Locked out in Clifton?
We’ll be there in 30 minutes.
AA Lock & Key has been the first call for Clifton homes and businesses for over a decade. No VAT. No call-out fee. Master Locksmiths Association approved. Free upfront quote before any work begins — so the price you’re told is the price you pay.
- MLA approved
- DBS checked
- 30-min response
- No VAT, no call-out
What it costs to call a Clifton locksmith
Most locksmith websites won’t show you a number until they’ve got you on the phone. We will. Every job gets a free, no-obligation quote before we start — and there’s no call-out fee, ever. The prices below are what Clifton customers usually pay for the most common jobs. Straightforward jobs can come in lower — our standard call-out and basic lock change starts at £60. We’ll always confirm the exact price before any work begins.
Locked out
UPVC door or Yale night latch, non-destructive entry
usually from £80
Same price day or night — no surcharge for evenings or weekends.
Lock change
New British Standard euro cylinder fitted & tested
usually from £120
Anti-snap 3-star upgrade for Clifton period doors usually from £165.
Sash window lock
Common on Clifton’s Georgian and Victorian properties
usually from £65 per window
Insurance-approved Yale 8K100 or equivalent.
Broken key extraction
Snapped or stuck key removed without damaging the lock
usually from £85
If the lock survives, no new lock needed.
Same price, 24/7. No surcharge for evenings, weekends or bank holidays. No call-out fee — ever: if we come out and can’t solve your problem, you don’t pay. No VAT on any job (we’re below the VAT threshold, so what you see is the whole price). Every quote is given before we start work, never after.
The lock problems we see most often in Clifton
Georgian sash windows that won’t lock
Clifton’s Georgian and early Victorian sashes drift out of square as the building settles. The original brass fitch fasteners stop meeting. We refit and align them so they actually secure — insurers will sometimes refuse claims if a window doesn’t lock properly.
Five-lever mortice locks on heavy wooden doors
Most period front doors in Clifton, Hotwells and the Triangle still use a mortice lock. Your home insurance almost certainly requires BS3621 (British Standard, 5-lever). If yours has a small kitemark, you’re covered; if it doesn’t, we’ll swap it like-for-like.
Snapped euro cylinders on UPVC back doors
The newer flats off Whiteladies Road and Hotwell Road use multi-point UPVC doors. Cheap euro cylinders are the weak link — burglars can snap them in under 30 seconds. We fit 3-star anti-snap cylinders that hold up to TS007 standard.
HMOs and student lets at term changeover
Clifton has a huge student population and a lot of HMOs. We do a lot of bedroom-door lock fittings (BS8621 thumbturn so tenants can escape without a key) and full key suites between tenancies. Landlords get same-day turnaround in most cases.
From phone call to fixed lock, in four steps
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1
You call — or WhatsApp us a photo
Craig usually answers. If he’s mid-job, you’ll get a callback within 5 minutes. A photo of the lock or door helps us bring the right parts first time.
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2
We give you a price and an ETA
Before we set off. Standard Clifton arrival is 20–30 minutes from our base in Emersons Green (BS16). We’ll tell you if it’s longer.
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3
Non-destructive entry first, every time
We pick before we drill. About 9 out of 10 lock-outs in Clifton are opened without damage to the door or the lock — which means no extra cost for replacement parts.
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4
You pay the price we quoted
Cash, card or bank transfer. You get a written invoice. If you’re claiming on insurance or charging back to a landlord, we’ll itemise everything.
Craig came out to a snapped key in our front door on a Sunday evening — he was there in 25 minutes, had the key out and a new cylinder fitted in under an hour, and charged exactly what he’d quoted on the phone. He’d been recommended by a neighbour and I’ll happily do the same.
What Clifton customers ask before they book
How quickly can you actually get to me in Clifton?
From our base in Emersons Green it’s usually 20–30 minutes via the M32 and the Centre. At rush hour or during big events at Ashton Gate, we’ll tell you honestly if it’ll be closer to 40. We don’t pretend we’re “round the corner” when we’re not.
Do you damage the door to get me back in?
Almost never. Around 90% of Clifton lock-outs are opened with picks or by manipulating the lock — no damage, no replacement parts, no extra cost. We only drill when the lock has genuinely failed (worn pins, broken springs) and we’ll tell you that’s where we’re heading before we do it.
Will my insurance cover the call-out?
Most home insurance policies include emergency locksmith cover up to a fixed amount (often £100–£250). We give you an itemised invoice with our MLA registration so you can claim. If your insurer wants to authorise the work first, we’ll wait on the phone while you check.
I’m a Clifton landlord — can you handle a full tenancy changeover?
Yes. Common job: change the front door cylinder, re-key any internal bedroom locks for HMOs, and provide a fresh set of keys (cut on the spot). We can do most one-bed and two-bed flats inside two hours. Invoiced to the landlord or letting agent.
Are you actually a Clifton locksmith, or just a call centre?
Neither. AA Lock & Key is Craig Andres, a Master Locksmiths Association approved locksmith based in Emersons Green who’s been working across Bristol — including Clifton — for over a decade. When you call, you speak to the person who’ll do the job. No middleman, no inflated prices, no “our technician will quote on arrival.”
What payment do you accept?
Cash, all major UK credit and debit cards (taken on the doorstep), bank transfer, or Apple/Google Pay. No surcharges. You get a receipt by email.
Neighbouring Bristol areas we serve
If your postcode borders Clifton, we cover that too. Same response time, same prices.
Need a Clifton locksmith now?
One call. Fixed price before we set off. Usually with you in half an hour.
Call 0784 666 2889 Open 24 hours, 7 days. Calls answered in person.
