| Ripped off from a locksmith? 11:39 - Aug 15 with 26535 views | runningman75 |
I was unable to get into my house on Friday evening due to a lock being broken . Tried to contact siblings who had a spare key but unable to get through. Around 8.30 p.m phoned a company after a google search on phone and locksmith arrived. States lock was broken and was an old lock which probably had needed replacing. He had to drill the other lock to get into the house and prior to doing this had quoted me £250 for a new lock which I said fine as a specialist lock. By the time the new lock was put on I then got charged over £450 which included labour, VAT and emergency break in fee. Obviously put a downer on my weekend (apart from QPR result). Wondering if people know about consumer issues as felt as I was in a vulnerable position and these companies can charge any price they like. |  | | |  |
| Ripped off from a locksmith? on 08:49 - Mar 25 with 3754 views | toboboly |
Hope you're dusting that prize off |  |
| Sexy Asian dwarves wanted. |
| |
| Ripped off from a locksmith? on 08:49 - Mar 25 with 3755 views | MaddisonWallis |
I had a recent door lock repair from: https://www.thelondonlocksmiths.co.uk/ They badly damaged my wooden door during the installation and they quoted me for the repair. Has anyone experienced the same? | | | |
| Ripped off from a locksmith? on 11:44 - Mar 25 with 3562 views | BazzaInTheLoft |
These fckers striped me up when I lived in Shepherds Bush. Known slags if you look online.
They planed the door too, and over did it and left me with a gap Sandro could have fit through. Told them I ain't paying until they resolved the issue door and I never heard from them again. That was 5 years ago.
Needed a new door anyway so it all worked out.
Edit: Just realised the age of this thread! [Post edited 25 Mar 2021 11:47]
|  | | |
| Ripped off from a locksmith? on 12:05 - Mar 25 with 3521 views | DavieQPR |
| Ripped off from a locksmith? on 11:44 - Mar 25 by BazzaInTheLoft |
These fckers striped me up when I lived in Shepherds Bush. Known slags if you look online.
They planed the door too, and over did it and left me with a gap Sandro could have fit through. Told them I ain't paying until they resolved the issue door and I never heard from them again. That was 5 years ago.
Needed a new door anyway so it all worked out.
Edit: Just realised the age of this thread! [Post edited 25 Mar 2021 11:47]
|
Don't worry Baz blame the lockdown. |  | | |
| Ripped off from a locksmith? on 12:22 - Mar 25 with 3492 views | Ashdown_Ranger |
I avoid companies like [Service]4You, especially if they're out-of-area or national companies.
These rip-off merchants who pay a lot on search engine optimisation to get at the top of Google searches - I tend to look 2 or 3 pages down the results.
I'd always look for a local firm who has a reputation to protect. Neighbour got similarly shafted by a drain-clearing company - nearly £350 for half an hour with a set of drain rods. [Post edited 25 Mar 2021 12:39]
|  | | |
| Ripped off from a locksmith? on 12:29 - Mar 25 with 3475 views | Match82 |
It's a tough game to break into though nix |  | | |
Login to get fewer ads
| Ripped off from a locksmith? on 13:54 - Mar 25 with 3409 views | MickS |
| Ripped off from a locksmith? on 12:29 - Mar 25 by Match82 |
It's a tough game to break into though nix |
I need 2 new locks and got stuck outside for an hour yesterday wiggling my Chubb until it decided to let me in. It’s not funny. | | | |
| Ripped off from a locksmith? on 14:13 - Mar 25 with 3382 views | R_from_afar |
When I was at uni and staying in a hall of residence, the peg on the inside of the Yale lock on my bedroom door slipped down while I was out so when I returned, I couldn't get in. Note: That is what I assume happened.... 
I contacted the senior resident in the hall and they called a locksmith and told me to sit tight in my flat and wait for the locksmith to turn up. The problem occurred on a Friday evening but the locksmith did not appear that day so I had to sleep on a flatmate's floor. Saturday came and eventually, around mid-morning, the locksmith arrived.
He had a very sophisticated technique: He applied a crowbar to the door and basically opened it by shattering half the door.
