Stuck lock...

Euro, Yale or some other type?

I'm a little confused here. Are you saying that you can unlock the door from the outside but the internal handle still won't move? Or does the internal handle then move, but you can't then lock it from the inside? If you can't unlock the internal handle and open the door from the inside, I'd not like to think of the consequences of a sudden fire.

Out of interest, if the handle is put in the lock position with the door open, and the key used to lock it, will it then turn to unlock it with the door open, and the key never having been removed? I ask only because sometimes the key will not turn in our lock unless the internal handle is pushed down another mm. Once fully down, it will turn to lock it; I wondered if something similar is going on but with an "unlock" turn. If it still doesn't turn, does pushing up or down one of the locking "claws" make any difference?

Does it work when the door is open?

Have you also tried pulling the key out by about 1mm before turning in case there was a cutting error.

I've known Euro locks on modern doors which behave like that too.

Are you sure there isn't another key somewhere? If the outer rim lock has ever been replaced, its key may no longer match the inner part.

If it's like mine, the inside lock locks the *handle* such that it won't turn regardless of the state of the door. The normal way of using it is to lock the handle, and then slam lock the door from the outside. You can unlock the door with the key, but if someone breaks the glass and reached through, they can't turn the handle to open the door.

So, when locked in this way, the door can't be opened from the inside - not recommended when there are people inside!

We have one like that. BS3621 Yale cylinder lock with a large number of differs.

I have changed the cylinder twice now due to lost keys. It doesn't change the inside lock, so we can't use that anyway. I never liked the idea, and it certainly wasn't why we got that lock; it just saved having the mortice one that the insurance company otherwise insisted upon. And it's a solid door anyway.

Very likely - that happened to mine (see other post).

Not sure of the brand. Big and shiny chrome and looked pretty new. An expensive brand like Chubb, I'd guess.

Very common with this type of lock. You should only lock the inside handle when the house is vacant.

They had two keys. One sort of started to move it - the other not at all. Both worked just fine on the outside part. I fiddled for ages - thinking I might 'whisper' it. ;-)

One benefit (or not) is if you are out and burgled, the thief can't easily open the front door for his escape.

Err, how did it get locked, then?

I keep a key on a string inside, where I know it will be if I need to get out, but far-enough away and round a corner so it isn't 'fishable' through the letter box.

I thought of that. Wonder if one of the kids found an old key ...

Could be a Yale like mine:

Not much you can do if they don't want it touched

Previously I had one of these (was Chubb back then)

Rather more expensive than mine...but by the time I'd paid for the door release...

Only chatted to the daughter whose English is perfect, having spent most of her life in the UK. She couldn't explain why it was locked. I guessed the parents had done it when leaving, using a key they'd taken with them. But we did have the mother's set to try. That was the one which moved the lock slightly - the other key not at all. But both worked fine on the outside barrel.