Access assistance
Locked Out in Hawthorn?
Being unable to get into your own property is frustrating and it usually happens at an inconvenient moment. The good news is that most lockouts fall into a small number of familiar situations, and each has a sensible way forward.
The first thing worth knowing: the right approach depends entirely on the lock, the door and the circumstances. Anyone who tells you how they will open your door before they have seen it is guessing.
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What to do first
- Check every other door and access point you legitimately have access to.
- Work out whether the key is genuinely lost, left inside, or simply not working.
- If you are a tenant, check whether the agent or building manager holds a key.
- If you are in a unit or apartment, note whether the problem is the building entry or your own door.
- Do not force a door or window. Damage costs more to fix than the original problem.
When you ring us, the more you can tell us about the door and the lock, the better prepared we can be.
Lost keys
Lost keys are the most common reason people ring a locksmith. There are two separate questions: how do you get in now, and what should happen to the lock afterwards. If a key is genuinely missing rather than misplaced inside, many people choose to change the cylinder or lock so the old key no longer works.
Locked doors and faulty locks
Sometimes the key is in your hand and the door still will not open. That points to the mechanism, the alignment or the frame rather than the key. A lock can fail gradually — getting stiffer over months — or suddenly, when an internal component gives out.
In these cases the access problem and the repair are the same job. Once the door is open, the underlying fault still needs attention or it will happen again.
Houses, apartments and business premises
House lockouts usually involve a single front or back door and a known lock type. Apartment access can be more layered, because there may be a building entry, a corridor door and your own unit door, and the building may have its own requirements. Business access adds another consideration again — who is authorised to request entry.
In all cases we need to be satisfied that the person requesting access is entitled to it. Please expect to be asked.
What we can and cannot promise
- We cannot guarantee that any particular door can be opened without affecting the lock or hardware.
- We do not promise an arrival time until we have spoken with you and know where you are.
- We do not claim to be available around the clock. Ring and we will tell you honestly what we can do.
- We will explain what is involved before starting work.
Straight up
Every lockout is different. We will not guarantee non-destructive entry sight unseen, and we will not commit to a response time we cannot stand behind.
No. Many doors can be opened without affecting the hardware, but that depends on the lock, the door and the situation. We will explain what is possible once we have seen it.
Yes. We ask for reasonable evidence that you are the owner, occupier or an authorised person before providing access.
Many people do, particularly if the key was lost somewhere it could be connected back to the address. On a lot of doors the cylinder can be changed rather than the whole lock.
Locked out right now?
The fastest thing you can do is ring us and describe the door. Ring 03 4518 1291.