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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:
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Original poster
Squeezed1 · 02/05/2023 19:23

I've spoken to my bank. They've told me to dispute the transaction once the money has left my account (still pending atm) and to provide the disputes team with my account of what's happened and the link to those reviews.

She couldn't tell me whether I'll get my money back as that's not her remit and it'll be dealt with my disputes.

I'll have to keep checking my bank to see when it leaves my account, they have until the 10th of May apparently. I'm not even sure how it works I assumed it would clear for them straight away.

OP posts:
KTheGrey · 02/05/2023 19:23

Is there no office of fair trading nowadays? Because this is really shocking.

And the landlady should hold a spare key. What if she has to access the property for emergency repairs?

Florenz · 02/05/2023 19:24

Having a yale lock on the door probably isn't a good idea OP, you'd be better with one that doesn't lock when the door closes behind you.

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.

Florenz · 02/05/2023 19:25

£50 is unrealistic but £351 is ridiculous. I'd have expected it to cost £100-200.

Mummyoflittledragon · 02/05/2023 19:26

Legally (I believe) you should also have received a written quote for the work. And if you look at the bill, it said the lock was faulty. It wasn’t faulty. He broke it by drilling through the lock. Did he tell you before he did this so you could give him permission to do so op?

Element4056 · 02/05/2023 19:27

When I managed to lock myself out of my flat, the locksmith I found online charged me £60. He arrived and fiddled with the lock for maybe 10 minutes, so luckily no drilling or anything required. I was let in and only paid the £60 quoted. Sorry OP, it must have been a stressful situation with three kids locked out.

Doris86 · 02/05/2023 19:27

£351 for a few minutes work drilling out a lock, and slotting in a standard replacement part, which probably cost him an absolute max of £40?

I’m in the wrong job, and yes you were conned.

Qilin · 02/05/2023 19:27

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.

Based on the reviews this person is doing something that it is now 'standard' for the profession. It seems like they are going around making more than a bit of profit by scamming vulnerable customers.

OP - hope the bank and the disputes team can help. Don't forget to add to the reviews and follow up the complaint links listed.

largeprintagathachristie · 02/05/2023 19:27

OMG - in the reviews they’ve scammed an 80 year old who was saving for a mobility scooter- charged them over a thousand quid.

YouCould · 02/05/2023 19:28

I know it's too late for you OP but this is a useful guide to spotting rogue locksmiths. HERE

Here is a bbc article about a mega rogue locksmith who was sent to prison.

Toomanylatenightprogs · 02/05/2023 19:28

Squeezed1 · 02/05/2023 18:11

She asked me to get an invoice with her name on it. I'd already paid it so the invoice has my name on. I sent her the invoice to show I'd paid for it and she said she's going to get the money back to me. I didn't actually ask her to pay for it but paying for it has left me skint.

Expensive lesson learned 😔

That’s really kind of your landlady, maybe worth a bunch of flowers or box of chocolates as she not obligated to refund you.
As a pp said, get copies made of the keys and leave with a couple of trusted friends or even invest in a key safe.
These things happen, I locked myself out first week in new house, had to break a window. I got a key safe fitted after that.

ElfAndSafetyBored · 02/05/2023 19:29

I think you’ve got a rogue locksmith. This is a happened to my MIL too. I think she paid well over £400. I’m really sorry it happened to you.

Our door wouldn’t unlock, it cost me £108 in total (inc VAT) and the locksmith was with me within 2 hours. Had to replace a specific bit in the lock. We’re in London.

Againstmachine · 02/05/2023 19:31

JulianCasa · 02/05/2023 19:12

Because they can’t pick your lock if it’s a Yale lock. So they have to break it completely and replace it which costs a lot more £££. The newer locks on composite doors can be picked more easily, they aren’t as secure.
This exact thing happened to us about 3 years ago. It cost £250 then but that’s the last 3 years for you.

A Yale lock isn't even a proper lock it is just a nightlatch to stop door being opened by random, I hope you also have a mortice lock on the door.

They are most basic thing available and easy to pick and even if not a replacement is about 6-7 quid cost price for the smith to buy.

Guy is pure rip off merchant

ShowUs · 02/05/2023 19:31

These people need to be arrested.
Surely coning people is a crime!

If I went and robbed someone on the street I would be arrested and this is no different.

I personally would have waited for the landlady to find the spare key but it’s understandable why you’d just rather pay the £50 to get inside with your kids.

This man should be ashamed of himself preying on people who are feeling vulnerable.

Qilin · 02/05/2023 19:31

As a comparison - we had an issue in the house whilst we were away. Got a family member to go to the house to meet an emergency locksmith on a Sunday evening. He had to spend ages breaking our old lock - which was one of the secure ones so not able to pick and not just a case of drilling through it either. He then changed the lock for another very secure lock. They were there well over an hour or so on a Sunday, out of hours.

We paid slightly over £200 for a much bigger job, involving much tricky and secure locks.

lilkimm500 · 02/05/2023 19:31

That as well, I agree, its a total racket.

EsmeSusanOgg · 02/05/2023 19:31

Oh OP, this is quite a notroious scam move. Advertise and quote a reasonable fee and then charge something excessive. A reputable locksmith would likely have been closer to £150 (and quoted that). Report this dodgy company to Trading Standards.

Original poster
Squeezed1 · 02/05/2023 19:31

YouCould · 02/05/2023 19:11

Oh my goodness those reviews!!!!!! Please report them to action fraud and HMRC for VAT fraud FORM HERE

Don't suppose you have photos of him from a ring doorbell?

I do actually! I took one to send LL to show he was here and it was underway. Here he is

OP posts:
Justgorgeous · 02/05/2023 19:32

Locksmiths don’t usually need to drill the locks and unfortunately I knew of one that ended up on Rogue Traders as he always would say the lock needed drilling and telling customers they needed to pay straight away. He was targeting elderly people though and would charge £1,200.

Doris86 · 02/05/2023 19:33

Squeezed1 · 02/05/2023 18:30

Gosh I must be incredibly lucky to have such a kind landlady then. I assumed the landlord/lady handled things like this as standard.

This is the lock I had in, pic should be attached.

What do you reckon?

Show quote history

To buy one a replacement one of those on E bay, genuine Yale version with 3 keys and including postage is £15

So he has charged you £336 for a few minutes of his time.

YouCould · 02/05/2023 19:33

What a scumbag he is

Rosscameasdoody · 02/05/2023 19:33

WakeMeUpInspring · 02/05/2023 18:09

Why is your landlady paying?

I’m another who thought it was standard practice for landlords to have spare keys. Not sure it’s reasonable to expect her to pay £350 just because she couldn’t find it though.

Original poster
Squeezed1 · 02/05/2023 19:35

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.

He was here 10 minutes...

OP posts:
Rosscameasdoody · 02/05/2023 19:36

OP can you not take this up with your bank ? Tell them you think you’ve been scammed and see if they will cover the expense.

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