Your door is the first line of defense against intruders. A secure lock is critical in keeping intruders out of your property and your possessions safe.

a Mortice lock is channeled into a door and frame and provides an even finish rather than being surface mounted, meaning they are most suited to work with wooden doors. This makes it hard for trespassers to force open, and with a variety of security levels available, with the higher number of levers being the most difficult for intruders to pick .

A three-lever lock is suitable for low-level security like internal doors, whilst five-lever locks are recommended by the police and are a minimum requirement for home insurance.

With half a million different keys seven-lever locks are suitable for high-security purposes. For domestic usage, five-lever locks meet the required standards. The five-lever mortice deadlock is perfect for all doors except for UPVC, aluminum or composite doors.

The mortice lock mechanism is morticed in a slot inside the door and a key is required to open it. Most mortice locks are suitable for both left and right-hand opening doors, and can easily be installed. The deadlock has a bolt which is operated by a key and is often used in conjunction with a night latch.

A sashlock features a bolt and latch and is used with door handles.They are available in a variety of designs and include a backplate, door knob, box lock, and other required parts. There is a range of sizes, security levels and functions which you need to consider before purchasing. They are ideal for replacing or updating interior door locks, and perfect for replacing broken knobs and old doors They can also be used as a privacy lock on bedrooms, bathrooms and other interior doors.

To summarise, here are the advantages to mortice locks:

- Very hard for burglars to open them, particularly five lock or more.

- Stockists have a wide range of sizes. They can lock on inside and outside The old-fashioned crafted look and feel gives extra gravitas. But they need to be fitted by a locksmith unless you know what you are doing.

- They can only be operated when the key is inside the cylinder but they also are designed with a passage function where they don't need a key and can still be opened and closed (good for children not getting locked in).