Most of the time, the lock isn’t the real issue — it’s the alignment between the door, the strike plate, and the door frame.

We fix this kind of thing all over London for houses, shops, offices and flats. Loose hinges, dropped frames, worn screw holes, or a latch that doesn’t line up with the strike plate hole — it’s all common stuff.

It takes almost nothing — a loose hinge, wood swelling, someone leaning on the door wrong — and suddenly the door won’t behave.

Why Your Door Isn’t Closing Correctly

There are a few reasons a door not closing properly turns up out of nowhere. Doors move, hinges shift, and small gaps change over time.

Common causes include:

• Loose hinges pulling the door down

• The top hinge slipping because all the screws are loose

• Old screw holes that don’t grab anymore

• A door swelling slightly with temperature or humidity

• A worn latch rubbing on the door jamb

• A strike plate sitting too high or too low

• The latch not lining up with the strike at all

• A frame that’s been knocked or settled unevenly

• Paint buildup around the edges

• A new lock installed without adjusting the frame

If any of these sound familiar, you’re not alone — it’s one of the most common door issues in London homes.

Call our locksmith company now: 07830787474

One of the simplest ways to check a latch problem is what we call the lipstick test. You dab a tiny bit of lipstick, chalk, or even marker on the latch, shut the door gently, and see where the mark hits the strike plate.

This tells you:

• if the latch is too high (the top hinge has probably dropped)

• too low (the opposite of above)

• too far forward (the door isn’t sitting in the frame correctly)

• or missing the opening completely (the latch is missing the plate)

That little test saves a lot of wasted time. Tells you exactly where to work.

This causes more alignment problems than people think. A worn screw hole means the hinge sits wrong. When the hinge sits wrong, the door hangs wrong. When the door hangs wrong, the latch misses. And when the latch misses, the door pops open.

We:

• fill the holes

• drill fresh points

• add deeper screws

• sometimes replace the hinge

Once the hinge is anchored, the whole door behaves again.

When a Repair Isn’t Enough

Most of the time, we get the door closing again without replacing anything major. But sometimes the door continues to case issues, particulalry if:

• the frame is twisted

• the latch is damaged

• the strike plate is mangled

• the door edge is warped

• the hinge positions are beyond saving

• a new door was installed badly

When that’s the case, replacement might make more sense. But fixing is always tried first. Cheaper. Faster. More sensible.

Let us know if you have a stiff door lock, need a uPVC door lock repaired or require our emergency door repair services.

Need Your Door to Close Smoothly and Latch Properly Again?

If the door’s not shutting, catching, or just acting up, we can fix it. Alignment, hinges, strike plates — whatever’s off, we’ll sort it.

At W Locksmith, we are used to dealing with all manner of door-not-closing-properly issues. Both interior doors and exterior doors. At homes, commercial properties and businesses, and rented accommodation.

Give us a call and we’ll get your door closing properly again — no fuss, no drama.