There is no government licensing of locksmiths in the UK, meaning anyone can legally trade as one. When you search for a cheap locksmith in an emergency, the most common trap is a very low advertised price that multiplies once the person is standing on your doorstep. Checking who you are hiring is entirely down to you as the customer, and knowing the warning signs can help you avoid paying far more than you should.
Why cheap locksmith scams work
Most people only look for a locksmith when they are stressed and in a hurry. You might be locked out on the doorstep in the rain, dealing with keys that are lost or stolen, or trying to secure a door that will not lock at night. You want a straight answer and a fast solution. Rogue traders know this and use a low price locksmith advert to get your attention when you have little time to check their background.
Because the trade is unregulated, there is no basic legal standard a person must meet before they advertise. The main trade association is the Master Locksmiths Association. This is a voluntary approval scheme, not a licence or a legal requirement. Its approved companies are vetted, have criminal record checks, employ locksmiths who have passed an exam and are inspected regularly. A rogue trader operates entirely outside this system.
The locksmith trade normally works by charging for labour plus parts. This is priced either by the hour or as a fixed price per job. The true price is driven by the time of day, your location, the type and security grade of the lock, and how entry is gained. Evenings, nights, weekends and bank holidays cost more, and prices are generally higher in London and the South East. Many reputable locksmiths charge no separate call-out fee, but some do, and VAT may or may not be included. A scam works by hiding these real costs until the work is already under way.
Adverts that are too cheap to be true
The bait for a cheap locksmith scam is often a sponsored advert near the top of your search results. These adverts promise extremely low prices, often flashing figures like £39, £49 or £59 to secure your click. When you are looking for a locksmith for cheap, these numbers look like a relief.
According to the Master Locksmiths Association, advertised prices of £39, £49 or £59 are a common bait and switch tactic. The final price you pay is highly unlikely to be £39. The advert only has to make you pick up the phone.
A legitimate business has to cover the cost of running a vehicle, buying tools, holding stock, paying taxes and paying a fair wage. The MLA says the final price is highly unlikely to be £39. A price that seems too good to be true is a warning sign, because rogue firms use it to get you to book and then raise the bill.
Call centres posing as local firms
When you dial the number on a low price advert, you might assume you are speaking to a local business based just around the corner. In reality, your call is often diverted to a national call centre. These call centres advertise as a local locksmith, but the person who turns up may not work for the company you spoke to.
The call centre takes your details and passes the job to whoever is nearest. They are usually subcontracting local work to unnamed individuals. You may not know who is coming to your house or what their qualifications are, and the MLA advises asking for the name of the person doing the work.
Warning signs on the phone
The first chance you have to spot a rogue trader is during the initial phone call. A reputable locksmith will ask questions about your door and your lock to understand the problem before giving you a price range. A rogue trader behaves very differently.
They will often give vague answers about prices. They might repeat a low figure but give no accurate total price. They will ask for your address before the job is even described, trying to secure the booking before you can ask too many questions. If you ask for the name of the person coming, they usually cannot tell you.
To protect yourself, you should always ask a specific set of questions before you agree to a visit. If the person on the phone cannot or will not answer them clearly, hang up and find a local locksmith who can.
- Ask for a total price including parts, VAT and any out-of-hours charge.
- Ask for the name of the person coming to do the work.
- Ask whether they are doing the work themselves or subcontracting it.
- Ask how entry will be gained and whether drilling is likely.
- Ask for a written quote and a written invoice.
Warning signs on the doorstep
If a rogue trader arrives at your property, the pressure tactics begin. The most obvious sign is a price that jumps immediately. The low quote can turn into a much higher bill once the person is at your door, and some refuse to give a firm price before starting the work.
The person arriving may have no ID and an unmarked vehicle. They might claim to be police approved to gain your trust. As the Master Locksmiths Association clearly states, there is no such thing as a police approved locksmith.
Once the job is done, a rogue trader will often put heavy pressure on you to pay in cash. They might refuse to provide a written invoice or a company address. Paying in cash makes it incredibly difficult to trace the person or recover your money later.
Drilling that was not needed
The most destructive tactic used by rogue locksmiths is unnecessary drilling. To understand why this happens, it helps to know how the trade handles lockouts. A reputable locksmith will try non-destructive entry first, which means opening the lock without damaging it. Most single lockouts take well under an hour.
A rogue trader will often use drilling as their first attempt to open your door. Bromley Trading Standards warns that rogue traders often drill locks as a first attempt to open the door, whereas a reputable locksmith tries non-destructive methods first. Drilling should always be a last resort. Drilling destroys the lock, which means a replacement has to be bought, and the MLA says it incurs lots of extra charges.
Drilling can be used on any type of lock, whether a mortice deadlock or sashlock on a timber door, the rim cylinder of a surface latch (often called a Yale lock), or the euro cylinder on a uPVC or composite door.
Sometimes they go further. A uPVC door is secured by a multipoint locking mechanism, which is the strip of hooks and bolts worked by lifting the handle. The central part of that mechanism is the gearbox. A rogue trader might tell you the entire mechanism is broken and charge you to replace the whole strip, when only the cylinder or the gearbox had failed.
