Help I'm Locked out of my Rental House!



As the owner of a Locksmith company, I know our busiest time is during a holiday and summer. People are out of their routine when they go on holiday or vacation so they are more likely to lock themselves out of their car and or rental unit.

Here are a few tips to keep yourself safe from rip off, fly by night, locksmiths.

1) Ask them if they are licensed and bonded. In Virginia, we must display our license number on every advertisement including letters, website, phone ad, etc. If you see a locksmith ad without a license number, they are not legit.

2) Make sure they have a local address and phone number (unless you are using a national road side service like AAA).

3) Ask them if they have set fees for the service you need or a good faith estimate over the phone. When they arrive, verify the service fees they are about to charge you and agree on a price before they begin work.

4) Only pay when the job is done not over the phone beforehand.

5) If they say they need to drill out the lock before they even try and open the door, then they are ripping you off. A true locksmith will try his other tools first. Rarely do we have to drill out a locked door.


6) Check into a national road side service company before you go. Be sure and compare prices and when benefits start. Car lock outs in our area run anywhere between $50 - $100. AAA is one of the best. Verify with your service provider whether you can pay for a service and get reimbursed if they have no approved providers in the area.

7) Before you call for a locksmith, check all the other doors and windows to see if one is open. If your keys are in your trunk, but your car is open, check for a trunk release button. This seems self evident but I can't tell you how many times we've collected $50 from someone by opening the unlocked back door.

Finally, be aware that a locksmith may take a while to get to you so be patient.  If you suddenly realize the back car door is open, please call them back so they can move onto the next lock out. 
D

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