22 July 2026

Locked out: what do you do now (and what definitely not)?

Two minutes of thinking first, then call: the step-by-step that saves you money — and the traps at the exact moment you're in a hurry.

Breathe out — this gets solved today. Check the simple things first: is there a second door (back entrance, sliding door, garage) that is open? Does a housemate, family member or neighbour have a spare key? If you rent, call the landlord or housing association: they often have a key service or come over with the master key. Two minutes of thinking costs nothing; an unnecessary emergency call-out does.

Then establish what is actually going on, because that sets the price. If the door only slammed shut (not locked), a professional can usually open it without damage — that is the bottom of the € 75-175 for a door opening. If the deadbolt is on, the key has snapped off or the lock spins freely, say so when you call: the cylinder then often has to be drilled and replaced (€ 65-180), and an honest locksmith tells you that upfront instead of afterwards.

Don't start working on the door yourself. Drilling, prying or forcing damages the door leaf and frame — and suddenly you are looking at repair work of € 150-450 instead of an opening. Climbing in through a window or over a roof is a fall waiting to happen, and anything you push into the lock finishes the cylinder off for good. The cheapest route is almost always: have it opened by someone who does it daily.

When calling, one rule applies: ask for the total price before the locksmith sets off — including call-out costs, surcharge and VAT — and don't let yourself be talked into a different amount on the doorstep. At night a surcharge of roughly 50-100% applies; if you can safely sleep elsewhere, waiting until morning is sometimes tens of euros cheaper. What the jobs should cost is in the price index.

And once you are back inside: make the next lockout impossible today. Leave a spare key with someone you trust — not under the doormat or in a flowerpot, the first places a burglar checks — and don't let a 'lost' key float around: a new cylinder closes that risk for good.