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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:
Thread gallery
13
JoshLymanIsHotterThanSam · 02/05/2023 20:15

Just for you information OP in case it’s helpful with your bank. Those locks are around £3.50 plus vat to buy (I know as we stock them in our shop) they come with the keys so there shouldn’t have been a separate key charge.

Im so sorry you’ve been scammed.

CindersAgain · 02/05/2023 20:15

I hope someone else has suggested you get a couple of copies made of your keys now and leave them with friends.

Original poster
Squeezed1 · 02/05/2023 20:17

I'm on page 3 of the company's all negative reviews and something else has just clicked!

So as I said up thread he was telling me to have my landlady claim on her insurance and pretend the key had broken in the lock therefore it was a faulty lock that absolutely had to be drilled.

Except it didn't. There was nothing wrong with the lock. There was after he was finished with it. He took the old key and snapped it in half in the lock, under the guise of doing me/the landlady a favour in helping us claim on the insurance.

According to the reviews its a common tactic for them to use, so they say "hey, I had no choice but to drill that lock off because it was broken!" and charge the over inflated drilling fee.

He tried to wrap that up as wanting to help me recoup the money.

What an utter bastard.

OP posts:
Original poster
Squeezed1 · 02/05/2023 20:17

OhwhyOY · 02/05/2023 20:05

OP I would delete the photo of the guy as sharing this image is a breach of data protection (GDPR). I'm glad you've approached your bank, fingers crossed they sort this for you. Horrendous people taking advantage of people in a vulnerable situation. I'd also call Trading Standards.

Thank you I'll get that part deleted

OP posts:
KTSl1964 · 02/05/2023 20:18

Robbing bastard!!!
i have locked myself out - he was actually able to open it with a credit card!!!
Another time a new lock £120 - I’d post a negative review of the company.
They have no conscience

GoodChat · 02/05/2023 20:18

Report him to Trading Standards OP - and mention breaking the key to your bank:

ejbaxa · 02/05/2023 20:21

People are so utterly evil. This guy belongs in prison. Sadly he's just going to continue to rob stressed people.

Stratusinium · 02/05/2023 20:23

Squeezed1 · 02/05/2023 20:17

Thank you I'll get that part deleted

Show quote history

Im not sure that applies to a private individual

Original poster
Squeezed1 · 02/05/2023 20:24

Chezza2502 · 02/05/2023 20:14

I'd be very surprised if your landlady repaid you the money for the locksmith, and I very much doubt she's obliged to> I would have questioned why a locksmith wouldn't have been able to pick a standard yale lock, if that was me I would have asked him BEFORE he drilled the lock out how much it would cost and I think I would have rather broken a window to gain access, stay awake for the night and get it replaced the next morning...would have been a darn sight cheaper.

She is questioning his supposed inability to pick that lock and said herself it should have been an easy pick. I've been in contact with her afterwards and sent her the page of reviews saying the company is a scam.

My plan is to try and recoup the money from my bank as PP's have advised.

So i don't expect her to pay me the money, she kindly offered as she couldn't provide me with the correct spare key.

Breaking a window for entry wasn't an option though as I'm in a flat and it's not on the ground floor.

OP posts:
Changeling78 · 02/05/2023 20:25

What a scum bag.
I don’t think GDPR covers OP, she’s not a business dealing with private information.

hockerydockerydick · 02/05/2023 20:26

you’d be taking the absolute piss accepting that money back from your landlady. your mistake, your choice to let him go ahead without asking the price

OnlyFannys · 02/05/2023 20:26

This is shocking, absolute scum. The review from the elderly person saving for a mobility scooter is heartbreaking. I'm sorry you have been scammed op, I hope you get your money back

Original poster
Squeezed1 · 02/05/2023 20:27

JoshLymanIsHotterThanSam · 02/05/2023 20:15

Just for you information OP in case it’s helpful with your bank. Those locks are around £3.50 plus vat to buy (I know as we stock them in our shop) they come with the keys so there shouldn’t have been a separate key charge.

Im so sorry you’ve been scammed.

Thanks so much. I've saved this info to relay to the bank!

OP posts:
ShowUs · 02/05/2023 20:27

I would log it with the police.
You can do it on their website.

I would give as many details as you can including links to the reviews, what he said about breaking the key, any company names they’ve used etc.

lilkimm500 · 02/05/2023 20:28

Yep, it is a stitch up - hope you get money back.

DownNative · 02/05/2023 20:31

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.

This kind of thing is the landlord's responsibility and they have to reimburse the tenant.

Mjne dud a couple of years ago when it cost £200 odd quid.

VisionsOfSplendour · 02/05/2023 20:36

DownNative · 02/05/2023 20:31

This kind of thing is the landlord's responsibility and they have to reimburse the tenant.

Mjne dud a couple of years ago when it cost £200 odd quid.

Show quote history

How is a tenant being scammed the landlords responsibility?

tolerable · 02/05/2023 20:36

standard yale lock--in coonsil=no picking required(just run a sheet) how much would a new window av cost

Dente · 02/05/2023 20:39

That I steep for one lock. I had 5 locks changed for £400 and he also came out the same day. I think that’s ridiculous and I would be question that. Get a breakdown etc.

Dontlistitonfacebook · 02/05/2023 20:41

OP it doesn't look like you actually got a quotation for the work you needed doing though? İf someone gives you a quotation that's like a legal contract I think. Prices on a website are not a quotation for a specific piece of work.

İn future, ask for a quotation in writing before you agree to the work.

I have learned this lesson the hard way myself.

hockerydockerydick · 02/05/2023 20:41

DownNative · 02/05/2023 20:31

This kind of thing is the landlord's responsibility and they have to reimburse the tenant.

Mjne dud a couple of years ago when it cost £200 odd quid.

Show quote history

how on earth is it the landlady’s responsibility? if the lock failed, yes that’s her responsibility but how is OP locking herself out the landlady’s fault? And I’m a tenant!

SarahsHoneydew · 02/05/2023 20:42

Are people not reading this correctly? There is no debate about whether the landlady should pay for it, she’s obviously fine with it so that’s great. The question is whether the lady has been ripped off, unfortunately there are quite a few unscrupulous locksmiths that offer let in services then carry out unnecessary lock changes because they’ve got you over a barrel (no pun intended) so OP unfortunately I do think that’s what happened here.

Dontlistitonfacebook · 02/05/2023 20:43

Also Trading Standards helped us in a similar situation. Maybe they could advise.

Erex · 02/05/2023 20:44

I guess it's obvious now they've ripped you off OP, I hope you get your money back.
I think the decent thing to do would also be to tell your landlady not to pay for it, as it isn't her fault and not within her remit, as others have said.

Original poster
Squeezed1 · 02/05/2023 20:45

Dontlistitonfacebook · 02/05/2023 20:41

OP it doesn't look like you actually got a quotation for the work you needed doing though? İf someone gives you a quotation that's like a legal contract I think. Prices on a website are not a quotation for a specific piece of work.

İn future, ask for a quotation in writing before you agree to the work.

I have learned this lesson the hard way myself.

I didn't get a concrete quote until he'd finished the work no.

The website said £50 for a lock picking service. I called and asked for confirmation that it was actually £50 and was told yes it is. They didn't say anything about additional fees if the lock couldn't be picked, come to think of it they didn't even say that some locks couldn't be picked.

He arrived, fiddled with the yale lock and said it can't be picked so he'll have to drill it out as there's no other way I'm getting in. I gave permission for him to drill it (after checking with LL that it was ok) but he wouldn't give me a price at all until he'd finished as he needed to "add it up"

OP posts: