Locksmith Fraud: How To Avoid An Overpriced Bill!

The key breaks or the door falls into the lock. Unfortunately, anyone who has locked themselves out knows the situation all too well. Especially when the stove is running inside or a baby is sleeping, the locked out is under time pressure. The unpleasant surprise and the distress use some locksmiths and quickly lure their victims into a cost trap. We offer you useful tips on how to avoid an overpriced bill. Find out what rights you have as a customer and how you can effectively defend yourself against a rip-off.

Locksmith fraud: this is what you need to watch out for

Here are some useful tips on how to avoid a locksmith fraud.

Create a list of reliable locksmiths: Do you have young children or are you always in a hurry? Then you should be safe consult the Chamber of Crafts and compile a list of the phone numbers for several locksmiths in your area. You can also compare prices and find out about the terms in advance. Save the numbers in your mobile phone and write the detailed information on a piece of paper that you either leave with the neighbors or hide in the garden.

Get advice over the phone: Explain to the locksmith what happened – the specialist will come with the right equipment and can estimate the costs in advance. Inquire whether he can really open the front door without damaging it. This is important because lock repairs can quickly become expensive.

Ask based on your thorough description of the situation after a final price. Basically, the prices of the locksmiths consist of several components. The arrival and departure, the door opening and possibly a surcharge (by 50% for holidays and weekends) are calculated. Then comes the VAT. So inquire about that Total price of the service. In any case, this only applies if a specialist comes to you. If two or even three fitters are sent, you have to pay more.

Ask one Neighbor for help – He should listen to the conversation with the locksmith company and be able to confirm the fixed price agreed by telephone later if necessary.

So that there are no nasty surprises on site, you should talk to a specialist clarify the necessary measures again. This avoids unnecessary damage to property such as replacing the door cylinder.

Locksmith fraud: How to keep the costs under control

The job is done, now you have to pay. If the locksmith is correct and really stick to the final price already agreed or suggest another reasonable total price, you can pay in cash. In this case, the specialist must provide you with at least one receipt on site.

However, if the price differs significantly from the agreed amount, you should not pay in cash. Ask for an invoice where all services are listed in detail. Some locksmiths require prepayment or payment on site – only accept the invoice with the note “Paid with reservation”. This means that you reserve the right to check the invoice later.

No locksmith may take advantage of their predicament – even if you paid a large bill or allowed an unnecessary measure, you can later sue the company. This is because you had no choice in an emergency and needed help quickly. In this case, it is worth calling in a lawyer and accusing locksmiths of fraud.