Lock and Unlock Services

Opening and closing a building sounds simple, but it is where many security failures start. A fire exit left on the latch, a window open on an upper floor, or an alarm not set because the last person out was in a hurry can leave premises exposed all night. And asking staff to be first in or last out, often in the dark, creates a lone-working risk employers have to manage.

A lock and unlock service puts these tasks in the hands of SIA-licensed officers who follow the same check list every time and record what they find. It is often combined with keyholding and alarm response, so the same arrangement covers both routine opening and closing and unexpected call-outs.

The check list is agreed with you and set out in the assignment instructions. A typical lock-up includes:

• Checking the building is clear, including toilets, meeting rooms and stores, where agreed.
• Closing and locking external doors, fire exits, shutters and gates.
• Checking windows and rooflights on every accessible floor.
• Switching off lights and specified equipment, and leaving required lighting on.
• Securing internal doors to restricted areas such as server rooms or cash offices.
• Setting the intruder alarm and confirming it has set.
• Recording the time, the checks completed and any issues, such as damage, faults or a door that will not lock.

At unlock, the officer opens up at the agreed time, unsets the alarm, checks for anything that happened overnight, and reports any concerns before your staff arrive.

Between lock-up and opening, a building is usually empty for many hours. Adding random patrol visits during that time gives an extra layer of protection: an officer returns at unpredictable times to check the perimeter and, where agreed, the inside of the building. This is delivered through our mobile security patrols service, using marked vehicles with satellite tracking and producing a digital report for each visit.

The service suits premises where opening and closing times are predictable but no one wants to carry the keys: offices and business parks, retail units, sports grounds and leisure facilities, car parks, community buildings, and sites with gates that must be locked at night. Facilities and property management teams managing several sites often use it to apply one consistent standard across a portfolio.

Holding keys and controlling access to premises for a client is licensable by the SIA under the Private Security Industry Act 2001, and our officers hold the appropriate SIA licences. Employers have a duty to manage the risks to staff who work alone, and HSE’s guidance on lone working (INDG73) is a useful reference if staff currently open or close buildings by themselves.

When comparing providers, ask to see the lock-down check list they propose, how keys are stored and recorded, and what the officer will do if a door or window cannot be secured or someone is still in the building.

Every lock and unlock visit is recorded, and random patrol visits use wearable digital patrol recording. Officers are supported by 24-hour control room support. See technology and reporting.