Why it matters who you ring
A local locksmith, not a booking line.
Search for a locksmith and many of the first results are national call centres that pass your job to whoever is free, at a price you find out on the doorstep. Ring the mobile here and the man who answers is the man who turns up, at the price he gave you.
Why it matters who you ring
The first result is often a booking line, not a locksmith.
Many of the adverts at the top of the results are national call centres that pass your job to whoever is free. Here is the difference.
Ring Locks2You
- Who answers the phone
- The locksmith who will do the job. He knows the area, the lock and the price before you have finished the sentence.
- Who turns up
- The man you spoke to, in his own van, with his own stock.
- The price
- Agreed on the phone before the van moves. That is the price you pay.
- The lock
- Opened without damage wherever the lock allows it. Drilling is the last resort, and you are told first.
- Where the van is
- Somewhere between Bury St Edmunds and Brentwood, and you are told exactly where when you ring.
Ring a national booking line
- Who answers the phone
- A call handler, often in another county, reading from a script and passing your details on.
- Who turns up
- Whichever subcontractor is free. You find out who when they arrive.
- The price
- Usually a "from" figure on the call, finalised on the doorstep once you have no choice.
- The lock
- Drilling is quicker and sells a new lock, so drilling is common.
- Where the van is
- Anywhere. The wait is whatever it turns out to be.
One way to check any locksmith, including this one: ask where the van is right now. A local answers with a road name.
Ring the van: 07976 350333Before you pay anyone
Five signs you are about to be overcharged.
Locked out, cold and in a hurry is exactly when people get taken for a ride. Two minutes of checking beats a bill you cannot argue with.
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No price before the work starts
Ask for the price on the phone, for the callout and the job together. Any locksmith who will not give one has a reason.
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Straight to the drill
Most locks can be opened without damage. A locksmith who drills first, or says every lock needs replacing, is selling you a lock.
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Cash only, no paperwork
Expect an invoice with a trading name and a contact number on it. Card payment should be no problem.
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An unmarked van and no name
Ask who you are dealing with. A trading name on the van, the paperwork and the phone should all match.
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A "local" number that rings a call centre
If the person answering cannot tell you where the van is right now, they are not local. Ask.
Hold Locks2You to every one of these. The price is given on the phone, the van is marked, you get an invoice, and drilling only happens when the lock has failed and you have been told first.
How a callout goes
From the phone call to the door shutting behind you.
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You ring the mobile
Describe the door, the lock, or the vehicle and its registration. You get a straight answer on timing and price.
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The van turns up
Locks, cylinders, blank keys and remotes are already on board, so the usual jobs are not waiting on parts.
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You are back in
Opened, repaired or keyed, tested with you watching, at the price you were quoted on the phone.
Straight answers
The four things people ask on the phone.
Anything else, ring and ask. It costs nothing to find out.
Will you damage my door?
The aim is always to open without damage. If a lock has failed inside and has to be drilled, you are told first, and a replacement goes on the same visit.
What will it cost?
You get a price on the phone before the van moves, and that is the price you pay. No hourly creep, no surprise parts bill.
I have lost every key to my van.
A normal job. A new key is cut and programmed to the vehicle where it stands, so there is no recovery truck and no dealer queue.
Is it really 24 hours?
Yes. Nights, weekends and bank holidays. If you are stood outside in the cold, ring now rather than waiting for the morning.
The phone is answered right now.
Any lock. Any hour. One number.
07976 350333Locks2You, 24 hours a day across Essex and Suffolk.