Locksmith guides from Amco
Practical, plain-English answers to the locksmith questions Perth homeowners, renters and drivers ask us most. Written by Magnus Aller, WA Police-licensed security installer (licence 30629), 25 years' experience as a locksmith in Western Australia. Find a guide by topic below, or use the site map to see everything on the site.
Security, break-ins and choosing a locksmith
How to make a home harder to get into, what to do if someone already has, and how to check who you're letting near your locks.
Improving your home security
The parts of a Perth house that actually get tested: back doors, sliders, screens and side gates.
What to do after a break-in damages a lock
What to photograph first, and how to make the door secure tonight.
How to check a locksmith's WA licence
A two-minute check with WA Police before anyone touches your locks.
Keys: lost, stuck and broken
When a key won't turn, won't come out, or isn't there any more.
Getting a broken key out safely
Why not to force it, and how we remove a snapped key without more damage.
Lost your house keys? Here's what to do
How to get back in without damage, and when a rekey beats new locks.
Getting a house key when you have none
Why we usually rekey the lock, when a new lock is better, and what ID we ask for.
Locked out of your house? What to do first
What to check, who to call and what to have ready before a locksmith arrives.
Rekeying, moving and renting
What changes when you move or rent, and when a rekey makes more sense than new locks.
Should you change the locks when you move?
Why a rekey on moving day is worth it, even with new-looking locks.
Rekey or replace? How to decide
What decides whether your existing locks are worth keeping.
Locks and keys on a rental property
What landlords must provide, and why a rekey between tenants beats new locks.
Can you change the locks on a rental?
Who has to agree, who pays, and who keeps a copy of the new key, per Consumer Protection WA.
Apartment keys and locks
What a locksmith can change in an apartment, who owns which door, and letterbox bank keys.
What decides the cost of changing locks
What a rekey costs per lock, what a whole house comes to, and when new locks are worth it.
Doors and digital locks
From deadbolts to keypads: what's actually on your door, and what's worth changing.
Security screens vs ordinary flyscreens
What separates a real security screen from a flyscreen: frame, mesh and the lock.
The main types of door lock, explained
Deadbolts, deadlatches and levers, and which suits which door.
Is a digital lock worth it?
What you gain moving from a key to a code, what you give up, and what happens when the battery dies.
Smart lock installation, explained
When you need WiFi or a gateway hub, and what happens if the battery or internet drops out.
Will a digital lock fit my door?
Timber, aluminium, screen doors and gates: which locks suit which door.
PIN, fingerprint, tag or app?
The four ways to open a digital lock, who each one suits, and what to ask before you buy.
Digital locks for rentals and Airbnb
Managing guest access without handing out cut keys.
Can a deadlocked door be opened without damage?
What deadlocked means, when drilling comes into it, and what we tell you first.
Car keys and lockouts
Lost, stolen or locked in the car: what to do, and what it takes to fix.
What to do if your car keys are stolen
What to do first, and how we stop the stolen key starting the car.
Why a spare car key is worth having
The case for a second key before you need one in a hurry.
What decides the cost of a car key
Make, year, key type and whether you still have a working key.
Making a car key with no original
How a key is cut and programmed from scratch when there's nothing left to copy.
Locked out of your car? Do this first
Safety first, then how we get you back in without damaging the car.