Lockout emergency. Should I be reimbursed?

Ectophile

outtatune said:

Nothing to add to the main question, but I'm wondering why the locksmith needed to drill the lock. If there's nothing wrong with the cylinder then picking your typical domestic lock is bread and butter for the pros.

They needed to drill out the lock so that they could sell a new lock at a massive mark-up over the price of a new lock from any DIY shed.  That's how they make their profit.

GDB2222

£650, though! You have my sympathy.

I know the op was desperate, but that is an eye watering price for a very easy job that any handyman could do. The locksmith acted completely immorally.

I really don’t understand why the friends who helped him out by paying for the locksmith couldn’t pay for a taxi instead? 

littleboo

How is the £650 broken down?

Section62

GDB2222 said:

£650, though! You have my sympathy.

I know the op was desperate, but that is an eye watering price for a very easy job that any handyman could do. The locksmith acted completely immorally.

...

I wouldn't go as far as 'immorally' without knowing a bit more about what was involved.

If the agent really suggested 'drilling' as a solution it might suggest the lock was something more secure than a bog standard euro cylinder from a DIY shed.

Similarly, emergency locksmith callouts aren't cheap, and where you are and when you call them can turn 'not cheap' into eyewateringly expensive.

I'm not saying £650 is Ok, just that there's a lack of detail to gauge what a reasonable cost would be.

silvercar

Section62 said:

GDB2222 said:

£650, though! You have my sympathy.

I know the op was desperate, but that is an eye watering price for a very easy job that any handyman could do. The locksmith acted completely immorally.

...

I wouldn't go as far as 'immorally' without knowing a bit more about what was involved.

If the agent really suggested 'drilling' as a solution it might suggest the lock was something more secure than a bog standard euro cylinder from a DIY shed.

Similarly, emergency locksmith callouts aren't cheap, and where you are and when you call them can turn 'not cheap' into eyewateringly expensive.

I'm not saying £650 is Ok, just that there's a lack of detail to gauge what a reasonable cost would be.

I don’t know on what planet £650 could be called reasonable.

kimwp

Sorry OP, but the letting agent isn't responsible for your mistake or any costs you incurred as a result of your mistake.

saajan_12

JamesMckk said:

Agent of Necessity. -  Created by an emergency arising from a situation making it necessary or proper for the agent to act without receiving the sanction or authorisation of the landlord and/or the tenant.

Right, necessity in their role as LL's agent. Eg if you reported a massive, worsening leak, they shouldn't just shrug and wait if the LL is responsive, but rather take reasonable actions in getting a tradesperson to stop the leak asap.
That doesn't expand their role to anything you need.

GDB2222

Section62 said:

GDB2222 said:

£650, though! You have my sympathy.

I know the op was desperate, but that is an eye watering price for a very easy job that any handyman could do. The locksmith acted completely immorally.

...

I wouldn't go as far as 'immorally' without knowing a bit more about what was involved.

If the agent really suggested 'drilling' as a solution it might suggest the lock was something more secure than a bog standard euro cylinder from a DIY shed.

Similarly, emergency locksmith callouts aren't cheap, and where you are and when you call them can turn 'not cheap' into eyewateringly expensive.

I'm not saying £650 is Ok, just that there's a lack of detail to gauge what a reasonable cost would be.

I promise you that I'm not a burglar, but I've drilled quite a few locks in my time. It's the obvious thing to do if, like me, you don't have any aspirations to lock-picking skills. I can't remember any cylinder type lock that took me more than five minutes, with ordinary DIY tools. Plus another 5 minutes to put a new cylinder in. 

The only serious mortice lock I tackled was on MIL's garage, but fortunately this was an outward opening door. So the lock soon succumbed to an angle grinder with a thin cutting blade. 

I agree there's a lack of detail, but £650 sounds like an awful lot of money.