Being locked out is stressful, especially on a cold evening with the light going. Most lockouts can be sorted quickly, and in most cases the door can be opened without drilling or breaking anything.
Here is what to check first, what a locksmith will do when they arrive and how to keep the cost sensible.
First, make sure everyone is safe
If a child, a vulnerable person or a pet is shut inside and at risk, or something is left on the cooker, call 999. The emergency services come first. For everything else, take a breath and work through the simple checks below.
Check the easy options
- Is there a spare key with a family member, a neighbour or a friend nearby?
- Is any other door or window genuinely unlocked? Do not climb in through an upstairs window or force anything.
- If you rent, your landlord or letting agent may hold a key, and some tenancies say who to call for lock problems.
- Check your home insurance. Some policies include home emergency cover that pays towards a locksmith, so it is worth a quick look before you book anyone.
Why it pays to call someone local
Locksmithing is not regulated by the government in the UK, so anyone can trade as a locksmith. The Master Locksmiths Association makes this point itself, and consumer group Which? has warned about firms that quote a low price on the phone and then add charges on the doorstep.
A few simple habits protect you:
- Ask for the price, or at least a clear range, before anyone sets off
- Check you are speaking to the person who will actually turn up, not a call centre
- Look at recent reviews from people in your area
- Save a trusted local number in your phone now, before you need it
How a locksmith gets you back in
Most front doors in Leominster, Ludlow and the surrounding villages are either UPVC or composite doors with a euro cylinder and multipoint lock, or timber doors with a night latch and mortice lock. Many of these can be opened with non-destructive entry. That means picking or manipulating the lock rather than drilling it, so there is no damage to put right and no new lock to pay for.
If the lock has failed inside, or it is a high security cylinder designed to resist those methods, it may need drilling. In that case a replacement should go in straight away so the door locks properly before the locksmith leaves.
If the door was only pulled shut
A door that has simply closed behind you on the latch is often quicker to open than one that has been locked with the key. That is worth mentioning when you call, as it helps the locksmith plan the job.
When the lock itself is the problem
Not every lockout is a lost key. Sometimes the key will not turn, the handle will not lift, or the door is locked but will not open from either side. That usually points to a failed multipoint gearbox or a door that has dropped out of line.
If your door has been getting stiff for weeks, that is often the warning sign. Our guide on why UPVC doors drop and get hard to lock explains what is going on and why forcing the handle can turn a small adjustment into a lockout.
After you are back inside
Once you are in, think about why it happened:
- If keys were lost or stolen with your address on them, get the cylinder changed so the old keys no longer work
- If the lock was stiff or jammed, get it repaired before it fails completely
- Leave a spare key with someone you trust nearby
Avoid hiding a key under a mat or in a plant pot. They are the first places anyone looks.
Locked out near Leominster?
Steve answers lockouts himself and, where possible, is on his way within the hour, evenings and weekends included. Most euro cylinder and UPVC multipoint doors are opened without damage, and the price is agreed before anything starts.
See how emergency lockouts are handled, or read about lock repairs and replacement if your lock is on its way out. Steve covers Leominster, Tenbury Wells and the villages in between. Call 07948 117374.