Guide
Locked Out of Your House: What to Do, Step by Step
If you are locked out, first check whether anyone has a spare key: a household member, a neighbour, your landlord or letting agent. Check every other door. If none of that works, call a locksmith based near you, agree the total price on the phone, and have proof that you live there ready. A daytime lockout costs about £90 to £160 (MLA, MyJobQuote).
What should you do first if you are locked out of your house?
Stop, and check that nobody is in danger. If a child or a vulnerable person is alone inside, or something is left on the hob, call 999. The emergency services decide how to get in, and you should not wait for a locksmith.
If nobody is at risk, work through the free options before you pay for anything:
1. A spare key. Ring anyone in the household, family nearby, or a neighbour you have left a key with. 2. Your landlord or letting agent, if you rent. Most keep a key, and some run an out-of-hours line. 3. Your housing association or council, if you are their tenant. Many have an emergency repairs number. 4. Every other door, including the back door, a side gate and a garage with an internal door.
Do not try to force a door or climb in through a window. A fall or a broken pane can cost far more than a locksmith.
When should you call a locksmith?
Call once the free routes have failed, or straight away if you are somewhere unsafe, it is late, or it is cold. Lockouts are common in the evening: Keytek, which analysed its own jobs from 2020 to 2025, says they peak at about 7pm and nearly double on Sundays.
Look for a locksmith who is based near you, with a local landline or mobile number, rather than a national number that passes the job to whoever is free. Ask who will attend and where they are coming from. Be wary of any promise to arrive within a fixed number of minutes before they know your address; that is a sales line, not a plan. The rogue locksmith guide explains how the call-centre pattern works.
How much should a lockout cost?
A daytime lockout opened without damage costs about £90 to £160. The MLA's price list starts at £90 and MyJobQuote gives £100 to £160 for non-destructive entry. If the lock genuinely has to be drilled and replaced, MyJobQuote puts it at £180 to £300 or more, including the new lock.
Evenings, nights and weekends usually cost more. MyJobQuote gives an out-of-hours surcharge of £50 to £100.
On the phone, ask for the total: any call-out charge, labour, parts and VAT, and whether a night or weekend rate applies. A locksmith based near you can give a range for a standard front door. Write the figure down, with the name of the person who gave it.
Will the locksmith need to drill the lock?
Usually not. Most lockouts on a nightlatch (the Yale-type latch) or a uPVC door are opened without drilling, using tools made for the job, and the existing lock keeps working afterwards. Drilling destroys the lock, so it adds a new lock to the bill.
If a locksmith says the lock must be drilled, ask why, and ask what the replacement costs, before they start. Drilling followed by a much higher bill is the pattern Trading Standards and the BBC have reported in overcharging cases. A careful locksmith explains the reason and gives you the new figure, and lets you decide.
What proof will the locksmith ask for?
Proof that you live there. A careful locksmith asks before opening anything, or checks once the door is open and before leaving. Have something ready that links your name to the address:
- photo ID (a driving licence shows an address) - a bank statement, utility bill or council tax letter - a tenancy agreement, if you rent
If the documents are inside, say so on the phone. Many locksmiths will open the door, then check the papers inside with you. A locksmith who never asks is a locksmith who would open the door for anyone, including someone who does not live there.
What should you do after you get back in?
Get the bill in writing before you pay. It should show the business's name and address, what was done, the parts fitted and the total, with VAT shown if the business is VAT registered.
Then think about why it happened. If the keys are lost rather than locked inside, and anyone could link them to your address, ask about changing the lock; a euro cylinder change costs about £105 to £175 fitted (MLA, MyJobQuote). Leave a spare key with someone you trust, not under a mat or a plant pot. If you rent, tell your landlord, and check your tenancy agreement before changing any lock.
Common questions
Will my landlord let me in if I am locked out?
Many landlords and letting agents keep a key and will help, sometimes for a charge set out in the tenancy agreement. Ring them first; it is often cheaper and quicker than a locksmith.
Do locksmiths ask for ID when you are locked out?
A careful one does. Expect to show photo ID and something linking your name to the address, such as a bank statement or tenancy agreement. If they are inside, the locksmith can check them once the door is open.
Does home insurance cover a locksmith?
Some policies include home emergency cover that pays for a lockout, and some do not. Check the policy wording or ring the insurer before you book, because they may require their own locksmith.
Is it cheaper to call a locksmith during the day?
Usually. MyJobQuote puts the out-of-hours surcharge at £50 to £100. If you are safe and have somewhere to wait, a daytime visit can cost less, but do not stay somewhere unsafe to save money.