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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Locksmith quoted £50 and charged £351.60

293 replies

Squeezed1 · 02/05/2023 18:06

I got locked out of my new flat today. My autistic son opened the door and made a run for it, I ran out after him and the door shut behind me.

My landlady couldn't find her copy of the key (she has dozens of keys due to her actual job - but she has some pretty serious health problems, so I felt terrible bothering her with it in the first place)

I looked online and found a locksmith company that will come and pick the lock and let you in for £50. Happy days. No pressure on my landlady. She was happy for me to proceed and said ofc the £50 would come off my rent.

Locksmith came and had a 2 second fiddle with the lock and said he couldn't pick that type of lock (standard yale) so he'd have to drill through and replace the lock otherwise I wasn't getting in the flat. I had my 3 kids with me.

He wanted payment there and then and said I'd have to recoup the £ from my Landlady. I asked for the total £351.60

I had no choice but to pay it.

I feel a bit conned. Is this the norm? To advertise a service at a reasonable price and then turn up and quadruple it?

My bank account is pretty much empty now and whilst I'm sure my Landlady will get the money to me somehow, she has said as much and she's a really nice person so wouldn't not help me, it all feels pretty shit.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
13
1Raisedeyebrow · 02/05/2023 22:21

It’s a lesson learned for both you and you the landlord. You’re blessed to have a landlord that is willing to accept her responsibility by not having the spare available. It’s shitty but at least you are all safe at home.

If the landlord does pay maybe offer to pay half or all of the cost (if your budget can stretch it) over x amount of months if you feel this would help you feel better about the incident.

Advicerequest · 02/05/2023 22:24

Btw - this isn't just 'one man' - there are a large network of 'locksmiths' working for these interlinked companies.
anyone can pay for the locksmith training' which is presented as if it's a legitimate training programme in London but appears to be linked to the scam.
fyi they'll 'locksmiths' rock up in unmarked cars (ie no logo). Could be Uber drivers with rubbish vehicles. The locksmith who came round to my flat was also Eastern European.

also the 24/7 adds flood the Google results and appear as region specific
not sure how they game that but it's hard to find even consumer action stories about them as they are buried past the ads

thse locksmiths also game Google and Facebook reviews. Only trust pilot tells the truth. the scam is modelled on a long established IS scam.

Original poster
Squeezed1 · 02/05/2023 22:27

I don't expect the landlady to pay, atleast not now that I'm aware she (probably?) isn't responsible for the changing of the locks at the property whilst I'm a tenant.

I thought that was a landlords responsibility, I can see I may have been wrong.

I'm going to attempt to get my money back through my bank and hope for the best but I don't know how long I'll be waiting. The scammers have until 10th of this month for my £351 to clear and then the disputes department at my bank have another 10 days to look at the claim so I'm fucked for now either way 😔

OP posts:
Peterpiperpickedapeckof · 02/05/2023 22:30

I got ripped off in exactly the same way once. Feels awful doesn’t it?

Original poster
Squeezed1 · 02/05/2023 22:31

I really appreciate all of the advice and posts thank you. It can only help my case that it's a recognised scam, even if the bank do think I've been naive and immature (like the delightful poster on the last page suggested) they'll be able to see that they have form for doing the same, and worse.

OP posts:
S0upertrooper · 02/05/2023 22:31

@Squeezed1 I haven't made any snipes, everything I've said is fact. The only part that is my opinion is that I think you are immature and naive, which I stand by.

You seem to think it's ok to put this guy's info on a public forum (he's clearly trouble and knows where you live). I'd say that's naive and potentially puts you and your children in danger.

Original poster
Squeezed1 · 02/05/2023 22:36

S0upertrooper · 02/05/2023 22:31

@Squeezed1 I haven't made any snipes, everything I've said is fact. The only part that is my opinion is that I think you are immature and naive, which I stand by.

You seem to think it's ok to put this guy's info on a public forum (he's clearly trouble and knows where you live). I'd say that's naive and potentially puts you and your children in danger.

You know exactly what you were doing and so does everybody else. You were sticking the boot in. I'm not sure why you felt now was a good time to do that as you can see from my posts I'm upset. I can only conclude you wanted to make me feel worse.

