Locked out of your home? Here’s some basic advice

It really doesn’t feel good to be locked out of your own home. Maybe you were heading out for work and realised your forgot your house key, or you arrive home and find that a key has been snapped in the door lock. It is frustrating to be stuck outside with no way to get into your home, and it’s even worse when it is cold and/or wet outside.

This post offers a few things to try if you find yourself locked out of your home. If all else fails, our emergency locksmith service can help get you back in if you are based in/around the Essex region. Just give us a call.

Here are some things to try first:

Check if a door or window has been left open

While we don’t recommend climbing to unsafe windows, it’s worth checking if any ground floor doors or windows were left unlocked. If you are stuck outside with no way to get through the front door, it’s always worth checking this first. You might find a way in that avoids spending money on a locksmith.

This is the simplest thing to do first. The first thought is often to contact a family member who has a key, but if you can get in without their help then you won’t have to keep standing around outside the property.

It is always recommended to try this before contacting a local locksmith. It can be helpful to have someone with you and avoid taking any risks to get to open windows above the ground floor.

Try contacting your landlord

If there are no open doors/windows and no family members or housemates are available, you should try contacting your landlord. They are likely to have a master key for the property, but bear in mind this will not be helpful if a key has been snapped in your door.

When you call the landlord, explain what has happened and they might pop over right away to let you in. Once inside, get hold of your keys immediately to avoid a repeat of this happening. Many people recommend keeping a spare key in a regularly-used bag so it is there for emergencies.

Try removing the doorknob

This is a more extreme solution, but it might be possible to remove the doorknob to gain access to your home. If this is done carefully, it can avoid exterior damage to your door and get you back inside.

This option is only recommended if you are absolutely stuck and desperately need to get inside. It is risky and should only be a measure of last resort. Try everything else you can first and only do it with great care using the right tools.

Contact a local locksmith

If you are convinced you need a locksmith, go local to ensure you are not charged more than necessary. An experienced locksmith like those on the team at Lockout24/7 will provide you a high-quality service at an affordable price.

If you are looking for local locksmiths in and around Essex, keep Lockout24/7 in mind. We will dispatch someone to help you get back inside in no time. We understand the frustration of being locked out of your home so let us come and help.

Final thoughts

The best protection is prevention, and a carefully-hidden spare key close to your property can be a good protective measure. One option is to leave a spare key with a trusted neighbour for emergencies.

If you do need to contact Lockout24/7, you can rest assured we will walk you through everything that will happen. Contact our friendly team today and we’ll go from there.