Locksmith charged my wife £570, is there anything we can do?

IvanOpinion

Daylight robbery!  A couple of years ago a key snapped in one of our doors.  I looked on Youtube to find how you could replace the lock and realised it only needed one screw.  I then measured and ordered the required lock off Amazon (less than £10). 
On another occasion when my wife managed to lock herself out with keys left internally in both doors, I thought about the costs of a lock smith and then found the smallest window, smashed it in, and got one of the neighbours kids to climb through (carefully) and open the door.  Cost me £75 to replace the window and £10 for borrowing the neighbours kid for 5 minutes.

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

Take it out of the housekeeping, and feed her bread and water for a month. Then she'll not forget her keys again!

spaniardclimber

It wasn't forgetting, the keys, it was that in the rush she shut the door before I checked I had my keys with me, and they were in the lock inside.

We had keys but couldn't open..

Carrot007

spaniardclimber said:

It wasn't forgetting, the keys, it was that in the rush she shut the door before I checked I had my keys with me, and they were in the lock inside.

We had keys but couldn't open..

Yes it's a rip off. Seems she asked just to get in though and was then hit with extra costs for a new lock. Yes locksmiths was gaming. But seems right, especially if they are no longer a company as other posts.

Main thing is why do you have doors that can do that. Non of mine can be locked by closing. And you cannot lock after going out if a key is in the other side. Such locks are very bad for this reason, unless ther is someone so forgetfull they will leave the door open. Now I have done that also, but around here the only issues I have had is an amazon delivery chucked though the open back door (yes I was out!).

spaniardclimber

We are renting the house...it came with this lock :-) ..all other houses we've rented didn't have this thing, that's probably why it happened, we've been there less than two months...

Hasbeen

Think these days new builds do not come with Eurolocks with keys both sides. Due to fire regulations, people could be locked in if the key was not there on the inside.

According to lock sites, Thumb turn locks on inside means that you cannot accidentally lock your selves out

Carrot007

Hasbeen said:

Think these days new builds do not come with Eurolocks with keys both sides. Due to fire regulations, people could be locked in if the key was not there on the inside.

According to lock sites, Thumb turn locks on inside means that you cannot accidentally lock your selves out

I see what you mean, but also if thumb turn should mean no hole for key inside right? (unless seperate mech and second key thing?)

Personally I would remove em. And I have rented with similar before.

Locked inside is easier than locked out, houses have windows. And fire regs mean they open properly again!

My front door is not euroc anyway, so when it broke I did get a guy out as I was unsure! I watched and it actually seemed easy too! I got the more expensive whatever lock and then while there asked him to chaneg a euro where the holding screw had failed! Think it was around £230. But of course that was no come right now call out. (still around £100 labour though for 30 mins).

Hasbeen

Carrot007 said:

Hasbeen said:

Think these days new builds do not come with Eurolocks with keys both sides. Due to fire regulations, people could be locked in if the key was not there on the inside.

According to lock sites, Thumb turn locks on inside means that you cannot accidentally lock your selves out

I see what you mean, but also if thumb turn should mean no hole for key inside right? (unless seperate mech and second key thing?) 

Yes no key inside, you use the thumb turn to internally lock the door.

Personally I would remove em. And I have rented with similar before.

You would remove the thumb style locks, Why?

Locked inside is easier than locked out, houses have windows. And fire regs mean they open properly again!

Yes, windows do open. At 2 in the morning when there is a fire, house is full of smoke, fire alarms screeching etc and the electrics are  burnt out, then searching for the tiny window lock key, to open the locked windows, in the dark, perhaps would not be ideal solution?

My front door is not euroc anyway, so when it broke I did get a guy out as I was unsure! I watched and it actually seemed easy too! I got the more expensive whatever lock and then while there asked him to chaneg a euro where the holding screw had failed! Think it was around £230. But of course that was no come right now call out. (still around £100 labour though for 30 mins).

Correct, extremely easy to change euro style locks. But get the high security ones with dimpled keys.

My opinions above only on thumb style locks. They appear to be easier opened from outside if there is a letter opening in door seemingly?? By locksmiths etc

So pros/cons, but as said have read new builds have to have these? Perhaps someone will clarify?

pgott

I did the same job for a mate he had the lock I drilled it out and fitted the new one he bought me a pint! 

Carrot007

Hasbeen said:

> Yes no key inside, you use the thumb turn to internally lock the door.

So in OP's case how was there a key inside prevernting entering for all doors? It amkes little sense.

> You would remove the thumb style locks, Why?

Becuase they are very much worse than actually haveing a key lock.

> Yes, windows do open. At 2 in the morning when there is a fire, house is full of smoke, fire alarms screeching etc and the electrics are  burnt out, then searching for the tiny window lock key, to open the locked windows, in the dark, perhaps would not be ideal solution?

Windows locks may as well not be a lock. Twist then hard enoug hand they open, much by design. The locks may as well not be there it is sequrity theatre for the paranoid. And to anyone with anything that works. Well sucks to be you.

> Correct, extremely easy to change euro style locks. But get the high security ones with dimpled keys.

I did when I changed my mothers a while back. Keys that require the prrof to be copied (though not all key cutters may care). But a non uerocylinder is still better. (in many ways aexcept easy changing).

> My opinions above only on thumb style locks. They appear to be easier opened from outside if there is a letter opening

in door seemingly?? By locksmiths etc

Any compentant locksmith should be able to open any door pretty quickly unless it is was more than domestic usage and cost. And like I say they have topo many down points to be reasonable.

> So pros/cons, but as said have read new builds have to have these? Perhaps someone will clarify?

Could be but not as far as I know. However too many downsides on new builds so I will never know. Unless I get to fund a one off. In which case it will not have them. And as usual anyone buying any house eve na new build should hcange the locks asap and would remove the things to something useful if they have any clue.

YMMV especially if you live somewhere whre you actually need to lock the doors and maybe forget to do such things. Yes locking is advised, but in many places you tend to get away with it if you don't. Not that you should. Just be aware any house is not hard to get into and the locks are often not the easiest way to get in. Like locking the doors and leaving all the window open. (not literally).