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Property/DIY

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Locksmith prices?

15 replies

Skullsnsilver · 13/09/2018 21:35

Hi all you lovely people. Kind of in shock here, my dd accidentally slammed our front door shut and the lock broke leaving us locked out. To cut a long story short, ended up paying a locksmith over £350 to get back in and get new lock fitted. It’s a straight forward door and lock - nothing special. This seems pretty high to me - anyone know if this is normal rates? Outer London area.
Thanks in advance.

OP posts:
lastqueenofscotland · 13/09/2018 22:00

Bloody hell. Our locksmith charges £70 for a new lock and barrel and the barrel is definitely only about £13

wowfudge · 13/09/2018 23:20

You've been charged for an emergency call out and they've charged a premium.

PigletJohn · 13/09/2018 23:49

This might have been a fair price, but sadly there are a number of rogue companies, often advertising themselves as "24 hour locksmiths" and charging whatever people with a sudden emergency will pay. It's said that there are people doing the same as emergency plumbers.

Often they are nor real locksmiths and will spend 59 minutes pointlessly tinkering with your old lock before announcing that it needs to be replaced, so they can charge for two hours work plus parts.

If the door is wooden, any carpenter can fit a replacement lock, preferably a British Standard one; and there are people who specialise in plastic door and window repairs who can do the same.

There is a trade body called The MLA

Depending on the size of your town, there is usually a retail locksmith business that sells locks, safes and sometimes burglar alarms, and usually offers a fitting service (sometimes after the shop is shut) or will know local tradesmen. They are less common now that DIY sheds sell locks cheaply.

OOI, if you have screwdrivers and are fairly handy, it is fairly easy to take out an old lock and replace it with new. The trick is to get one of exactly the same size, so preferably the same make and model. Otherwise, chiselling may be required.

Skullsnsilver · 14/09/2018 13:42

Unfortunately we were locked out at 6.30pm and didn’t get let back in till 7.15pm. By then the lock was off so as a single parent there was no opportunity to leave and buy a new lock and fit it myself. I feel pretty ripped off tbh. Can’t help wondering if I was charged more as a single mother.

OP posts:
daddy2kids · 14/09/2018 15:53

Neighbour did this other week and its a door that locks when you close it if that makes sense and keys were inside, cost they £150 and this was at 8pm but we are in north east so reginal variance may be issue took him well over hour aswell but was well known in area as proper locksmith

Belleende · 14/09/2018 16:23

They tried to charge me £700

Bunintheoven88 · 14/09/2018 16:37

After having to call a locksmith out twice (once my fault and once DP's) we ended up buying 'bypass' cards on Amazon. They are literally a thin piece of plastic you slide down the side of the lock and the door flies open, at least it did with ours the two times the locksmith used one 🙈 I keep them in my car just incase, and haven't had to use them yet!

Bunintheoven88 · 14/09/2018 16:38

www.amazon.co.uk/Super-Mica-bypass-slipping-plastic/dp/B007ECC6HC

These ^

PigletJohn · 14/09/2018 17:35

won't work with a British Standard Thief Resistant lock, nor any good nightlatch designed in the last 40 years or so.

The burglary technique you describe has been used by unskilled housebreakers for about a century. I'd suggest asking MN to remove your post. The fewer people learn about housebreaking techniques, the better.

Bunintheoven88 · 14/09/2018 17:54

@PigletJohn

I take your point, but surely people are more likely to google 'how to break into a house' than use posts on mumsnet as a guide? The plastic card method is all over the internet.

wevalie · 28/06/2021 16:24

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bargan · 29/06/2021 21:59

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Okigen · 29/06/2021 23:50

£350 is excessive. Did they say how much was for the service and how much was the lock?

To be honest emergency locksmith is always a rip-off. Once I slammed myself out of the house. Emergency locksmith costs £200 to call, then another £60 to change the lock (it's a dead bolt so we can't use the bypass). To add salt into injury, landlord then said the new lock was of low quality and so I had to spend another £100 to get it back to the original.

Livingintheclouds · 30/06/2021 13:20

Yes I've just been charged almost £250 as my tenants locked themselves out- claim the nightlatch caught when the left so couldn't get back in. SW London, nighttime emergency callout.

Orf1abc · 30/06/2021 13:26

That's excessive even for an emergency. Name and shame. Have you looked up reviews?

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