To think this is extortionate

[Butterflykissess]

I've lost my house keys, I've searched high and low. I've been looking for at least 2 hours. Even in the wheelie bins. Realistically there is nowhere else for me to look now. I called the council and apparently it is £94 for a locksmith. Aibu in thinking that is ridiculous? How do they justify that. I simply can't afford that amount. I know I should have had a spare (I did silly me gave it to my nephew when he stayed here and he never gave it back, now doesn't know where it is.)

I don’t think it’s extortionate or an unfair amount but you have my huge sympathy as it’s a bloody lot of money when you don’t have it.

Can you ring around and check other locksmith costs?

What about your home insurance. Will they cover it?

Sorry but I think that's quite a good price for a tradesman callout.

There is a sign up in my local area for a locksmith who advertises £79 to gain access. So although your quote is slightly higher, it doesn’t seem extortionate.

A locksmith has a business to run and overheads. It’s not just a case of him / her charging you £94 for 10 minutes of their time (I’m guessing it will take longer than that?)

No home insurance. Haven't got the money. I just about scrape by as it is. Literally ran out of places to look.

That is actually really cheap. I’ve known it cost hundreds

PS in fact reading that back the £79 I saw was just to gain access, from your OP it looks like you will need a new lock and new keys, so in that case £94 seems reasonable!

Don’t call them yet.

If you used your keys to get in the house, they have to be there.

You FEEL like you’ve looked everywhere, but you can’t have, because you’d have found them!

Sit down. Calm down. Then think through what you did exactly, last time you got home.

You WILL find them. You just have to think it through.

Check the fridge
Check the freezer

...do you have a toddler? Then check every toy/toy box/feasible slot/hole/drawer/cupboard

It’s worth persevering because £100 is a lot of money when you don’t have it 😕

If it’s a barrel lock you can replace it yourself but it’ll still be about £35.

Are you actually locked out or can you just not find your keys and want to go out?

It is cheap to be honest , I presume that's including a lock etc. It's not actually that difficult to do so maybe a kind freind could do it for you .

Coat pockets, shopping bags, put down on a counter somewhere, under the sofa cushions, fallen down the back of a radiator, etc, etc.

Check the bins, check plants, washing machine and oven.

I left my coffee in the fridge the other day

I keep them in a box by the door. I looked in there this morning for my phone and they were in there. Went to get them before going out and can't find them in there. Looked in there a thousands times. Have kids but everyone's claiming not to have seen them.

Can't find them but I'm inside. Kids are back at school tomorrow which is what I'm worried about as won't be able to take them without the keys .

Have you checked the outside of the lock?

Left my keys in my old house twice within the last year, cost £35 and the other one cost £45 and I never shopped around, I just wanted access!
I’d phone around for something cheaper

Are you sure the kids aren't messing you about?

Can't you call your nephew to bring the key back to you...and use that and then get a spare key cut from it?

Check everywhere, under furniture, down the sides of furniture, inside books/magazines...under piles of letters...even under laundry, leave no stone unturned

Misread... yours is for changing your locks too? Yes, that’s cheap

Sit down with a cuppa and shut your eyes. We don't see things we are looking for sometimes. See what pops into your head. They'll be there somewhere but stress is clouding you finding them.

If the door isn't locked, the barrel can be replaced for about £10 and you'll get 2 new keys. Anyone with a bit of DIY nouse can do it.

You've used them to get in so try are there.

• still in the door?
• in the porch?
• on the stairs?
• handbag?

-coat pocket? -kitchen work tips (behind coffee sugar etc)?

• in fridge, freezer, microwave, washing machine,tumble dryer?
• in laundry basket?
• under sofa, down the sides?
• did you carry shopping in and out them in the bag?
• did you run to the loo and leave them there?

Just some ideas

I've found mine in the toy box, on a dining chair pushed under the table, under the sofa. They must be there somewhere!

A technique I use for looking something when I’ve lost it, is work per room and mentally divide the room into 9 equally sized square sections, then search every inch of each section, before moving on to the next one. It sounds daft but it works for me!

Check all your cupboards and drawers, I lost my phone and keys before and have put them into my sock drawer when I’ve been tidying up and auto pilot!