If you manage property in London, you’ll eventually get the midnight call: “I’ve locked myself out, can you send someone?” Here’s the playbook Vellogy uses with letting agents across Camden, Hackney, Tower Hamlets and Southwark.
The first 5 minutes
- Confirm the tenant’s identity (full name on the tenancy agreement, last 4 digits of their bank card if you have it on file)
- Confirm the address and which door — front, back, or a specific fire-escape door that has a different lock
- Ask whether anyone else has a spare key (other tenant, partner, property manager)
Who pays
Most tenancy agreements put lockout call-outs on the tenant (their keys, their problem). Some premium managed properties absorb the cost as part of the service. Be clear about this before the locksmith turns up — disputes at the door are ugly.
What a good locksmith will actually do
- Non-destructive entry — picking the lock, decoding the cylinder, or using bypass tools. Should take under 10 minutes on a standard Euro cylinder.
- Inspect the cylinder afterwards — if it’s a cheap 3-star lock, recommend a British Standard upgrade (BS3621 or TS007 3-star).
- Photo-document the work — timestamp + door photo before and after.
What a bad locksmith will do
- Drill the lock immediately (“we’ll have to charge you £180 for a new one”)
- Quote a call-out fee that wasn’t on the website
- Offer to “fix” a lock that doesn’t need fixing
Vellogy’s lockout runbook
We acknowledge lockouts within 30 minutes and aim for same-shift attendance across Camden, Westminster, Hackney, Tower Hamlets and Southwark. Fixed call-out fee (no hourly meter), no surcharge for non-destructive entry, optional cylinder upgrade at the contractor’s quoted price.
Every job has a completion report with photos and timestamps. The agent gets an itemised invoice at month-end — no chasing.
When to call the police instead
If the tenant is genuinely locked out and the property is empty, no emergency services needed. If you suspect a break-in (broken lock, signs of forced entry), call 999 first, then call us to board up. We have a 24/7 boarding-up line for exactly this scenario.