Why does my door handle droop instead of springing back?

Two separate springs return a handle to horizontal: one in the latch, and one in the handle itself. Both fail with age, and only that one test tells you which.

What you'll need

• A screwdriver, usually a small Allen key too
• A replacement handle set or latch
• A tape measure

Step by step

1. Do the isolation test.Remove both handles and the spindle. Operate the latch follower with a screwdriver. Springs back on its own means the latch is fine and the handle is at fault.
2. Check the grub screw first.A loose grub screw on the handle collar lets the handle sag without anything having failed. Tighten it onto the flat of the spindle rather than onto a round section.
3. Check the spindle.A worn or too-short spindle rounds off in the follower and lets the handle move without driving the latch. Replacement spindles cost a couple of pounds.
4. Identify a sprung versus unsprung handle.Sprung handles have a cassette inside the rose that returns the lever. Unsprung handles rely entirely on the latch spring and must be paired with a heavy-sprung latch.
5. Replace the handle set if the cassette has gone.The cassette is not usually serviceable. Fitting an unsprung handle to an old, weak latch is the classic cause of a drooping lever.
6. On a uPVC door, check the handle screw centres.Almost all UK uPVC door handles are 92mm centres between the fixing screws, with a 122mm variant. Measure before ordering.
7. Check the uPVC handle spindle length.Split spindles and sprung-cassette spindles differ. Measure the existing one, and note whether it is a single piece or two halves.
8. Suspect the gearbox on a uPVC door that has gone floppy.If the handle flops and the hooks no longer throw, the multipoint gearbox has failed rather than the handle. That means replacing the whole lock strip, matched by backset, centres and length.
9. Replace the latch if that was the fault.A weak latch spring cannot be repaired. Match the backset and swap it — a fifteen-minute job.

Tips

• A heavy-sprung tubular latch paired with an unsprung handle is the traditional combination and is the most reliable. Sprung handles are a convenience, not an upgrade.
• Buy handles in pairs with the correct roses. Mixing an old rose with a new lever rarely lines up.
• On uPVC, take a photo of the handle from the edge before ordering — the spindle arrangement varies more than the faceplate does.

Common mistakes

• Fitting unsprung handles to an old latch — The latch spring alone has to lift both levers and their weight. On a worn latch it cannot, so brand new handles droop from the first day and the fault looks like a faulty product.
• Over-tightening the rose screws — Compressing the rose onto the cassette binds the spring and stops the lever returning. Tighten only until the rose is snug against the door face.

If it doesn't work

Questions people ask