You haven't succeeded btw. I have a 'mumsnet thick skin' after years on the website rolling my eyes at people like you.

I do hope you're less hard faced to those around you IRL.

So yes do better, which I stand by.

OP posts:
ChocChipHandbag · 02/05/2023 22:58

Stopthatknocking · 02/05/2023 19:12

He charged you £249 for drilling the lock and £49 for labour? What is drilling the lock if not labour?

But I can understand why you paid, with a child with autism you just need to get it sorted and calm the situation.
I hope you can get some of this refunded.
Good luck.

I was just coming on to say that -drilling out the lock IS labour.

Ans you can see he's put (faulty lock) in brackets as a "helpful" way to justify your landlady paying/claiming her insurance.

You were a sitting duck OP, so sorry this happened to you. Hope you can get a credit card charge back.

ChocChipHandbag · 02/05/2023 23:01

lilkimm500 · 02/05/2023 19:24

He turned up, saw it was more than a quick job, so upped the price. Either you refuse and he doesn’t do it and gets away or he does it, its a pain in the arse but he makes a decent profit. Standard for any trade, when the quote or cost is high or unreasonable its because they don’t want or need to do the work - if you pay that price it takes the sting out of the hassle of doing it, 9 times out of 10 they will be hoping you decline.

I looked at becoming a locksmith because it seemed like a license to print money. Spoke to one and he said the only way to make a decent living from it is to work 24/7 as most jobs come in from the evenings throughout the night - which sounds like a young persons game, and not mine.

That theory unfortunately falls down if you read OP's posts properly and see that he only told her it was £350 AFTER he'd drilled it out.

ladyofshertonabbas · 02/05/2023 23:05

That is really high. We paid £97 for emergency call out and new locks last year. (South west England). This was 5.30 on a Friday.

ChocChipHandbag · 02/05/2023 23:07

Sadly he was just mentioning insurance so you were conned into accepting the charge, thinking that it was all recoverable anyway. In reality, (even for a valid claim) there would be an excess on the insurance, so the landlady would at best have to pay about £100 of the charge, quite possibly the whole thing. At worst she's get done for insurance fraud.

Mirabai · 02/05/2023 23:18

OnlyFannys · 02/05/2023 22:05

But that would be assuming that the locksmith was being honest that the lock needed to be changed, the reviews show that this is the tactic they use on every customer by lying and saying it cannot be picked after initially quoting for picking it so I dont agree that any of the charges are fair.

Show quote history

Sure, but none of this is the bank’s problem. If the company can show that the Labour was done and the lock changed, neither of which the OP is disputing, then OP will be expected to pay for that. Simply being overcharged by a scammy company for work that it’s potentially necessary - the bank will not refund for that.

Disputed transactions refund if the transaction itself is fraudulent or the goods or service paid for were not received.

OP would have to take it up with the company and argue it out in the small claims court.

ChocChipHandbag · 02/05/2023 23:19

CC4712 · 02/05/2023 21:28

He took the old key and snapped it in half in the lock

What old key??? You ran outside WITHOUT the key, so what key did he shove in the lock and snap off??? This makes no sense.

He shoved it in the lock and snapped it off after he drilled it out and let her in.

Doris86 · 02/05/2023 23:19

Mirabai · 02/05/2023 21:06

This is a standard cost OP. It’s £50+ VAT call out (that’s actually cheap). If they can open it ok, but if not they have to replace the whole lock and front door locks are really expensive. If they replace your lock with a cheap one that’s easily pickable and you get burgled - that’s no benefit to you.

The locksmith has replaced the lock with a cheap one, that can be bought for £15 on E bay. Then he has charged £351 for it - along with the 10 mins work to drill out and and replace the lock.

Mirabai · 02/05/2023 23:23

*potentially necessary = potentially un-necessary.

NoSquirrels · 02/05/2023 23:25

I didn't realise they'd already been investigated! How on earth are they still in business?

OP, do not feel bad. Similar thing happened to us in London years ago in a rented property, with a spammy plumbing company. Pressured to pay and left to explain the sorry affair to the landlady.

