dormouse1953

So the locksmith I phoned at 10:30 hadn't got back to me by noon. It appeared to be one man in his car. I phoned the next on the list and got a bona fide shop where someone could take my details and arrange for a visit.

They said 14:00, and he arrived a bit after that. He looked at the side of the door visible in the hall and then asked to be led round to the back door to look from the other side. Having shown him round, I decided I'd better go back as I'd left the front door open. I'd just finished traipsing through the mud in my carpet slippers and got to the front door as he got the door open.

He decided the latch was jamming and decided to fit a new lock. He drilled out a hole for the new lock, put it all together again, shut the door and it jammed again.

He then decided he'd have to reseat the strike plate. It's as if the door frame has expanded, not giving enough clearance for the latch. That has seemed to solve the problem. It took him about an hour.

Finished my breakfast this morning and before doing the washing-up I thought I'd check to see if any post had arrived. I couldn't open the door to the front hall.

This effectively divides my house in two. I can go from the kitchen to the living room OK but to get to the front hall and anywhere upstairs I have to go out the back door, through the garden, along the path at the back of my neighbour's garden into the main part of St. Johns Road and then round to my front door.

I tried taking the cover off the latch but the spring is still intact, which is what has happened before. It looks like the actual latch itself has jammed and won't retract enough to allow the door to open.

Phoned a local locksmiths but he was driving to a job and said he'd get back to me.