Coming home to a forced door or a smashed window is a horrible moment.
Once the shock settles, you’ll no doubt wonder how soon someone can make the place secure again. In many cases, a locksmith can make your property secure on their first visit, the same day or night you call. Damaged locks are replaced on the spot. Where a door or window is too badly damaged to lock, the opening is boarded up. A permanent replacement door or glass may take longer, but you shouldn’t be left with an open way in overnight.
This blog covers what happens at each stage of the process, what can slow things down, and why we think the arrival time on an advert matters far less than the state your property is in when the locksmith leaves.
We’ve been handling burglary callouts across Nottingham since 1987. As MLA-approved master locksmiths, this is work our team does every week.
Police first, then the locksmith
If you think someone might still be inside your property, don’t go in. Get somewhere safe and call 999.
If the burglar has gone, insurer Ageas advises calling 101 straight away to report the break-in and leaving anything the burglar may have touched alone.
That includes the door or window they came through. It can hold evidence, so ask the attending officer before you or anyone else starts repairs. The police will also give you a crime reference number, which your insurer will ask for.
You don’t have to wait for the police to finish before you call us, though. Ringing early means we can plan the job, check what parts we’ll need and give you a realistic timeframe.
Why securing your property quickly matters
Burglary is less common than it was, but it’s far from rare. Police in England and Wales recorded 222,304 burglaries (153,229 were residential) in the year to June 2026, of which 4,153 were in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. Although it represented a 6% fall on the year before, that’s still roughly 4,000 burglaries a week across the UK.
The biggest concern after a break-in is the chance of a recurrence. The College of Policing notes that homes which have recently been burgled, and homes nearby, face a higher risk of being targeted again soon afterwards.
What happens when you call
When you ring our emergency locksmith line, we’ll ask a few quick questions:
- How did they get in? Door, window or both?
- What type of door is it? uPVC, composite, timber or aluminium?
- Is any glass broken?
- Were any keys taken?
Your answers will tell us which locks, parts and materials to bring, so the job can be finished in one visit wherever possible.
We’ll also give you an estimated arrival time. How long that takes depends on the time of day, where you are in Nottingham and what else our team is attending. If anything changes on the way, we’ll let you know.
How long does each repair take?
The fix depends on the damage. An analysis of ONS data by Post Office Home Insurance found the most common burglary damage was to an outside door (51%), followed by locks (27%) and broken windows (24%). Here’s what that usually means for you:
Snapped or damaged locks
This is usually the quickest job. Our vans carry locks from all the major manufacturers, so we can normally replace a forced or snapped cylinder on the spot.
If your old cylinder was snapped, we’d recommend replacing it with an anti-snap lock, rather than a like-for-like swap. Otherwise, the same break-in method will work again.
Forced uPVC or composite doors
When a uPVC or composite door is forced, the damage often goes beyond the cylinder. The gearbox, keeps, or multi-point mechanism can be bent or broken.
If the frame is sound, we can often repair the door and get it locking again on the same visit. If a part is unusual and needs ordering, we’ll make the door secure first and come back to finish the repair.
Broken glass and badly damaged doors
If a window is smashed or a door is beyond a same-day repair, our boarding up service closes the gap so the property is secure and weatherproof.
The permanent fix, such as replacement glazing or a new door, takes longer because it often has to be made to measure. Boarding bridges that gap.
Stolen or missing keys
If any keys were taken in the burglary, every lock they fit will need changing or re-keying, including back doors, garages and sheds. For businesses where staff keys or a master key system may be affected, we’ll talk you through which locks need attention first.
Don’t just focus on your locksmith’s arrival time
Search for an emergency locksmith online, and you’ll see plenty of adverts promising someone at your door in 15 minutes.
We understand why. When you’re standing in a hallway full of broken glass, you want help now. But a fast arrival is only half the job.
The question that matters more is, will your property be fully secure when the locksmith leaves?
A locksmith who turns up quickly but fits a cheap cylinder that doesn’t meet British Standards hasn’t done you any favours. Most insurers look for BS3621 locks on external doors, and a substandard lock can cause problems with your claim as well as your security. So, before you agree to anything, ask three questions on the phone:
- Are you MLA-approved? You can check any member on the Master Locksmiths Association’s website.
- Will you give me a price before you start? You should get a clear, itemised quote covering labour and parts.
- Will the locks you fit meet insurance standards? That means BS3621 for most external door locks, or a TS007 3-star rated cylinder on uPVC and composite doors.
At Grays Locksmiths, we offer fixed prices with no callout charge for genuine emergencies. Every locksmith carries ID and MLA credentials, and all our work is guaranteed.
What to do next?
Once your property is secure, a few things will help you feel safer and make the rest of the process easier.
Keep every receipt. Most insurers recommend holding on to your invoices from a locksmith or glazier, as you may be able to claim the cost back.
Book a security assessment. Once the urgent work is done, it’s worth looking at how the burglars got in and whether there are other weak points around your property. That might mean upgrading your alarm systems, CCTV and security lighting, or fitting better locks on your windows and back doors.
Tell your neighbours. Given the higher risk to nearby homes in the weeks after a burglary, a quick word can prompt them to check their own doors and windows.
Look after yourself. A break-in can leave you feeling uneasy at home for a while. Victim Support offers free, confidential help.
So, if you’ve had a break-in in Nottingham, call our team on 0115 942 2315. We’re available 24/7 for emergencies, and we’ll tell you how soon we can be with you. For non-urgent advice or a security assessment after a break-in, get in touch or pop into our Nottingham security centre on Nuthall Road.