Are Smart Locks Worth It? An Honest Guide

What you actually gain

The real benefits are practical, not futuristic. No more keys for the kids to lose. A temporary code for the cleaner that you revoke in seconds. A log showing when the door was opened. Remote locking when you've left for holiday wondering. For Airbnb hosts and busy families, these features earn their keep daily.

The honest limitations

Smart locks are electronic devices on your front door: batteries need changing (typically every 6–12 months, with plenty of warning), firmware occasionally needs updating, and cheap no-name models have genuinely poor security. We only install established brands — Yale, Nuki, August, Ultion — with proper encryption and, critically, a mechanical backup: a physical key override or external battery contacts so a dead battery never means a lockout.

Which doors suit them

UPVC and composite doors: retrofit smart cylinders replace your existing euro cylinder and work with the multipoint mechanism — the most popular smart lock installation we do. Timber doors: models designed for mortice or rim locks, with more careful fitting. Not every door is a good candidate, and we'll tell you honestly when a quality mechanical lock is the better answer.

What professional installation includes

From £120, our installation covers the hardware, correct fitting for your door type, full app configuration with you (not left for you to figure out), guest codes set up, the mechanical backup tested and explained, and integration advice if you run Apple Home, Google Home or Alexa. We don't leave until every feature works and you understand it.

Questions about this topic

Are smart locks secure? +

A quality smart lock from an established brand, correctly installed, is as secure as a good mechanical lock — plus the audit trail and code management that mechanical locks can't offer. Avoid cheap unbranded models.

What happens if the battery dies? +

Every smart lock we install has a mechanical backup — a physical key override or external battery contacts. We set it up with you and make sure you know how it works.

How much is smart lock installation? +

From £120 including hardware, installation and full configuration in Dulwich and South London.