Being locked out can be one of the most frustrating things that can happen to you. That feeling of being so close to being inside your home or place of work, yet being unable to gain access has people tearing their hair out.
Here we’ll look into the most common types of lockouts, how to deal with them and how much you’re expected to pay should you have to call a locksmith to help you out of the situation.
Let’s get started.
The Nature of Lockouts
There can be many causes of a lockout; you could have lost your keys, forgot your combination, the lock could be faulty, you could have snapped your key in the lock or even just a plain old “I didn’t pick my keys up” moment. Whatever the reason is all you want to be able to do is get back into your property as soon as possible.
Have you been locked out?
If you’ve been locked out it’s probably time to call an emergency locksmith.
Genuine emergency locksmith should be available 24/7 for callouts and you can expect most to arrive within 30 minutes of your call.
Are you locked out and need an emergency locksmith for your lockout in London? Call now 020 8123 8060.
Let’s have a look at some common types of lockout.
Front Door Lockout
This is by far the most common type of lockout and the real bread and butter of emergency locksmiths. Any emergency locksmith worth their salt will look to use non-destructive methods first, but it may be that the only way to gain access is to drill the lock which may affect the service cost as well due to the need for changing the lock. Rim locks and Mortice deadlock are the most common types of locks that are involved in a front door lockout.
Time to resolve: Most front door lock outs are relatively easy to resolve and should take around 10-30 minutes;
How to deal with a front door lockout: If you’re not an expert locksmith the only thing we will advise that you try before calling a locksmith is to use a laminated card (such as credit card) to slide in the latch. In this article about methods locksmiths use to open doors you can find more about how you can do that and other ways locksmiths will attempt to use for opening your door. Don’t however try anything you’re not familiar with as thing could do more damage and you might end up paying more for a locksmith to fix problem.
Front door lockout cost: you can expect to pay around £60 for opening the lock at a basic front door lockout. Replacement locks and parts will come at additional cost. The cost of new cylinder locks would normally start at around £20.
In the Ask a locksmith section on our site you can find some more advice about how to open a front door if the keys broke inside the lock, the door is stuck and more.
Here: Amazing tips about how to deal with emergency lockouts by yourself!
Interior Door Lockout
I bet you’ve never heard of this one! It may seem hard to believe but interior door lockouts are more common than you think and can be among the most tricky to resolve. Interior lockouts generally occur when locking mechanisms become jammed or stuck and often they can take over an hour to break open as your locksmith will be extra careful not to cause damage to an internal door.
Time to resolve: These types of lock outs are relatively easy to resolve if there is no complex issue with the lock and should only take around 10-20 minutes; however, if the lock is faulty this could lead to a lot of trouble and can take up to 40 minutes to resolve.
How to deal with an interior door lockout: You can try using a screw driver or laminated card based on your lock. If the lock seems faulty this would again be a job for a locksmith to handle.
Interior door lockout cost: you can expect to pay around £60 for the call, but parts tend to be cheaper ranging from £10 – £30.
Cars and Vehicles Lockout
The first type of lockout that we’re looking at isn’t a property lockout at all, but it is just as frustrating. Vehicle lockouts are common just as front door lockouts. They happen when keys are locked inside the vehicle, are lost, snapped in the vehicle’s door or being stolen.
Time to resolve: Most vehicle lockouts are relatively easy to resolve and should only take around 10-20 minutes once the auto locksmith arrives.
How to deal with a car lockout: Emergency locksmith specialising in vehicles is what you need to resolve an issue like this. If it’s an emergency (such as when a baby is locked in the car) you can smash one of the car’s windows (one far from the baby of course:) until the locksmith arrives. If you know how to open a vehicle by yourself, you can try that as well.
Car lockout cost: you can expect to pay around £50 for the call out of a basic car lockout.
Padlock Lockout
These types of lockout can occur in a variety of settings. It could be that you are locked out of a shed or garden storage box, a garden gate or even something like a petty cash box. Often there is little that can be done other than to cut and replace the padlock.
