How to Choose a Locksmith: 7 Checks Before You Hire
Locksmiths gain entry to locked properties, replace and upgrade locks, and repair uPVC door mechanisms. Because you're often calling in a hurry and at your most vulnerable, this trade has more than its share of rogue operators. These seven checks take less than half an hour and filter out most of the operators you'd regret hiring.
1. Read reviews across more than one platform
Search the company name plus “reviews” and look at several sources, not just the one the company links to. Hammerscore company pages for locksmiths combine ratings from multiple platforms into one score with links to the originals.
Read the negative reviews first. What matters is whether the same complaint repeats and how the business responds — a calm, specific reply is a good sign; blaming every customer is not.
2. Verify the credentials that matter
Anyone can call themselves a locksmith in the UK. Master Locksmiths Association (MLA) approved companies are vetted, inspected and DBS-checked — check the MLA directory rather than trusting a logo.
3. Confirm insurance
Ask to see a current public liability insurance certificate. This covers damage to your property and injury to others. For larger jobs, also ask how your deposit is protected and whether any guarantee is insurance-backed.
4. Get three written quotes
Describe the same job to three companies and compare written quotes line by line. A proper quote lists the work, materials, start date, duration, payment stages and VAT. The form on any Hammerscore company page can request quotes from similar companies nearby.
5. Check the paperwork trail
The name on the quote, invoice and van should match the business you checked. Limited companies can be verified free on Companies House; sole traders should still give you a trading address and landline.
Red flags specific to this trade
Any one of these deserves a pause; two together mean look elsewhere.
- a vague national call centre with no local address
- refusing to give even a price range before attending
- drilling the lock immediately without trying non-destructive entry
After the job
Pay by a method with a record, keep the paperwork, and leave an honest review — good or bad. It is the most useful thing you can do for the next person searching this company's name.
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