24/48 hour options • lost masters • compromised tiers • incident response

Emergency Rekeying for Master Key Suites

When a master key tier is lost, compromised, or you can’t confidently prove key control, time matters. Emergency rekeying is a risk-based containment plan that restores control fast-without causing unnecessary disruption.

Triage & containment Selective rekey where possible Documentation restored
Contact for emergency rekeying 01296 752080 Replace lost keys (non-urgent)
Back to Master Key Systems hub or browse High-intent pages.
Common trigger events
Lost master key (GMK/MK/SMK)
If a master tier is lost, exposure can be broad. Emergency rekeying is about fast containment.
Compromised keys / uncontrolled copies
Suspected copying or keys circulating without a register. Control needs restoring quickly.
Staff turnover / contractor access
When key rings are over-issued or off-boarding is messy, emergency action prevents drift and risk.
Security incident or break-in
Where physical access may have been gained, rekeying is part of incident response and reassurance.
Undocumented legacy suite under pressure
When you can’t confidently say what opens what, emergency work stabilises the site while an audit follows.
Hierarchy exposure • Incident policy
Quick contact
Call us 01296 752080 Email incident details info@lockandkey.co.uk Not urgent? Get a quote
Real premises, real support team
About us

Trusted master key system support

Speak to an MLA accredited locksmith team with in-house planning, documented suite records, and practical support before and after installation.

MLA Accredited
Aylesbury HQ
Online system management
Master Locksmiths Association BSI Kitemark

Master locksmiths with BSI accreditation

MLA approved locksmiths, BSI certified key systems, and independently audited security standards.

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Easy to navigate website and ordering if you have the information required. Packed well and fast delivery. 1st class service. Highly recommend this company.

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Open emergency triage

Submitting the urgent form flags our team immediately so we can prepare a containment plan. If the access risk is live, call 01296 752080 as well.

What emergency rekeying looks like

Emergency work should be structured: triage the tier, contain the exposure, restore control, and document the outcome so the suite doesn’t drift again.

Triage the exposure

What tier is affected, what doors are on that tier, and what operational constraints exist (24/7 access, critical rooms, etc.).

Containment plan

Selective rekey where possible, prioritising high-risk zones first. Full suite rekey only when necessary.

Restore control

Introduce restricted profiles if key copying is a risk, and define ordering authorisation going forward.

Document the outcome

Even emergency work needs re-order references and a clean schedule so the site doesn’t fall back into drift.

Replace lost keys Restricted key systems Audit unknown suites

What we need right now

If you’re under pressure, send the basics. If you have more, great-but we can triage from limited info.

What happened
Lost key, theft, staff departure, suspected copying, break-in, etc.
Which tier is affected (if known)
GMK/MK/SMK/CK-if you don’t know, we’ll triage it.
Site type
Hospital, council estate, school, BTR block, commercial building, etc.
Operational constraints
24/7 zones, critical rooms, restricted access times, safeguarding.
Scale
Approx door count and number of buildings/blocks involved.
Timeline
When it happened and what deadline you’re under.
Send incident enquiry Email details

Common outcomes

The best outcome is “contained risk + restored control + documentation” with minimal disruption.

Selective emergency rekey (containment)
Rekey the exposed zones first, keep the site operational, and avoid unnecessary “burn it all down” replacements.
Replace lost keys Key hierarchy explained
Restricted profile introduction
If copying is part of the risk, restricted keys help prevent uncontrolled duplicates and tighten ordering.
Restricted key systems Key control policies
Emergency stabilise → audit → long-term plan
When the suite is unknown or drifting, emergency work stabilises the site and the audit makes it maintainable.
Audit unknown suites Expand a suite
Related sector pages
Hospitals & NHS Estates Local Authorities Housing Associations Build-to-Rent (BTR) Schools & Colleges Facilities Management Companies
View all industries

Related system type pages

For scoping risk and choosing the right control level.

View all types

High-Security Master Key Systems

Sensitive zones and tighter risk profiles.

Restricted Key Systems

Copy-prevention and controlled ordering.

Key Control Policies

Issuance, audits, contractors, incident response.

Key Hierarchy Design Explained

Understand tier exposure and scope accurately.

Need emergency rekeying?

Call or email with what happened, approximate door count, and any operational constraints. We’ll triage the risk and propose the fastest safe containment plan.

Call 01296 752080 Email details Master Key Systems hub

Not urgent?

Use the non-emergency pages to plan properly:

Replace lost keys Audit unknown suites Get a quote
Online management included

See how your whole system connects

Explore your keys, groups and communal doors in a visual system map. See expected access connections, give people the keys they need, and manage orders and permissions in one secure place.

People & permissionsNormal or management access, selected keys and date windows.
Restricted-order approvalsCheck the requester, delivery address and exact keys before deciding.
Complete order historySee every restricted order linked to the system in one place.
Timeline & documentsKeep customer-visible records separate from protected system charts.
Explore the interactive demo Open your systems
Your system, mapped out TSR123 · Example
MASMaster key
Group A
SMA · Sub-master
A1 A2
COMACommunal
Group B
SMB · Sub-master
B1 B2
COMBCommunal
Group C
SMC · Sub-master
C1 C2
COMCCommunal
Group D
SMD · Sub-master
D1 D2
COMDCommunal
Follow the groups. Find the shared doors. Explore expected key access.
Try the system map
Orders & approvals Owner view
Example owner decision: an unauthorised request is reviewed, denied and recorded. No real orders are shown.
Restricted-order approvals

You decide who gets the keys.

An order outside someone’s access comes to you for approval. Check who is ordering, where the keys are going and exactly what they requested. Approve it when it checks out, or deny it when it doesn’t.

Pair these approvals with PREM 4, our usual patented keyway, for control over key supply as well as who can order. Every decision leaves a record in your system’s history.

Try an example key order Order TSR / HMJ keys

Already have TSR or HMJ keys? Use the ordering page above. For another key range, contact us to find the matching product.