Surry Hills Locksmith

Redfern starts just south of Cleveland Street, a few minutes from our Bourke Street workshop. It has changed a great deal over the past twenty years, but its terrace streets remain, and most of the lock work we do here is on homes.

This guide is a locksmith's view of Redfern. It covers the kinds of homes in the suburb, the lock problems they tend to have, and practical steps owners and renters can take. For service details, see our Redfern locksmith page.

The building stock

Workers cottages

Many Redfern streets, particularly around Redfern Park and towards Chippendale and Waterloo, are lined with small single-fronted cottages and narrow terraces built for workers in the nineteenth century. They often open straight onto the footpath, with no front garden at all.

That means the front door is right on the street. It is the first thing anyone passing sees and the easiest door to reach.

Renovated terraces

A large share of Redfern terraces have been renovated. A typical renovation keeps the period front of the house and adds a modern rear: an open-plan kitchen and living area with glass sliding or bi-fold doors onto a small courtyard, which often backs onto a lane.

Those rear doors are frequently the weakest point in the house.

New apartments

Around Redfern station and towards Eveleigh, newer apartment buildings add secure lobbies, lifts and fire-rated lot doors. Lockouts and move-in rekeying are common jobs here.

Small studios and workshops

Small businesses, studios and workshops fill converted commercial buildings and corner sites. Roller doors, side doors and storerooms each need attention.

The lock jobs we do most in Redfern

Rekeying on moving day

Many people move to Redfern as renters or first-home buyers. Rekeying on moving day is the simplest first step. It keeps good locks and makes every old key useless. See lock rekeying.

Securing glass at the back

Aluminium sliding doors and bi-folds often rely on a simple hook latch that can be lifted or levered. Keyed locks, secondary bolts and anti-lift blocks make a large difference without spoiling the look of a renovation. See door lock installation.

Keying alike after renovations

Renovated homes often end up with a different key for the front door, back slider, side gate, garage and laundry. Keying the locks alike leaves you with one key for the house. It is usually done at the same visit as rekeying.

Strengthening footpath-facing front doors

On cottages that open straight onto the street, a strong deadlock and a strike plate fixed into solid frame timber matter more than any gadget. Many of these doors still rely on a single old nightlatch.

Small business key control

Studios and workshops benefit from keying alike, restricted keys or a simple master key system, especially when staff or tenants change. See security locksmith.

The front door on a footpath-facing cottage

Because the front door is right on the street, it deserves particular attention.

Check the frame. Old frames on cottages can be soft or damaged. A deadlock is only as strong as the strike it locks into.
Add a deadlock if there is only a latch. Use the latch day to day and the deadlock when you go out or go to bed.
Consider a keyed inside cylinder if there is glass within reach of the lock, and keep the key near the door, out of reach from outside, so you can get out quickly in an emergency.
Fit a door viewer if the door has no glass, so you can see who is there.

Our guide to deadlock vs deadlatch explains how the two locks work together.

The back of a renovated terrace

Renovations often focus on how the back of the house looks and feels. Security can be an afterthought. Check these points:

Sliding doors should have a keyed lock, not only a hook latch.
Bi-fold doors should lock at the top and bottom, as well as at the handle.
The courtyard gate onto the lane should lock, and the hinges should not be removable from outside.
Windows reachable from the courtyard or from a neighbouring roof should lock.
Skylights and roof access on single-storey rear extensions should be checked.

Most of these improvements are inexpensive and can be done in one visit.

Rental homes in Redfern

If you rent:

Ask whether the locks were rekeyed after the last tenant.
Report broken locks to your agent in writing.
Ask for consent before changing or adding locks.
Make sure your landlord receives a key to any new lock.

If you are a landlord, rekeying between tenancies protects both you and the incoming tenant. See our guide to landlord and tenant lock change rules in NSW.

