Master Key Systems

Any business with more than one lockable area and more than a handful of staff starts to benefit from a structured key hierarchy. In practice, Fulham offices and commercial premises with five or more staff across two or more secure areas — think a marketing agency with a client suite and a server room, or a medical practice with consulting rooms and a dispensary — gain the most immediate operational and security benefit. That said, even a small studio with a handful of rooms finds a two-tier system tidier and more secure than issuing duplicate keys to everyone.

Several factors go into the final quote: the number of doors to be included in the suite, the type and security grade of cylinders required for each door, the number of key levels in the hierarchy, the number of individual keys to be cut, any parts such as escutcheons or keeps that need replacing, and the time of day the work is carried out — evening, weekend, and bank holiday call-outs are priced differently from standard weekday visits. Travel distance from our base in Fulham also plays a small role for premises at the edge of our service area. We always confirm an exact price on the phone before we come out, so you know the full cost before you commit to anything.

In most cases, a full replacement of the cylinders is required, because master key suites depend on cylinders that are machined to a specific, controlled keyway profile that is unique to your suite. Standard off-the-shelf cylinders — even high-quality ones — cannot usually be incorporated without breaking the security logic of the suite. However, if your existing doors already use a compatible lock body or mortice case, often only the cylinder needs to change rather than the entire lock, which reduces the work involved considerably. Our technician will assess each door during the site survey and advise you accordingly.

This is one of the key practical strengths of a managed suite. Our technicians use the key schedule produced at installation to identify exactly which doors the affected key could open. We then re-key only those cylinders, cutting new keys to the same positions in the hierarchy for the people who still need them. The rest of the suite remains intact and in service. Because the keyway is restricted — blanks are not available in hardware shops — a lost key cannot be duplicated without authorisation from us, which limits the window of risk considerably. We recommend re-keying promptly after any key is lost or unaccounted for.

The duration depends on the number of doors and the complexity of the hierarchy. A straightforward suite covering eight to ten doors in a single-storey Fulham office can typically be completed within a working day. Larger or multi-floor premises take longer, and we can discuss phasing the work across two visits if keeping certain areas operational during installation is a priority. Our technicians work methodically and aim to leave each door fully secure and functional before moving to the next, so the disruption to your team is kept to a minimum throughout.

Yes — we work regularly with letting agents and managing agents who oversee commercial lets across Fulham, including premises around Fulham Broadway, Parsons Green, and the riverside stretches near Hurlingham. For agents managing multiple units, we can coordinate master key suites that simplify handovers between tenants, ensuring departed tenants' keys are invalidated without the cost and disruption of full lock replacements each time. If you manage a block of commercial units or a mixed-use building and want to discuss a coherent access strategy across the whole premises, call us on 020 7871 7823 — we are available 24/7 and are happy to arrange a site visit at a time that suits your schedule.