Locksmith woes

gabacabriel

My wife lost a set of keys to our front so I rang round a number of locksmiths for quotes. Got one to replace both one lock on the front door for £60 (parts and labour) or he said he'd do both for £90.

For the added peace of mind decided to get both locks done. Anyway, was locking the house up that evening and realised that while he had changed the external (streetside) cylinder of one of the locks, internally we still needed to use the old key!

Assumed this was just a simple oversight on his part - after all, we asked him to replace both locks, not 'one and a half' loclks - but upon ringing him the next day we were told we'd have to pay an extra £120 for him to come out again and fit a complete new lock!

My question is - what legal recourse do we have to get him to come back out and do the job the way he should have done it in the first place?

Thanks!

RadoJo

Just to confirm the details - anyone who might find the keys your wife lost would only be able to use them to lock the door once they were already inside the house?

arcon5

What kind of lock do you have meaning you need a different key to open inside to out :huh:

When i've had locks changed in the past it's been one unit and one key.

gabacabriel

arcon5 wrote: »

What kind of lock do you have meaning you need a different key to open inside to out :huh:

When i've had locks changed in the past it's been one unit and one key.

My point exactly. That's what I was expecting. But somehow by replacing only the streetfacing barrel, you still have to use the old key for the inside.

I don't know how it works - but then I'm not a locksmith!

chubb3g114

I'm a retired locksmith, £90.00 to replace two cylinders seems reasonable to me, your front door lock would be a top of the range, probably a Union or Yale and to change both cylinders would mean a complete new lock and a higher bill than £90.00.

chubb3g114

gabacabriel

chubb3g114 wrote: »

I'm a retired locksmith, £90.00 to replace two cylinders seems reasonable to me, your front door lock would be a top of the range, probably a Union or Yale and to change both cylinders would mean a complete new lock and a higher bill than £90.00.

chubb3g114

That may be the case, but the point I am trying to make is that I was not made aware of the options - had he said "well, you can change only the external cylinder, and that will cost X, but it means you have to retain your old key for locking the door from the inside. Or you can pay Y, and I'll replace the whole lock for you" that would have been fair enough.

But I get home and find he's only done X, when I was expecting him to do Y.

arcon5

I would be equally as miffed if I was you, i've never known for a lock to be changed like this.
Saying that, I can't really help with your issues as I don't know whats the norm with locksmiths.

I suppose it all comes down to what you asked him to do and what you both agreed on:

'we have lost a set of keys and worried about people letting themselves in, can you sort this out?'
-- he has done as you asked, shabby CS but nothing you can do about it

'we need the locks changing in our door and a new set of keys'
-- I think the average person would expect the WHOLE lock changed and not just the outer barrell

ponsaloti

Where did you get the locksmith from ?
Was he the cheapest?
Is he CRB checked?
Is he recommended buy Trading Standards (buy with confidence) or Which local.

Im a locksmith and I always give the customer the options. Sometimes they dont listen and talk over me, thats there option.
If you called him and said "I need the locks change cheap as possible", then changing just the cylinders is the cheapest way.
Im a little surprised you didnt check his work before you paid him. I always tell the customer to play with the lock before they pay me.

You may be able to take this to Trading standards but it will probably end up, your word against his.
Good Luck

arcon5

Why would a locksmith need to be CRB checked :huh:

Fergie76

arcon5 wrote: »

Why would a locksmith need to be CRB checked :huh:

I'm guessing as they could retain copies of keys and enter houses with children, when parents are asleep, if unscrupulous?

Equaliser123

Fergie76 wrote: »

I'm guessing as they could retain copies of keys and enter houses with children, when parents are asleep, if unscrupulous?

I expect the more obvious risk is of burglary...