Without a key, the realistic ways in are a spare key, another door left unlocked, or a locksmith. Tricks and force rarely work on a locked front door and often damage the lock or the frame. A trained locksmith can usually open a domestic door without damage and should drill only as a last resort.
First work out what you are dealing with. A door that was only pulled shut on the latch is a different job from one locked with the key, and a uPVC door locked by lifting the handle and turning the key is different again. Knowing which you have, and whether the keys are inside or lost, helps whoever comes to bring the right tools and give you a realistic price.
Locksmith guides warn against the usual home attempts. The credit card trick only stands a chance on a simple spring latch. Forcing a screwdriver or anything similar into the keyway tends to end with the cylinder drilled out and replaced when it could have been picked, and levering a uPVC door can crack the frame, which costs far more to put right than a lock.
A professional starts with non destructive methods, which means working the lock or getting round it without breaking anything. The Master Locksmiths Association says it expects a locksmith to try these first and to drill only as a last resort, for example when the lock itself has failed. It also calls drilling as a first attempt a common scam technique.
If you send us the job, tell us the door type, whether it was locked or pulled shut, and where the keys are. Non destructive entry comes first wherever possible. Where drilling is the only route, we say so before we set off, and the price is the usual lockout rate plus the new cylinder.
Useful next steps
Related questions
- Is it possible to unlock a lock without a key?
- Can picking a lock destroy it?
- Will you damage my door getting in?