Time to resolve: Padlock lockouts should only take a matter of minutes to resolve;
How to deal with a padlock lockout: If you have a grinder and know how to use it than cut off the lock carefully. Otherwise call a locksmith.
Padlock lockout cost: You can expect to pay around £50 for the call out plus the cost of a new padlock (which you could source yourself for as little as £10).
Electronic Lock Lockout
Most emergency locksmiths can handle this type of emergency. The electronic smart lock market is a growing one and locksmiths have responded by becoming skilled in their repair.
Time to resolve: These can be tricky to resolve and can take up to an hour depending on the brand of the lock;
How to deal with an electronic lock lockout: This would require a locksmith. Don’t try to fix by yourself as you may end up ruin the lock and paying a lot for a new one.
Electronic lock lockout cost: you can expect to pay around £80 for the call out plus parts.
Safes and Vaults Lockout
Increasingly people are turning to more sophisticated means of keeping their valuables safe and secure via the use of safes and vaults. This means that consequently, more and more people are finding themselves locked out of such contraptions! That’s where your friendly neighbourhood emergency locksmith comes in! Safe cracking isn’t just something for the movies; locksmiths are well-versed in this type of work too!
Time to resolve: Safes lockout could take from around 20 hours up to a few hours to resolve. This would depend on how secured is the safe.
How to deal with a safe lockout: lf it’s just that the battery run out on your safe you can fins some guide online on how to open a safe. Otherwise a safes engineer or locksmith is the tradesman to contact.
Safes lockout cost: you can expect to pay around £80 for the opening of a simple safe. More complex safes could cost a few hundreds to open. You may also need a new safe, so take also this into account in terms of costs.
Locked Gates
Locked gates to a garden or passage way can be a real inconvenience when you lose the keys or the mechanism becomes jammed. Whilst it isn’t a matter of great importance it can mean that you lose access to a garden and anything you need in that garden like a shed for example. Locksmiths can get you out of this pickle in an emergency.
Time to resolve: Depending on the type of lock you have on your gate it can take from 10-20 min. and up to an hour to resolve.
How to deal with a locked gate: Calling an emergency locksmith would be the best way to hanlde this one. Ulocking a gate yourself could be very difficult.
Gate lockout cost: The cost for opening a gate will start from around £60 for a simple gate lock and up to £200 for gates with high security locks.
Bicycle Locks Lockout
Cycling is growing in popularity for a multitude of reasons including the healthy living agenda, success at the Olympics and as a greener alternative to travelling by bus or car. All of this means that there is more call for effective security measures for bikes and that means big business for emergency locksmiths! For cyclists, this can be as serious as getting locked out of your car or vehicle as it is often a means to get home from work or a social gathering.
Time to resolve: Most bicycle locks are relatively easy to open and should only take around 5-10 minutes;
How to deal with a bicycle lockout: If you have a grinder and know how to use it than cut off the lock carefully. Otherwise call a locksmith.
Bicycle lock lockout cost: you can expect to pay around £50 for the call out plus the cost of a new device.
Mailbox and Wardrobe Lockouts
Yes, both of these are a thing! And what’s more, resolving these issues are just two other strings to any serious emergency locksmith’s bow. Probably something you have never thought about though right?
Time to resolve: Most mailbox or wardrobe lock outs are relatively easy to resolve and should only take around 5-10 minutes;
How to deal with Mailbox lockout: Mailbox lockouts could be fairly simple to resolve. You can try picking the lock or opening it with a screwdriver. If you’re not comforable with doing it by yourself you can always call a locksmith.
Mailbox lockout cost: you can expect to pay around £60 for the call out plus parts.
School Lockout
OK so this one isn’t a thing! Well, for a locksmith any way! This is just when the schools go on strike and there’s nowhere for your children to go. This type of emergency is easily recognised by the parents tearing their hair out and children climbing the walls!
Not even a highly training, specialist emergency locksmith can help you out with that one I’m afraid; yep, you’re on your own!
Have you been locked out?
If you’ve been locked out it’s probably time to call an emergency locksmith.
Genuine emergency locksmith should be available 24/7 for callouts and you can expect most to arrive within 30 minutes of your call.