I did find it ironic that I had waited all that time only for the guy to smash the thing up in a way that me and my flatmates could have, saving me hours of my life. Still, processes have to be followed and I would've got into trouble if I had just hacked my way in. It was wonderful to be reunited with my stuff. |  |
| "Things had started becoming increasingly desperate at Loftus Road but QPR have been handed a massive lifeline and the place has absolutely erupted. it's carnage. It's bedlam. It's 1-1." |
| |
| Ripped off from a locksmith? on 14:17 - Mar 25 with 3375 views | Boston |
| Ripped off from a locksmith? on 13:54 - Mar 25 by MickS |
I need 2 new locks and got stuck outside for an hour yesterday wiggling my Chubb until it decided to let me in. It’s not funny. |
PM sent. | |
| |
| Ripped off from a locksmith? on 14:51 - Mar 25 with 3352 views | MickS |
| Ripped off from a locksmith? on 14:17 - Mar 25 by Boston |
PM sent. |
Cheers guv. | | | |
| Ripped off from a locksmith? on 15:24 - Mar 25 with 3322 views | SonofNorfolt |
| Ripped off from a locksmith? on 13:54 - Mar 25 by MickS |
I need 2 new locks and got stuck outside for an hour yesterday wiggling my Chubb until it decided to let me in. It’s not funny. |
Surely anyone who went to school in Northolt at least took a CSE in Bank Vault Entrance?
I left with 3 A levels.
Extortion and Demanding money with menaces.
Weaponry and standard kidnap procedure.
Home Economics. |  | | |
| Ripped off from a locksmith? on 16:19 - Mar 25 with 3269 views | BostonR |
For future buy a small key-safe that you can drill to a secluded outside wall and keep two spare keys in it. It has saved me countless times. Cost of key-safe with combination circa £20. |  | | |
| Ripped off from a locksmith? on 19:14 - Mar 25 with 3189 views | enfieldargh |
two years ago we got back from a long trip at around 2AM. Guess what my key snaps off in the lock.
Cant get into house with two dogs, nagging wife and a daughter needing to pooo.
Got onto a 24hr lock smith who came in 30 minutes
Got us in and put in a lock but the mechanism needed parts.
Cut a long story short bill came to £970!!!
Christmas Eve just gone the lock goes, I mean Christmas eve at 7pm. Can get in but not secure. I call my insurance co and guess what only insured for lost keys Dug out the receipt of the last company & call the number. This job straddled 2 days. Thought I might get some redress for having a faulty lock. Only 1 year guarantee and anyway theres wear & tear to take into account
£720!!!
Each time its panic mode and you dont think rationally .
We need 7 keys only came with 5 so went to the locksmith shop I've used in the past(but forget at the time) but didnt associate them with emergency call out
Tell him what happened, he said he hears loads of stories every day of these firms. One company even hijacked his name and added an extra letter to it. The customer called the shop to complain about something , the shop told him he'd been duped.
He told me that their call out is £100 and thats for first hour whilst at the premises, its then £40/hour but only whilst at your premises plus genuine parts and long guarantees
Would have cost around £280- £300 max.
So dont call out these emergency numbers without asking call out charge then labour charge.
I will use Barnet Lock & Security in future, have put their number in my phone. 24/7 365 days of the year |  |
| |
| Ripped off from a locksmith? on 14:48 - Jan 3 with 2033 views | Catapulta |
Sorry to hear about that especially as I Got the same issue a couple of weeks ago. I wasnt able to get into my house as my my key stuck in the door locker, more than that it was the key was spinned somehow ( Maybe I tried to hard to open the door). The locksmith took over 200 pounds for his work( new keylocer included) | | | |
| Ripped off from a locksmith? on 15:51 - Jan 4 with 1556 views | bob566 |
nice.
Or the alternative. Leave a key with a neighbour. | | | |
| Ripped off from a locksmith? on 16:10 - Jan 4 with 1517 views | Juzzie |
New house, new problem!... Moved in almost a year ago then in the summer the front door locking mechanism jammed. With two young kids getting agitated your brain just freezes and you just think of the quickest way out (or in, as it were) of the situation and this is what they prey on.
