Lockout assistance
Locked Out of Your House in Lancing? We Can Get You Back In
Call with your postcode for a current arrival estimate.
- 24-hour emergency cover
- No call-out charge
- Price agreed before work starts
Emergency and planned locksmith services
Locked Out? Here Is What to Do Right Now
If you are locked out of your house in Lancing, check every other door and window first, then ring anyone who holds a spare key. If neither works, call a locksmith rather than forcing the door.
- Stay calm and check you really are locked out.
- Walk the whole property, not just the door you are standing at.
- Phone anyone who holds a spare key.
- If you rent, ring your landlord or letting agent.
- If none of that works, call 01903 377061 and ask for an emergency locksmith.
01903 377061
Worth Checking Before You Call: Three Things
Could you get back in without us? Quite possibly, and it is worth finding out before you book a locksmith in Lancing. Run through these three safe checks first.
Another entrance
Lockouts often involve a single locked door. Try any back door, side door, other door or window you can reach without risk. It may still be unlocked.
A spare key holder
Think beyond the obvious. A partner at work, a parent, a friend or the neighbour you once gave a key to could have you inside before a technician could arrive.
Your landlord
Tenants should ring the landlord, letting agent or the emergency contact listed in their tenancy paperwork. Many keep spares.
What you should not do is improvise. Stay at ground level, avoid unsafe windows and do not force or lever anything, because a damaged door or a fall is much worse than being stuck outside for a while.
Why Forcing the Door Is the Expensive Option
Search online and you will find plenty of tips for getting back into a house without a key. Attempting to force your way in can turn a straightforward lockout into a much larger repair.
The well-known credit card trick only has a chance on a latch that was never actually locked, and that is rare on a modern UK front door. Damage to the cylinder, handle, locking mechanism, seals or frame can result from pressing against the door or inserting objects around the lock. On a uPVC door the damage spreads, because several locking components are linked together, and too much force can crack the door panel. Breaking a window adds glazing or temporary boarding to the bill, plus a real chance of injury and an opening anyone can use.
What the two routes tend to involve - Forcing it: a damaged lock, perhaps a bent frame or broken glass, and repairs on top. - A locksmith: the door and lock are assessed first, an entry method is chosen to suit them, and non-destructive entry is tried first where the lock type and condition allow.
If the lock is broken or seized, or a suitable non-destructive method will not open it, you are told why and what any extra work is expected to cost before it starts. There is a security point too: a door that gives way easily to you would give way to a burglar, so its lock should be upgraded. See our lock replacement service or read how to choose a trustworthy locksmith.
Should You Call the Police or the Fire Brigade?
The emergency services are not a lockout service. Police and fire crews generally do not respond to routine household lockouts, so if nobody is in immediate danger, a locksmith is who you need.
Where there is a genuine emergency, the order reverses. A fire, a medical emergency, or a child, an older person or someone vulnerable trapped inside and at risk are all reasons to call 999 first. Treat any immediate risk to life or property the same way, and leave the door until help has arrived.
Once you are sure everyone is safe, the door is a practical problem rather than an emergency one. Call a locksmith, describe the lock and the situation, and leave the emergency line for the people who need it.
Getting You Back In Without Damaging the Lock
Many residential locks can be opened without being destroyed, and that is where we start. Euro cylinders, mortice locks and night latches can often be opened by professional picking or bypass methods, with no drill involved.
That matters for what happens next. If the lock is still safe and serviceable once the door is open, it stays, and so do your current keys. Nothing has to be replaced. Which method is used depends on an assessment of the door, the lock type and its condition, made before any work starts, because the aim is always to restore access without unnecessary damage.
Non-destructive entry is not always possible. Where the lock is broken or seized, or is a high-security type such as an anti-snap cylinder that a suitable non-destructive method cannot open, drilling and replacement may be required. It is the last resort, and you are given the reason and the expected cost before any drilling. See also lock replacement and broken key removal.
How Quickly Will We Reach You?
How quickly we reach you depends on the moment you call. A technician who is already nearby may arrive in around 30 minutes; a more typical estimate is also around 30 minutes, though it can take longer depending on where our nearest locksmith is when you call.
Four things shape the real figure on any given call: where in Lancing you are, the traffic, the time of day and whether a technician is available or still on another job. That is why we do not publish a fixed promise on this page. Instead, when you phone, we check the current situation and give you an estimate we expect to keep. If it needs to change, we will keep you informed until the technician arrives at your door, whatever the hour.
Locksmith pricing
Common Lockout Situations We Attend
We see a handful of lockout types again and again, each needing a different approach depending on where the key has ended up, whether the lock still operates and whether anything was damaged before we arrive.
Keys locked inside the house
Keys on a table, in another room or still in the lock when the door closed. If the lock is undamaged, non-destructive entry may restore access without replacing anything.
Lost or stolen keys
Getting in is only half of it, because the missing keys still exist. Changing the lock may be advisable, depending on circumstances, so they cannot be used on your home later.
Key snapped in the lock
Part of it may now be stuck in the cylinder, keeping the door shut. Do not force the remaining section or push anything into the lock. Once the broken fragment has been extracted, we assess whether the lock remains fit for use.
Key left in the other side of the door
That can stop your key operating some night latches and euro cylinders. It is often still possible to get in, depending on the lock. Mention it when you call. Do not force the door or keep turning your key.
The lock has failed and will not turn
Not a key issue at all. A worn cylinder, a failed multipoint mechanism or a misaligned door can stop the lock working, and it may need repair or replacement after entry.
