No matter if you left your keys inside your home or in the car’s ignition getting locked out side can happen in an instant. It is a stressful situation and it can be even more overwhelming if it happens late at night or in an empty parking lot which brings an uncontrollable response of shock and panic.
Most of us would first call a family member or a close friend to see if they can come to our help and bring a spare key if we were smart enough to leave behind. But when a spare key is not available the next best step is to contact a locksmith that provide a 24hour emergency services.
Getting back inside is anyone’s priority but it is equally important to choose the right locksmith because the wrong one can put your security in danger, that is why making sure who is the person that’s serving you is vital.
When facing a lockout situation a locksmith is probably the best solution to gain access into your property, in recent years there have been many fraud reports of unlicensed locksmiths overcharging and intimidating their customers that is why it’s crucial to be careful about who you hire.
In many situations criminals pose themselves as professional locksmiths and got their hands on customer’s keys which put them at a great security risk later on and made them an easy prey for a break-in. Always make sure to ask for a valid ID and a locksmith license before they start to work on your doors.
What else can you do?
When hiring a locksmith it’s important to be suspicious than to immediately trust him only for the main reason that they will have access to your property.
One key step is to ask for valid identification and a locksmith license number before allowing any work to begin, not only it ensures that you are working with a legitimate service provider but that you are also covered if any damage happens.
Before any work is being done it is highly recommended to make sure you get a price quote to avoid being overcharged. The quote should include any extra fees there might be like emergency charges or minimum service call fee.
Make sure to confirm the price quote when the locksmith arrives and if the price changes it means they’re trying to scam you and might not be licensed. It is better to refuse them even if it means paying the service call fee.
Be careful of locksmiths that try to pressure you into accepting unreasonable charges or if they use threats or intimidation to get you to agree something beyond your needs and contact the police right away.
Beware of locksmiths who suggest drilling your locks before trying any other safe methods like picking locks for example because it is the oldest trick in the book to make costumers replace their locks, a skilled locksmith should be able to unlock most doors without causing damage.
