, and access is completely unrestricted.
Our security teams find that if you plan to re-key after moving in, doing it within the first 24 hours drastically reduces your risk. You must address every external door rather than focusing solely on the front entrance. Burglars know that homeowners often forget the back and side access points.
We always suggest addressing these specific vulnerabilities as soon as you arrive:
- The secondary doors: The back, side, and garage doors all lead into the same house and are frequent targets because they are less visible to neighbours.
- Keying alike: Consider having your locksmith match all cylinders so one single key operates every exterior lock, giving you just one spare to track.
- The patio door: These glass sliding doors are frequently the weakest point in an Irish home and are almost never on a new buyer’s checklist.
This setup does not reduce your security because each individual cylinder remains fully protected against forced entry.
The insurance angle
Many Irish home insurers explicitly reference specific lock standards within their policy wording. Companies typically expect to see certified hardware installed on all external doors:
- For Euro cylinders: The TS007 3-star standard is required to prevent snapping.
- For mortice locks: The BS 3621 standard is the baseline for wooden doors.
We regularly remind clients that a non-compliant lock can complicate or even void a future burglary claim. Moving into a property represents the most natural moment to verify what your building actually has installed. Fixing a minor hardware issue today is much easier than discovering a critical policy mismatch after a break-in occurs.
Ask your installer for a written specification note detailing exactly what hardware they fitted. This simple document takes only a minute to write up, and it is the exact piece of paper an insurance assessor will request.
Our technicians routinely provide these specification notes on all replacement jobs.
What it costs
Pricing depends heavily on the complexity of the hardware and your exact location. Re-keying is usually the cheapest route and is priced on a per-door basis.
Based on 2026 industry averages in Ireland, you can expect the following baseline costs:
- Standard call-out fee: €60 to €100 for a scheduled daytime visit.
- Full lock replacement: €120 to €200 per door, including standard hardware and labour.
- High-security upgrades: Prices sit at the upper end of the range for TS007 3-star anti-snap cylinders.
Our pricing structure remains fully transparent, and we always suggest that grouping several doors into a single appointment offers significantly better value for your budget. You easily avoid paying a second call-out fee next month for a back door you forgot to upgrade. Bulk installations save both time and money.
We back all our residential and commercial installations with a minimum 12-month labour guarantee. Taking action on your security should not wait until after an incident occurs. Contact our team today to schedule an assessment, and let us help you change locks after moving house securely and affordably.