I got locked from my apartment yesterday at 3 am, I was drunk and I called the first locksmith on google. I didn’t think about reading the reviews in trustpilot, where all of them say it is a scam.
On the site it said something about fixed price, like 25€ for transportation + 25€ for opening the door + 100% after certain hour, so 100€.
After contacting them I received a call directly from the locksmith telling me that it would cost at least 300€ so I tell him that thank you but I was gonna contact another company because I couldn’t pay that kind of money.
Directly after that I received a call from the company asking me about my conversation with the locksmith, so I told them that he said 300€ and I couldn’t pay that. Then they told me something like not to worry or something. I don’t remember well this conversation, but they made me understand that the locksmith was charging too high so they would send another one. Admittedly they didn’t disclose any price over the phone and I forgot to ask.
Then the locksmith came, spent 10 seconds opening the door and then started writing the bill, he then showed me that it would cost 200€ + 100% so 400€!
I calld the company complaining and basically they said that they never said it was gonna be cheaper and hanged the phone.
Then the locksmith asked how much I was willing to pay, I felt trapped and said 200€, he told me that only cash, which on the site it said that also with card.
Luckily I forgot my main bank card upstairs and couldn’t take money from the atm with my other card.
He then told me that I would get a bill on the mail.
[here’s the trustpilot rating of the site](https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.schl%C3%BCsseldienst-berlin-24.de)
2 comments
You are lucky you didn’t pay.
These bills are a scam. But they are persistent. Don’t ignore the letters they send you but read them. Probably Google it. It’s sadly a common thing, you have to pa something, but not that much.
well, he came and did the work, so first of all it is a valid contract. however, your door is open and he did not receive the money, so it will be his problem to get it. first of all you should try to get comparable offers from other locksmiths. if they are persistent with the high bill, tell them to sue them because of “wucher” (overly pricing) and you are only willing to pay a comparable price. shoudl work, otherwise you can try just to pay the amount justifyable and decline to pay any higher charge.
These locksmiths are very common in German cities, often put stickers with phone numbers in houses. do never use them. best to try to find a good one when sober and during daytime and keep the number in your phone… or on your door outside.