Find the reference
Use the notice on the door or any email or letter relating to the premises.
Commercial occupier information
Commercial tenant locked out after the locks were changed?
If UK Bailiffs has secured the premises on your landlord’s instructions, do not force or damage an entry. Locate the notice or case reference and contact us so we can verify your identity and explain the practical next steps.
This page concerns commercial premises. If anyone lives or sleeps at the property, tell us immediately.
Do not force entry or interfere with the security arrangements
Use the contact details and reference shown on the notice fixed to the premises.
0330 133 1818
First response
What to do immediately
The notice left at the premises should identify the case and explain the capacity in which action was taken.
Keep the notice, take a clear copy for your records and contact UK Bailiffs. Once your identity and authority are verified, we can explain the practical process recorded on the case and how any permitted access or collection arrangements will be managed.
Do not attempt self-help entry
Do not cut locks, damage doors, remove notices, interfere with alarms or enter through another part of the premises. Doing so may cause damage, affect your legal position or interfere with security measures. Obtain advice before taking any action.
Four immediate steps
Contact, verify, preserve and obtain advice
Contact UK Bailiffs
Give the address, company name, your role and the case reference if available.
Preserve documents
Keep the lease, notices, payment records, correspondence and photographs together.
Take urgent advice
If you dispute the action or want the lease restored, contact a commercial property solicitor promptly.
Understanding the situation
Why commercial premises may have been secured
A changed lock does not by itself explain the legal basis. Read the documents left at the property and obtain advice on the actual circumstances.
Landlord has recovered possession
The landlord may have exercised a right of re-entry under the commercial lease. The basis could involve unpaid rent or another alleged breach, but the lease, notices and circumstances determine the position.
Possession under a formal process
Action may follow a court order or another documented authority. Check the notice and any supporting paperwork rather than assuming that every lock change is a peaceable re-entry.
Premises have been protected
Locks, shutters, seals, alarms or monitoring may be used to protect the recovered property. Access is controlled and should be arranged through the stated contact route.
Our role and its limits
UK Bailiffs cannot determine the dispute for you
We can explain the practical process on our case and deal with authorised access arrangements. We cannot act as the tenant’s independent legal adviser.
A dispute about the landlord’s entitlement, waiver, the lease, notices, arrears, occupation or relief from forfeiture should be raised urgently with a solicitor.
Relief from forfeiture may be time-sensitive
A commercial tenant may be able to ask a court for relief in appropriate circumstances. Whether that remedy is available, the procedure and the urgency depend on the facts. UK Bailiffs cannot promise reinstatement or suspend the landlord’s instructions without proper authority.
Belongings left inside
If a Torts notice has been displayed
The notice concerns goods remaining at the premises. It should not be ignored.
Read the notice carefully and contact the named person before any stated deadline. Collection is not automatic access to the premises: it must be arranged and may be subject to identification, proof of ownership, supervision, safety requirements and agreed timing.
Prepare for a collection request
Make a list of the items claimed, identify any urgent equipment or records, provide evidence of ownership where available and name the person who will attend. Tell us if third-party, hired, leased or employee-owned goods may be present.
Quote the case reference and complete premises address whenever you contact us.
Information we need
Help us identify the correct instruction
- Case reference shown on the notice
- Full address of the commercial premises
- Tenant’s correct legal or trading name
- Your name, role and authority to act
- Reason for contacting us
- Any urgent welfare, safety or residential-occupation issue
Common questions
Commercial tenant lock-change FAQs
Can I collect stock, tools, documents or personal belongings?
Potentially, but do not enter without agreement. Contact us with the case reference and a clear list of what is required. Any access or collection will be arranged according to the authority on the case, the notice, safety requirements and the landlord’s instructions.
Can UK Bailiffs give me a replacement key?
Not automatically. If possession has been recovered for the landlord, keys and access are controlled under that instruction. We can explain the practical contact route after verifying your identity and authority.
What if I believe the landlord was not entitled to change the locks?
Preserve the documents and obtain urgent independent advice from a commercial property solicitor. UK Bailiffs cannot decide the underlying legal dispute or provide advice on the tenant’s remedies.
Can UK Bailiffs reverse the forfeiture?
No. We cannot reinstate the lease or return possession without proper authority. A solicitor can advise whether to approach the landlord, seek relief from forfeiture or pursue another urgent remedy.
What if somebody lives at the premises?
Tell UK Bailiffs immediately and obtain legal advice. Residential or mixed-use occupation may materially change the legal position and must not be treated as an ordinary wholly commercial lock change.
I received a bailiff letter about a debt—is this the right page?
This page concerns locks changed at commercial premises. If your enquiry relates to a debt or an enforcement visit, use our Received a Letter information page instead.
Related information
Commercial property guidance
Contact the case team
Quote the reference shown on the premises
We will verify your identity and explain the practical process recorded on the instruction. Independent legal advice should be obtained where the landlord’s entitlement or the tenant’s remedies are disputed.
