What to Do When Locked Out of the House?

As we rush out of the door, we often grab for our phone, keys, and wallet. However, sometimes, we forget one of those items. Forgetting the keys—therefore, locking ourselves out of the house –can be the most frustrating out of the three.

If you find yourself locked out of your own home, say, in the middle of the night or with bags of shopping items, don’t panic and keep these tips in mind.

Things to Do When Locked Out
• Call your roommate. If you’re leaving with someone else, they should be the first one you should call. Ask if they are nearby and you could borrow their key to the apartment.

• Find out who else has the key. Leaving a duplicate to a family, trusted neighbour, or to your boyfriend/girlfriend means that you always have a back-up. Call and let them know that you locked yourself out of your house and you need the spare key you asked them to keep.

• Hide a spare key somewhere unobvious. If you prefer not to leave a spare key to anyone, at least hide it somewhere outside your house. You could hang a combination key lock box on the door handle or hide it in between large stones or bricks behind a bush. Just make sure not to hide it in obvious places such as underneath the doormat.

• Look for another door. Houses usually have more than one door. If the front door is locked, try checking the back door. You may also get through a window if it’s big enough for you to get in.

• Call your landlord. If you leave in an apartment block, call your landlord or the building supervisor. They usually have copies of the keys of their units.

• Avoid any temptation to do damage to your house. When locked out, it’s easy to think of breaking the window or wrecking the door locks. However, this isn’t the best idea as this usually cost more expensive than calling a locksmith Singapore.

• For lost keys, change your locks right away. If you lost your keys somewhere, make sure to have a door lock security technician in Singapore change your locks within 24 hours. Since you’re clueless whether you lost your keys or somebody purposely took it from you without your permission, it’s better to be safe and protect your home from burglary.

Preparation for Hiring a Locksmith
If there’s no other way for you to get in than unlocking the door, which you cannot since you left the keys inside or lost them somewhere else, it’s time to seek help from a locksmith service provider. To ensure safety, here’s what you can do when calling for one.

• Know a locksmith beforehand. Before you will actually need one, find a trustee local locksmith in your area and save their contact number on your phone. This advanced planning will guarantee your safety in times of need.

• Ask for specifics. Be wary if a company answers your phone call generically, such as “hello, locksmith service,” and refuses to give their full company name. Experts recommend asking for the full name of the business and its office address to verify that it isn’t a scam.

• Confirm who you’re working with. When they arrive at your house, ask to see an ID, as well as the company’s license number. You should also expect for the locksmith to ask for your identification. A legitimate locksmith Singapore will want to confirm your residency before starting any work.

• Notice the car. If not all, most locksmiths in Singapore arrive in service vehicles. Pay attention to their vehicle. Legitimate ones have their company name and logo clearly marked on their service car.

• Beware of the drill. A professional and skilful locksmith offer several options to unlock a lock. If your locksmith’s first option is to drill the lock instead of picking it, then that might be a scam you got there.

Whatever the reason why you’re locked out, don’t worry! You can get back in without breaking anything. And once you get inside your house, take the necessary precautions to ensure the incident won’t happen again.