Locked Out? What To Do Before You Call A Locksmith

Standing outside your own front door with no way in is stressful, but a few quick checks before you call can save you time, and sometimes the cost of a call-out altogether. None of this takes more than a couple of minutes, and it makes whoever comes out to help you faster and more effective once they arrive.

1. Check every other door and window

It sounds obvious, but it's the first thing worth doing properly. Walk the whole property - a back door, a side gate, a downstairs window left on the latch. Check with anyone else who lives there too; a housemate or family member being home, or already on their way back, solves the problem without a locksmith at all. Don't forget less obvious entry points either - a utility room, a garage with internal access, or a conservatory door are all worth a quick check before you write them off.

2. Think about who else might have a key

A neighbour holding a spare, a landlord or letting agent, or a key safe you've forgotten about are all worth ruling out before you call anyone out. If you have a spare key anywhere else - with a family member, at work, in a car - it's worth a quick call to check before assuming you're starting from zero. If you're a tenant, your letting agent or landlord may also hold a set, and many have an emergency out-of-hours contact number for exactly this situation.

3. Don't try to force the lock yourself

It's tempting to have a go with a card, a wire, or brute force, especially if you've seen it done online. In practice this usually damages the lock or door frame, which turns a simple lockout into a much more expensive repair - and can leave the door less secure afterwards, not more. Leave the lock itself alone and let a professional assess it properly. A locksmith carries tools designed specifically to open a lock without harming it, which almost always works out cheaper than a DIY attempt that goes wrong.

4. Work out exactly what kind of lock it is

If you can, note down what the lock looks like - a standard yale-style latch, a mortice lock, or a multi-point uPVC door lock are all handled differently. If you know your door has both a latch and a deadlock, or it's a communal entry system, mention that when you call. It helps whoever's dispatched arrive with the right tools rather than needing a second trip. If your home is rented or part of a managed building, it's also worth checking whether there are any restrictions on changing or re-keying the lock before any replacement work goes ahead.

What to have ready when you call

• Your address and the nearest cross street or landmark
• Some form of ID or proof you live there, for when the locksmith arrives
• A description of the lock, if you know it
• Whether it's just you locked out, or the whole household

When it's time to call an emergency locksmith

Once you've ruled out another way in and confirmed nobody else can let you in soon, it's time to call. This is especially true if:

• It's late, cold, or you have young children or pets with you
• The lock has snapped a key inside it
• You suspect the lock itself is damaged or was tampered with
• You need to be back inside quickly for a specific reason - medication, work, or childcare

A local locksmith can normally get you back in without damaging the door, and fit a replacement lock on the spot if the old one needs it. If the lockout was caused by a fault rather than a simple mistake - a mechanism that's stiff, a key that's been sticking for weeks, or a door that's needed a shove to close properly - it's worth asking them to look at it properly rather than just getting you back inside, so the same thing doesn't happen again next week.