Once we realised, I checked the website my DH had googled. There was a Trading Standards warning notice displayed, saying this business was linked to a banned business - but, crucially, so low down the hierarchy on the page it wouldn’t be seen unless you scrolled and scrolled and scrolled.

We reported them to Trading Standards again, and they confirmed they had them under investigation in this name etc.

It was just one of those (fucking awful at the time) things. Do report them.

YouCould · 03/05/2023 00:58

S0upertrooper · 02/05/2023 22:31

@Squeezed1 I haven't made any snipes, everything I've said is fact. The only part that is my opinion is that I think you are immature and naive, which I stand by.

You seem to think it's ok to put this guy's info on a public forum (he's clearly trouble and knows where you live). I'd say that's naive and potentially puts you and your children in danger.

Even if you believe your post to be true what is the purpose of you posting it. You could have just suggested removing the photo if you had wanted to be helpful but for some reason you wanted to hurt the OP and make her more upset? Why would you do that? It's a weird and pathetic thing to do. I presume you get a kick out of it or you wouldn't have doubled down on your snide comments.

potatohead1 · 03/05/2023 07:16

Reallyareyousure · 02/05/2023 18:08

Why would your landlady pay for it? It's absolutely nothing to do with her. You can't even ask her.

Because had the LL not lost her copy there wouldn't be a problem

potatohead1 · 03/05/2023 07:22

Greengold123 · 02/05/2023 18:44

Wow what a landlady to pay that, definitely should have been paid by you.

I'm surprised there are lots of people saying you've misunderstood the website/ qoute when this clearly isn't the case. What's actually happened is you've asked them to pick the lock which costs £50 but, as is common knowledge, some locks can't be picked and the only option is an expensive drilling to get in then replace which you authorised.

You haven't been conned.

Conned because £350 is unreasonable. Also the LL has a responsibility to hold a spare key. She failed in this so has some responsibility. I would think 50:50 would be fair. It's OPs fault and the LL has failed in her responsibility to hold a spare which would have resolved the issue

potatohead1 · 03/05/2023 07:26

@Greengold123 My bloke is a locksmith and with all due respect you don't have a clue what you're talking about. This lock in particular can be picked, slipped and bypassed it's bread and butter work for anyone who knows what they're doing. The OP has been conned by a rogue locksmith.
Well that told ya

WombatChocolate · 03/05/2023 07:30

potatohead1 · 03/05/2023 07:22

Conned because £350 is unreasonable. Also the LL has a responsibility to hold a spare key. She failed in this so has some responsibility. I would think 50:50 would be fair. It's OPs fault and the LL has failed in her responsibility to hold a spare which would have resolved the issue

Show quote history

Would you say the LL should pay half if the scam had been £1k or even £2k?

Unfortunately, the Op was the one who fell for the scam. It’s horrible and we all hope she finds a way to recoup the loss. But I don’t think the LL is the person who should or needs to be bearing that full or half of the loss. It’s not always possible to pass our losses onto someone else, even if they are the result of a scam.

Original poster
Squeezed1 · 03/05/2023 07:50

The payment is still showing as pending, does anybody have any idea how long it will take to clear so I can get the dispute started?

OP posts:
Mirabai · 03/05/2023 08:31

There’s no point disputing the transaction, a bank will not refund in these circs.

OhwhyOY · 03/05/2023 08:36

GoodChat · 02/05/2023 20:07

A photo isn't a GDPR breach. It's not wise to post it, but GDPR isn't the reason.
Your face isn't confidential information.

Show quote history

That's not true, a photo counts as sensitive personal data. You can't just share someone's image without their consent or another basis for doing so under the GDPR. But that said I do think others are right that the GDPR applies to businesses rather than individuals. That said there are still privacy laws that mean you aren't supposed to film or photograph people without consent and share their image, so still better for OP to take the photo down anyway. Good she has it though for the bank, police, or Trading Standards.

Qilin · 03/05/2023 08:47

Mirabai · 03/05/2023 08:31

There’s no point disputing the transaction, a bank will not refund in these circs.

There is every point in disputing it.
Some banks will pay out.
It doesn't cost the op anything to dispute it so why wouldn't she, on the off chance they do pay out.
And it's always worth reporting scammers and ensuring others know about them.