This just happened to us and after [reading this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/1686vcj/locksmith_scam/) it seems like this is a very prevalent scam.
We got locked out earlier today and unfortunately in a moment of desperation called [the first locksmith](https://london-locksmith247.co.uk/) we saw on the google results.
A large tall man (at least 6’5″) came to our place within 20 minutes. Went up to our flat and claimed that our lock cannot be picked (even though it was literally just a Yale latch lock (which judging from the comments in the linked post seem to be one of the easiest ones to open). Proceeds to tell us that he will have the drill and take out the entire existing lock and replace it with a new one. Starts pretending to look up at lock prices and ended up arbitrarily quoting a £500 price.
Obviously we were not going to pay such an exorbitant price so we told them we will find someone else. At first he insisted that any other locksmith would have advised the same but after some back and forth, decided to ‘only’ charge us the dispatch fee of £50. We asked why it was so expensive for doing literally nothing. Within less than a minute, he got really upset and raised his voice, picked up his toolkit aggressively, and started threatening us, saying ‘don’t worry this will not be the last time I see this lock’ and that he will ‘come back every two weeks to drill our lock down’. To make matters worse, as he marched down the stairs towards the front door, he yelled ‘fucking Chinese’ because we were Asian, and left.
We have filed a police report. But judging from the comments in the other post, it seems like nothing will be done.
Felt the need to share this as PSA – be careful out there guys.
edit: updated links
by icnapple
6 comments
This is a common scam and has been posted about many times on here. Sorry you experienced it and definitely report to the police and to Google.
Report across the local review sites. Google maps, reviews.io , any websites like that. With enough bad reviews, Google may have a system in place to not allow these ads.
There must also be some sort of trade authority you can report these people to who may have better luck at contacting google to remove the ads.
A £50 call out fee seems quite reasonable.
A £50 call out fee is standard. It probably took an hour if his time.
That’s what you are paying for, an hour of anyone’s time is not “nothing”.
His response however was obviously absolutely unacceptable.
But just an FYI regarding any traders person, the moment they get in their van, drive through London traffic and then have to go back again you are expected to pay a call out fee, although this should be explained to you first.
Sorry, that sounds like an awful experience.
I’m a bit paranoid about locking myself out, so I have a couple of preventives. If you have a Banham lock, the company offers a key holding service for about £70/year. If you’re locked out, they will send around a man on a motorbike with your spare key to let you in at anytime.
I also keep a spare key in my office desk, assuming I can get into my workplace.
A third solution, which I haven’t done, is to buy a key box (secured by PIN) and screw this to a front garden wall.
He offered you his price and you rejected it. Is that really a scam?
Yeah of course you could do it yourself much cheaper. But he has the tools, the lease on his can? Petrol? he’s driven to you and think about the scale of their operation. How often re they getting work? There are many factors that impact their price which I think you’re over looking.
Call out fee is pretty normal for this sort of work even without anything being done.
For an alternative perspective. I was locked out a year or so ago. Locksmith, first result on Google, said there’d be call out fee and asked for a photo of the lock. Said it’d be 50 call out and done.
He was here like 30 seconds. I was expecting it to be a drill job and be in the 100s of pounds. But took literally less than a minute. I didn’t moan and say it only tool you 1 minute 50 quid is too much.
From where I’m sitting you both sound to be in the wrong. You refusing to pay him and him resorting to mean words.