When they fit a replacement, some supply cheap cylinders at premium prices. A good locksmith will fit locks that meet recognised standards. For timber doors, this is BS3621, shown by a Kitemark on the lock faceplate. For euro cylinders, the snap resistant standards to prevent lock snapping are TS007 three star, or a one-star cylinder paired with two-star handles, and Sold Secure SS312 Diamond. Ask what standard any new lock meets before work starts.
The true cost of a rogue locksmith
The financial impact of a bait and switch scam can be severe. Which? reported in April 2024 that the Master Locksmiths Association had received reports of emergency call-out charges of anything from £500 to more than £3,000. The MLA also says there is no regulation in the locksmithing industry, so prices are not capped.
In one case reported by Which? in 2024, a customer was quoted £60 to £120 and billed £500. She was also told to pay a £70 call-out fee even if she declined the job. The locksmith wanted £120 for a new lock, while an MLA approved locksmith quoted around £16 for that lock type.
The table below sets the figures in that case side by side.
|
Item |
Original quote or expected cost |
Price billed or asked for |
|---|---|---|
|
Total bill for the job |
£60 to £120 |
£500 |
|
Cost of the replacement lock |
Around £16 (MLA approved quote) |
£120 (asked for) |
These figures come from one reported case in 2024 and are not typical prices. The cost guide covers what jobs normally cost.
How to check a locksmith before you book
Taking five minutes to check a company before you agree to a visit is the best way to avoid a scam. Do not rely on sponsored search adverts. Look the company up on the Master Locksmiths Association database to see if they are genuinely approved. Check that the website address matches the name of the business you are calling.
Read customer reviews over a long period of time. Reviews that build up over a long period are a better sign of an established local business than a handful posted recently.
If your car key has stopped working, you need an auto locksmith. This is a separate specialism covering vehicle entry, key cutting, transponder and remote programming. Ensure the person you are calling specifically advertises as an auto locksmith.
What to do if you have been overcharged
If you have already paid a rogue locksmith and believe you have been scammed, you must act quickly. Whichever way you paid, contact your bank immediately. Report the scam to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040, or call Police Scotland on 101 if you live in Scotland.
The way you paid affects your chances of getting your money back. If you paid by debit card, ask your bank about raising a chargeback claim. If you paid by credit card and the bill was over £100, ask your card provider about making a Section 75 claim. As noted earlier, cash payments are very hard to recover.
You also have legal rights. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, a service must be carried out with reasonable care and skill, at a reasonable price if none was agreed beforehand, and within a reasonable time. You have a right to have poor work put right or to get your money back. Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, there is normally a 14-day cancellation period for work arranged at home or by phone. This cooling-off period does not apply where you specifically asked for a visit for urgent repairs, but any extra work they sold you during that visit is not covered by the exception.
You should complain to Trading Standards through the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133. They can log the rogue trader's details and advise you on the best way to pursue a refund.
If you are a tenant, there are separate rules regarding locks. A landlord who changes the locks to keep a tenant out without a court order commits illegal eviction, which is a criminal offence. Tenants should check their tenancy agreement and get the landlord's agreement before changing locks themselves. For specific housing disputes, speak to Citizens Advice or Shelter.
Common questions
Why are there so many adverts for a cheap locksmith?
Because the industry has no government licensing, anyone can set up a website and buy search adverts. Rogue traders use low advertised prices to attract people who are in a hurry, and the bill can rise once they arrive.
Can I refuse to pay a low price locksmith if the bill jumps?
You should never sign for work unless a full transparent quote is provided first. If the price jumps unreasonably on the doorstep and you have not agreed to it, you can refuse the work. However, rogue traders often use aggressive pressure tactics to force payment once the door is open.
Is a locksmith for cheap likely to damage my door?
Rogue traders often drill a lock as a first attempt, and drilling can bring extra charges. Bromley Trading Standards also warns of poor quality work.
How do I know if I need a completely new lock?
A reputable professional will try non-destructive entry first and explain exactly what has failed. If you have lost your keys or moved into a new house where nobody knows who holds keys, the cylinder should be changed for security. If the door simply will not open, the lock can often be picked or bypassed without needing replacement parts.
What to do next
Finding a reliable professional takes a few minutes of checking, but it protects your home and your bank account. Use this checklist when you next need to make a booking.
- Get at least three quotes if the job can wait until the daytime rate applies.
- Check the business has a real local address and reviews stretching back over time.
- Check any claims of Master Locksmiths Association approval on the official directory.
- Ask for a total price, including parts and VAT, before any work starts.
- Ask for ID on arrival and insist on a written invoice when the job is done.
- Pay by credit or debit card rather than cash to protect your payment.
The safest approach is to find a reliable professional and save their number in your phone before an emergency happens. If you are locked out or need to upgrade your security today, take a moment to find a locksmith near you who has a proven track record of fair pricing and good customer reviews.
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