I rang one of those emergency places and they quoted something like £500-600 to basically makes a mess of the door and put in some kind of temporary lock. So, on top of that I'd probably need to replace the door 7 lock too, more expense.
Whilst i waited for him to arrive one of my neighbours arrived home and I asked her as I remembered she knew a locksmith. I called him to see if he could do it for a better price but he had been watching one of the Euro footie games and had too many beers to drive, let lone probably work!
My neighbour came to the rescue by doing something (I won't say what lol!) that got the door open. My hero!
So I quickly called the locksmith to cancel. They, of course, tried to continue with the job citing the door may still get locked again blah blah blah but I said that as long as I don't actually double-lock the door it can still be opened & closed so just politely said no thanks... byeeee!
Once we were in and everything calmed down I suddenly realised I had a key for the back door and could have just climbed over a neighbour's fence and got in and if needs be let the kids in via the side gate once the inside bolts pulled down!! Doh!! This was the brain freeze/panic from earlier making me not think straight plus combined with not living in a property with an accessible back door for nearly 20 years [flats on the 4th floor generally don't have one] so didn't spring to mind.
Lady luck shone on me twice in one go that day.
Got a proper locksmith in and it got it fixed properly for around £150.
Moral of the story.... don't panic, and try and find a reputable one beforehand and store the contact details in your phone ready for when/if it happens. |  | | |
| Ripped off from a locksmith? on 15:01 - Aug 4 with 1137 views | Salo |
Of course, the price he's charged you is above the market. The worst part is you can't do much about this situation. If he work for a company, then write a negative review on their website or any other social media account.
Recently I started to hear a lot of negative reviews of different kinds towards locksmith specialists. The list can go to infinite with the following reviews bad quality, rude attitude, unprofessional workers, and high prices.
I was lucky to discover locksmith w7( https://welocksmith.co.uk/locksmith-near-me/locksmith-west-london/w7-hanwell-loc who serves me professionally, fast, and at an affordable price. [Post edited 8 Aug 2022 7:33]
| | | |
| Ripped off from a locksmith? on 15:10 - Aug 4 with 1103 views | toboboly |
| Ripped off from a locksmith? on 15:01 - Aug 4 by Salo |
Of course, the price he's charged you is above the market. The worst part is you can't do much about this situation. If he work for a company, then write a negative review on their website or any other social media account.
Recently I started to hear a lot of negative reviews of different kinds towards locksmith specialists. The list can go to infinite with the following reviews bad quality, rude attitude, unprofessional workers, and high prices.
I was lucky to discover locksmith w7( https://welocksmith.co.uk/locksmith-near-me/locksmith-west-london/w7-hanwell-loc who serves me professionally, fast, and at an affordable price. [Post edited 8 Aug 2022 7:33]
|
Especially with it being 6 years ago | |
| Sexy Asian dwarves wanted. |
| |
| Ripped off from a locksmith? on 16:21 - Aug 4 with 1037 views | Benny_the_Ball |
The key (pardon the pun) with emergency locksmiths is to stay calm, request a quote and not buy a replacement lock from them. I paid £75 to gain entry and then replaced the lock myself the next day. It's pretty straightforward for those with basic DIY skills. If you're putting in a new lock then yes you'll need to chisel out a hole. However if you're replacing an existing lock then buy the same model or a similar lock with the same dimensions.
That being said, when I rang the company they quoted me £75. After the locksmith gained entry he requested £150. He claimed that he was an independent contractor and didn't have to honour the price of the company I called. One quick phone call to the company later and he left with £75.
Great idea about the key safe provided you can remember the code. Also, as someone else mentioned, if it's an option breaking a pane of glass can often work out cheaper. When I lived on the South Coast the properties were in a conservation area and had wooden sash windows. My key snapped in the cylinder so I climbed into the back garden, broke a small pane of glass, and climbed through the window. Glazier cut me a replacement pane for £1. |  | | |
| |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