Not sure which applies? Tell us on the call, or read about lock repair and.
In Lancing, Locked Out of a Rented Property?
Renting? Try other doors and windows you can reach safely, then call your landlord, letting agent, tenancy emergency number or spare-key holders. Many of them keep spare keys for their properties, and some have an approved procedure for helping tenants regain access.
If they cannot be reached or cannot come out, call us. Before beginning, we may ask for information confirming that you live at the address or have permission to arrange access; it is part of opening any home responsibly. Landlords and letting agents looking after homes across Lancing are welcome to arrange access on behalf of an authorised tenant or occupant, and repeat calls are treated as routine call-outs, whichever property they involve. More on services for landlords and letting agents.
Locksmith pricing
What Does It Cost to Get Back Into the House?
How much it costs to get back in depends on the job, but we can give you a firm starting point. During normal working hours, Monday to Friday from 7am to 6pm, a standard lockout starts from £70.80 including VAT.
That figure is where a straightforward weekday lockout begins rather than a quote for every call. Whether you left the keys inside, lost them or the lock simply will not open, tell us where you are and what has happened, and we will price it on the call from your description. The things most likely to change it are:
- the lock's type and condition;
- which entry method it needs;
- whether it is already damaged or seized;
- replacement parts or repairs;
- the time and day of your call.
Our pricing comes down to two sentences: “You pay for the work carried out, any parts needed, and VAT. Rates outside Monday to Friday, 7am to 6pm, are higher, but the call-out itself is never charged.” Simply attending your property carries no charge of its own. Non-destructive entry comes first wherever the lock type and condition allow, which avoids needless damage, and should the technician find that different or extra work is needed, you hear the reason for any price change before it starts.
What affects the cost?
Service required, time of attendance, lock and door type, labour and parts.
Lockout Coverage Across Lancing
Homeowners, tenants, landlords and shop or office staff can all call us when they are shut out in Lancing.
Our coverage takes in Lower Cokeham, South Lancing and North Lancing, every postcode in BN15, and the parts of BN43 that sit around Lancing. Sompting is covered too and has its own page.
What a lockout looks like depends on who lives behind the door. In Lancing 73.7% of households own their home, 15.4% rent privately and 10.4% rent from a social landlord (Census 2021 TS054, ONS), so a fair number of callers are tenants rather than owners, and tenants should work through the steps above in order. Flats make up 21.1% of households (Census 2021 TS044), and a shared entrance is normally the responsibility of whoever manages the block, not the resident.
Around 23,000 usual residents lived in the Lancing area at the 2021 Census (ONS, output areas approximated to the built-up area). North Lancing is mostly houses, so a lockout there usually means one door of your own.
See all areas we cover.
Emergency and planned locksmith services
Call L.M.N Locksmiths Lancing
Lockout calls are answered 24 hours a day with no call-out charge, and a standard weekday lockout starts from £70.80 including VAT, with the price confirmed on the call before anyone travels. Ring now for an honest arrival estimate.
- Phone: 01903 377061
01903 377061
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a locksmith open my door without damaging it?
Yes, in most situations where the lock allows it. Picking and bypass are non-destructive methods that can open a door without drilling, leaving nothing to replace. They are not possible on every lock: a broken or seized lock, or one that no suitable non-destructive method will open, may need drilling or replacing. That is a last resort, and the reason and expected cost are explained to you before the work begins.
How much does it cost to get back into my house?
From £70.80 including VAT is the starting price for a standard lockout in normal working hours, Monday to Friday, 7am to 6pm. Four factors determine what you ultimately pay: what type of lock you have and its condition, how access is gained, when you call and whether parts are required for repair or replacement. You are told the price on the call, and there is no charge simply for attending.
Will the police or fire brigade let me back in?
Not for a routine lockout. Emergency services generally leave everyday lockouts to locksmiths, and 999 should be kept for situations where life or property is at immediate risk. That includes a fire, a medical emergency, or a child, older person or vulnerable person trapped inside and in danger. If none of those apply, a locksmith is the right call.
Can I get in myself with a credit card?
Almost never, and we do not recommend trying. The card approach only affects a spring latch that was not actually locked; modern front doors mostly have euro cylinders or multipoint mechanisms that a card cannot open. If frustration turns into forcing, a uPVC door slab can crack, which becomes a repair on top of the lock. Any door that a card does open is not secure enough and should be upgraded.
Do I need to change my locks after being locked out?
Generally only if the keys are missing. Where they were locked inside and the existing lock is safe and serviceable, replacement may not be necessary after you are let back in. Preventing anyone from entering your property later with the missing keys may make a lock change advisable if those keys were lost away from home or stolen.
How quickly can you get to me?
You are given a current estimate when you ring, and told if it changes. We do not publish a fixed response time, because it could not be kept every night of the year.
I rent my home. Who should I call first?
First try any other door or window you can reach safely. If you still cannot get in, contact your landlord, letting agent or anyone else with a spare key, since they can often let you in at no cost. If none of them can help, call us and we can open the door; we will normally ask for some proof that you live there.
My key is in the other side of the door. Can you still open it?
In most cases, yes. A key left inside can prevent an outside key operating on certain locks, especially older night latches and some euro cylinders, and there is a specific way of dealing with it. Mention during your call that a key is on the inside, allowing the locksmith to assess which approach would be suitable. It is not a reason to force the door or keep turning the key.
Still have a question or need urgent assistance? Call 01903 377061, tell us what has happened and receive a current arrival estimate.