Plain-English problem guide
Locked out of your house
Safe things to try first, the proof a locksmith will want, and the usual ways they get you back in.
What to do first
- Try every door and window you can safely and legally use
- Ring anyone who has a spare key you have given them
- Wait somewhere safe while you compare locksmiths
Find a locksmith Avoid making it worse
- Forcing the door or a window
- Accepting a headline price with nothing to back it up
- Agreeing to drilling before anyone explains why
How a locksmith might tackle it
- Picking or bypassing the lock you have
- Getting in through another door or window without damage
- Careful drilling, only when there is no other way
What changes the cost
- The time of day and the day of the week
- The type of lock and door
- Whether any parts are needed
- How far they travel and where they park
What to prepare
- Your postcode and type of property
- Photos of the door and lock
- Something to show you live there
