At some point, every one of us has misplaced our keys, dropped them somewhere, or locked ourselves out of the house/office or even the car with the key stuck inside, right where we can see it but can’t reach it.
So, if you are locked out in the middle of the night and urgently need to call a locksmith to get in, how do you decide who to call?
If you are such a situation, follow these steps to find a locksmith who is both reliable and safe.
#1 Do Not Panic
The first step to being locked out is, do not panic. You shouldn’t call a locksmith without being sure that they are reliable, because you are in a hurry to get back inside.
#2 Make sure your locksmith is nearby
Don’t call a locksmith who is far away from you. Find someone who can get to you in a few minutes, so you don’t have to wait for too long. Some locksmiths offer 24/7 locksmith services, so even if it after hours, don’t worry, you won’t have to stand outside all night.
#3 Pick a locksmith who offers a range of services
The best thing to do when it comes to locksmiths would be to pick a person or a company who offers alarm monitoring and a range of security related services in both residential and commercial sectors, because people who are usually in the business offer a range of security services. Or if you are picking someone who only offers locksmith services, then make sure to pick someone who offers both residential as well as commercial services.
#4 Visit their Website
Don’t call the first phone number that you come across on Google search results. Make sure you visit their website and see how reliable and they look and sound, and then give them a call.
#5 Don’t pick the first person you call
Don’t pick someone just because they picked up your call as soon as it rang. Locksmith companies usually have a customer support number during usual hours, so they might not answer on the first ring and they also have customer support for after-hours as well. So, make sure to verify it before going ahead.
#6 Ask a family or friend
If you are not able to find someone quickly, call someone you know has been in a similar situation before and ask them who they called to get the work done. This way, you’ll know for sure that they can be trusted.
#7 Make sure to ask for a quote
Generally, when you call a locksmith, they don’t give you a quote right away. They tell you that they need to have a look at the amount of work required before being able to do that. But make sure that you get a quote from the locksmith before they start doing the work, so that you know around how much its going to cost you.
#8 Check for Insurance
Many locksmiths carry insurance, which means that if any damage is caused to your property during repairs, it will be covered by their insurance. Make sure you check for it if you are concerned about damage.
#9 You can cancel anytime you want
Once the locksmith turns up, if you feel that they are not reliable, and something is fishy, make sure to get out the situation as soon as possible, because you don’t want them to end up with a copy of your key.