Apartments near the station

In Redfern's newer apartment buildings:

Your lot door is your landlord's or your responsibility.
The lobby, car park and common doors belong to the owners corporation.
Lot doors are often fire-rated and self-latching, so keep a spare key with someone nearby.
If you are locked out, arrange for a neighbour or building manager to let a locksmith through the lobby.

See our guide to apartment security.

Typical Redfern jobs, step by step

A first home with five different keys

New owners of a renovated terrace have five keys: front deadlatch, front deadlock, back slider, side gate and laundry. We check every lock, rekey the four that are in good condition, replace a worn side gate lock, and key all five alike. The owners leave with one key and no old keys in circulation.

An unlocked-looking slider

A renter notices the back slider can be lifted slightly in its track. We fit an anti-lift block and a keyed sliding door lock, with the landlord's agreement, and supply the landlord with a key.

A workshop roller door and side door

A small furniture workshop has a roller door and a side door on different keys, and a former staff member still has a side door key. We rekey the side door, key it alike with the roller door lock where the hardware allows, and set up a simple key register.

Access and parking

Redfern streets are narrow, and many are one way. When you call, tell us:

The street and cross street.
Whether there is rear lane access.
Whether it is a house, an apartment or a business.

That helps us plan the quickest route and bring the right hardware.

Security habits for Redfern homes

Lock the back door and slider when you go out, even for a short time.
Keep the courtyard gate locked.
Do not leave ladders or bins where they can be used to climb onto a rear extension.
Leave a spare key with a trusted neighbour, not under a pot plant.
Fix sticking locks early. A lock that needs a push to work is a lockout waiting to happen.

Nearby suburbs we also cover

Surry Hills, just north across Cleveland Street.
Moore Park, to the east.
Darlinghurst, beyond Surry Hills.

Common questions from Redfern clients

Can you rekey the lock on an old cottage front door?

Usually, yes. Many older cottages still have a rim nightlatch or an early mortice lock. If the cylinder is a standard size and in reasonable condition, we can rekey it so old keys stop working. If the lock is very worn, or is an obsolete design with no spare parts, we will explain why replacing it makes more sense and quote both options before we start.

Will a new lock spoil the look of a heritage front?

It does not have to. Several deadlock and lever designs suit period doors in brass, satin chrome or black finishes. We can often reuse existing holes and fit a new lock without cutting the door again. If your street is in a heritage conservation area, ask your council what applies to visible changes on the front of the house. Internal hardware is rarely an issue.

My slider still feels loose after locking. Is that normal?

No. A slider that rattles or lifts in its track when locked can often be forced. The cause is usually worn rollers, a misaligned keeper or a missing anti-lift block. Each of these is a small repair. We can adjust the door, replace the keeper and fit an anti-lift block in one visit.

Do you work on roller doors and garage doors?

We work on the locks for roller doors, tilt doors and side doors. That includes replacing cylinders, rekeying and keying them alike with your other locks. Motors, springs and remote openers are a job for a garage door technician, and we will tell you if that is what you need.

What should I do if my keys are stolen?

Treat a stolen key as a security problem, especially if your address was with it. Rekey the locks that key opens as soon as you can, and tell your agent or owners corporation if building keys or fobs were taken. Report the theft to the police if a wallet or bag was stolen as well.

Before you call

A few details help us quote accurately and arrive with the right parts:

A photo of the lock, front and edge if possible.
The brand name, usually stamped on the faceplate or key.
How many locks you want rekeyed, replaced or keyed alike.
Whether you own or rent, and whether you have consent for changes.

Send photos by email to [email protected] or describe the lock when you call.

The bottom line

Redfern is mostly homes: workers cottages on the footpath, renovated terraces with glass at the back, and newer apartments near the station. The jobs we do most are rekeying on moving day, securing sliders and bi-folds, keying renovated homes alike and strengthening street-facing front doors.

For a locksmith in Redfern, call Surry Hills Locksmith Service on 02 3820 5414, open 7 days, 7:00am to 12:00am, or request a quote.

Locksmith Guide to Redfern: Cottages, Terraces and New Apartments