My front passenger side lock has been very temperamental lately - taking quite a few goes to open it. When it does eventually open, it makes a horrible noise.

I've stripped the door down today, and given the lock mechanism a good coating of silicone grease, yet it's still the same.

In the process of fannying about trying to unclip the lock from the loom, I managed to break the little plastic clip that the lock pin clips into, so I'm definitely going to have to replace it now :(

Just how do you remove it? Does the outside handle have to come off too?

This is what it sounds like

If you want to remove the lock then yes the handle has to come out so you can detach thecablefrom the lock to the handle.

If you combine the guides of done for removing the carrier and the handle that should just about cover it.