Beware the National companies!
We've all had those home emergency panicked moments where you just want to know someone is on the way to help. It's in our nature, but beware! There are a number of nationally operating companies who prey on the desperate and always grossly over charge.
How do they operate? Simple, they lure the customer in with unrealistic promises such as suspiciously low advertised costs and almost instant arrival times.
What happens when you call one? You'll speak to a centralised call centre who will promise you they've got a locksmith on the way and that the locksmith will call you shortly. It'll sound official and initially you'll believe you're problem with shortly be resolved.
What happens when the "locksmith" (I've put this in quotation marks because the technical term should probably be "person with drill") arrives? Usually after several hours wait the "person with drill" will arrive in their car (not a van as you'd expect from a tradesman) and will make up some story about how difficult your lock is to open and they'll need to drill it (hence person with drill).
Why do they always try to drill the lock before trying to pick or bypass it? Simple. They can charge you more (much much more) for doing so, and once they've done so you'll need a new lock to be able to secure your home for which you'll need to pay them even more (much much more).
How much will they end up charging me? This varies depending on the time of day but typically between £300-800 (based on conversations with unfortunate people who had been victims of these companies).
How does this compare with a genuinely local locksmith? The mirror opposite! when you call you'll speak to the actual person coming to help you. They'll quote you the actual price you'll pay. They'll arrive as quickly as possible and will always make you aware of any delays. They'll use skill and specialist equipment to resolve your problem with the lowest cost to you. They'll charge you the quoted price or advise you before carrying out any work if any additional costs may be required.
How do I avoid these companies? This used to be quite easy, simply scroll past the adverts at the top of your search engine and look for the local companies on the map with more than a few reviews. These days unfortunately they've become more crafty and often use fake locations and fake reviews to lure you in. To spot the real from the fake simply look at how long they've been in business (for example google will tell you that I've been in business for 7+ years). Also look at the detail in the reviews. Reviews added in blocks with, often questionable, names and what looks like computer generated subject matter are almost always fake and a warning sign. Finally, if when you call the seemingly local number and are put through to a call centre (ask them where they are based before revealing where you are), hang up immediately.
Hopefully this information will help you avoid being scammed. If you have any questions or think you are being scammed you can always give me a call and I'll happily give you advice.
