Locksmiths

What to put in your job description

• What you need: a lock changed, a new lock, a door that won't lock, keys cut, a lock-out.
• The door: front, back, uPVC, wooden, composite.
• The lock, if you know it: a cylinder (euro) lock, a mortice deadlock, a nightlatch.
• Whether your home insurance asks for a certain standard of lock.
• When you need it done.

Don't put your name, phone number or address in the description: every trade who covers your area reads it. Your name, phone, email and address go only to the trades who take the job (3 at most).

Questions to ask before you hire

• What is the full price, with any call-out charge and parts?
• Will the new lock meet my insurer's standard (for example British Standard BS 3621)?
• Will you try to open the lock without damage first?
• Do I get all the keys, and a receipt for the work?
• Do you have public liability insurance?

Registers and schemes to check

There is no legal register for locksmiths. The Master Locksmiths Association runs a voluntary scheme and lists its members. Check what your insurer asks for: some policies need British Standard BS 3621 locks on outside doors. We don't check this for you yet.

What the job usually involves

• Getting you in when you are locked out, ideally without drilling the lock.
• Changing or upgrading locks, for example after moving in or losing keys.
• Repairing uPVC door mechanisms that stick or won't lock.
• Fitting locks that meet British Standard BS 3621 if your insurer asks for them.
• Window locks, safes and extra keys.

How quotes and visits work

Ask for the full price before the locksmith sets off: the call-out, the labour and any new lock. Prices often differ at night and at weekends. A local locksmith with a real address is easier to come back to.

Ask for a written quote (a fixed price) rather than an estimate (a guess that can change), and for what it includes. If you agree a job in your home, you usually have 14 days to cancel under the Consumer Contracts Regulations; if you want work to start sooner, you may have to pay for what has been done.

Safety

• If a child or someone vulnerable is locked inside, or there is a fire risk, call 999.
• Ask the locksmith to show ID, and expect them to ask you for proof that you live there.

Insurance and TrustMark

Ask for public liability insurance before work starts. It covers damage or injury caused by the trade to you, your home or someone else. Ask for the insurer's name and the cover's end date; you can ask to see the certificate.

TrustMark is the government-endorsed quality scheme for work in and around the home. Its registered businesses agree to its code of practice, and you can look them up on trustmark.org.uk.

Guides for homeowners

• Locked out: what to do, and how to choose a locksmith
• How to compare quotes from local trades

We take jobs from anywhere in the UK: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Trades choose the postcode districts they cover.

Locksmiths by town and city

England

Scotland

Wales

Northern Ireland