Locked out of your house? What to do, and what not to do

Being locked out is stressful, and the stress is what causes most of the damage. People force doors, break windows and damage frames in the first ten minutes, then pay for the repair on top of the call-out.

First, before you call anyone

• Check every other door, including back doors, side gates and garage access
• Check ground floor windows - a surprising number are unlocked
• Check whether a spare key exists with a neighbour, family member or in a key safe
• Check whether the door is actually locked, or just stiff and swollen

A door that has swollen in warm weather can feel locked when it is not. Before assuming the worst, try pushing the door firmly while turning the handle. If it opens, you have saved yourself a call-out.

What not to do

Do not force the door with a shoulder, a crowbar or a screwdriver. A forced UPVC or composite door usually bends the frame, breaks the hinge mounts and destroys the multi-point mechanism, turning a £70 call-out into several hundred pounds of door replacement.

Do not break a window either, unless there is a genuine emergency inside the property. Glass is expensive, and the insurance excess often exceeds the locksmith's fee.

When you call a locksmith

Ask four things: what the total price will be, whether there is a separate call-out fee, how long until arrival, and whether they will attempt non-destructive entry first. Write the price down, or ask for it by text.

A locally based locksmith will give you a realistic arrival time because they know the area. A call centre will give you an optimistic one and then dispatch whoever is available.

What non-destructive entry involves

On a modern UPVC or composite door, a locksmith can usually open the door without damaging anything. The techniques rely on manipulating the lock mechanism rather than forcing the door, and the door works exactly as before once you are inside.

You may be asked to prove you live there, a driving licence, a bill or a bank app with the address. That is normal and it is a sign of a professional operation, not an inconvenience.

Preventing the next one

Once you are back inside, three things are worth doing: leave a spare key with someone you trust, fit a key safe if you have carers or family who need access, and consider a lock that does not rely on a single key you can lose.

It is also worth saving a local locksmith's number now, while you do not need it. The moment you need one is the worst possible time to be comparing options.