Changing your locks in Oud-West means replacing the cylinder of your front door in the streets around Kinkerstraat, Bellamybuurt, Da Costabuurt and Overtoom, so that only the keys you hold still open your home.

Oud-West changes hands faster than almost any other part of the city. Flats are sublet, shared, renovated and relet, and every one of those steps leaves keys somewhere. When you take over a place here, you rarely know how many copies are still floating around: the previous tenant, a former housemate, a cleaner, a landlord who lost track years ago.

Why the first week matters

Most people put off changing the lock because the door works fine. That is the wrong test. A lock that turns smoothly still opens for anyone holding an old key, and insurers do not accept “the door was locked” as a defence when there is no sign of forced entry. Replacing the cylinder is a ten minute job that resets who has access.

You do not need a new lock case for this. In almost every Oud-West flat, the lock body inside the door stays where it is and only the cylinder is swapped. That keeps the cost low and leaves the door untouched.

The doors we meet in this neighbourhood

Streets like Jan Pieter Heijestraat and Borgerstraat are full of narrow portiek entrances with a shared street door and a private door upstairs. Both usually need attention, but they are different jobs. The shared door often belongs to the VvE and cannot simply be changed by one resident. The door to your own flat is entirely yours.

Where a building uses a single key for both doors, we can fit a matched cylinder set so one key still works everywhere, without leaving the old key valid. That is the part people expect to be complicated and it usually is not. You can see the full range of work on our locksmith services page.

Upgrading while you are at it

If your cylinder is old, this is the moment to move to an SKG certified model. Older cylinders can be pulled out of the door in seconds with a simple tool, and Oud-West sees its share of that. A certified cylinder resists it, costs little more than a plain one, and often lowers what your insurer asks of you.

Handing over the keys again

The end of a tenancy in Oud-West deserves the same attention as the start. Refit the original cylinder before the final inspection and keep the one you bought, because it will fit the next flat you rent in this part of the city more often than not. Note down how many keys you hand back and to whom. Disputes about keys at the end of a lease are common here and almost always come down to nobody having written anything down at the beginning.

Frequently asked questions

Shorter answers to common questions are collected on our locksmith FAQ page.

How long does a cylinder change take in Oud-West?

Around ten to fifteen minutes for a standard front door, including testing the new keys.

Am I allowed to change the lock in a rental flat?

For your own front door, yes in most cases. Keep the original cylinder so you can refit it when you leave.

Can you match one key to both the street door and my flat?

Often yes, if the VvE allows the street door to be included. We check that before we start.

Do you come in the evening?

Yes, we work 24 hours a day, including weekends and public holidays.

How many keys do I get?

A certified cylinder comes with a set of keys and a security card so only you can order extras.

Need a lock changed in Oud-West?

Call +31 (0)20 210 1986 and a certified locksmith comes to you, day or night, with the price agreed before any work starts. For planned work you can also reach us through our contact page.