Save a trusted locksmith's details before you need one, skip paid adverts with very low prices, and get the business name, the locksmith's name and the total price in writing before anyone sets off. At the door, check the name matches and refuse drilling without a clear reason.
Do the work before you are locked out. The Master Locksmiths Association (MLA) suggests saving at least two locksmiths' details in your phone, getting quotes and checking reviews on more than one site. Which? also suggests asking friends and family for recommendations. The MLA suggests checking Companies House to confirm a firm is still trading. Share the details with your household or a neighbour.
When you search, the MLA advises skipping paid adverts, which it says are often national call centres passing the job to whoever is nearby. It also warns that some map listings use made up or virtual addresses, and that Google does not verify every address. A firm that is genuinely local should be able to tell you where the locksmith is coming from.
Describe the door and the lock. Which? suggests sending a photo too, for a more accurate quote. Then ask for the total price including VAT, what happens if the lock cannot be opened without drilling, and which parts might be needed. Ask for that price by text or email before anyone sets off, with the name of the person coming.
At the door, check the name matches and confirm the price before any tool comes out. If the price changes, you can say no. Pay by card rather than cash where you can: card payments can be disputed through your card provider, and Which? warns that cash is very hard to recover. Keep a receipt with the business name and address.
A firm price agreed in advance is the best protection you have, because there is no government licence and no set price for locksmith work in the UK. We name the parts and fix the price before we set off, and quotes are free, which is the standard you can ask of any locksmith.
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