The key breaks or the door falls into the lock. Unfortunately, anyone who has ever been locked out knows the situation all too well. The locked-out person is under time pressure, especially if the stove is running or a baby is sleeping inside. Some locksmith services take advantage of the unpleasant surprise and the emergency 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 scam.
Create a list of reliable locksmiths:Do you have small children or are you always in a rush? Then you should be on the safe sideconsult the Chamber of Craftsand create a list of phone numbers for several locksmiths in your area. You can also compare prices and find out about the conditions in advance. Save the numbers in your cell phone and write the detailed information on a piece of paper that you can either leave with the neighbors or hide in the garden.
Get advice by phone: Explain to the locksmith what happened - this way the specialist will come with the right equipment and can also estimate the costs involved in advance. Find out whether he can really open the front door without causing damage. This is important because lock repairs can quickly become expensive.
Ask questions based on your thorough description of the situationaccording to a final price. Basically, the prices of locksmith services are made up of several components. Arrival and departure, door opening and possibly a surcharge (50% for public holidays and weekends) will be calculated. Then comes the VAT. So inquire about itTotal price of the service. In any case, this only applies if a specialist comes to you. If two or even three technicians are sent, you will have to pay more.
Ask oneNeighbor for help– He should be able to listen to the conversation with the locksmith company and later confirm the fixed price agreed over the phone if necessary.
So that there are no unpleasant surprises on site, you should speak to a specialistclarify the necessary measures again. This avoids unnecessary damage to property such as replacing the door cylinder.
This way you keep the costs incurred within limits
The job is done, now you have to pay. If the locksmith is correct and really sticks to the final price already agreed upon or suggests another reasonable total price, you can pay in cash. In this case, the specialist must at least provide you with a 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 locksmith services require advance payment or payment on site - only accept the invoice with the note “Paid under reserve”. This means that you reserve the right to check the invoice later.
No locksmith serviceis allowed to exploit their predicament– even if you paid a large bill or allowed an unnecessary action, you can later sue the company. This is because you had no choice in the emergency and needed help quickly. In this case, it is worth hiring a lawyer and filing a fraud case against the locksmith.
