As you well know I am always whinging about national locksmith firms, their ludicrous fees, shoddy work and undrhand sales tactics.

It is something every genuine locksmith will encounter, the disgruntled customer that has rang for a second opinion or for advice after a national firm has tried to rip them off.

I have decided to quote you a few experiences of rogue locksmiths that have been taken from various locksmith forums, myself and friends of mine and put them up here for people to read. All company names will be blanked for obvious reasons.

Enjoy

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I had to follow Locksmith Company X the other week, Dropped snib, old style vertical letter box that flap opened sideways,cylinder incorperated in top part of letter plate nice easy opening one would think.
Not so it would seem, he drilled fixings and punched lock off back according to customer and all this took an hour and a half.
Then made off with old lock ( as it was a special and needed to be ordered ) and left door unsecured and never returned.

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I am just back from a 'broken key' job...steel key snapped inside a euro cyclinder. As usual, I asked the customer where she got my number. After telling me, she also said she had phoned another lockie first (Company X) and was quoted £120 +VAT +Part

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So, fitted some anti snap euro's for a customer today. He mentions that his dad (77 years young) called a locksmith out yesterday to sort his upvc door out (not locking).
He got the company from Thompson local book.
Son informs me how much they are charging for the job! He didn't know dad had called them until today.
Dads house was only round the corner so I said I'd have a gander, they have removed Mpl and fitted temp over nighter.
They have taken £130 deposit and wrote an invoice out fit £169.50 inc vat.
On this invoice it's wrote on that customer owes £39.50 on NEXT bill!
Dad has been informed verbally that the next bill owed when work complete will be £290 plus the £39.50! WTF
It's the first time I've come across this sort of thing, it's cooking crazy! How do they get away with it?
I've told them to ring the company and get them to explain the costs.
I've measured up for type of Mpl and it's era 4x roller £25 ish plus vat to us!

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I had a lady phone me up over Easter, - on the Sunday. She'd got a failed mech, and said she'd had some guy that was a 'Thug-type' (her words) with a skin-head and tats, who had come along, taken the mech out, said he didn't have one, so put it back in again (leaving her door unlockable) and asked if she wanted him to order her one. She said she wanted to think about it for five minutes. He THEN said 'If you go into the next hour, it'll be another £450+vat.' Unknown to the Customer, she'd signed a paper to agree to paying the first hour at £450+vat. At which point she phoned me in tears. I went round and sorted it there and then (Era Saracen IIRC ) for £190 all in.. (it was a Sunday remember). Anyway, she showed me the paperwork she'd been left by the other guy... It made astounding reading.
(can you guess who it was yet?)

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Just been working for a customer who had been waiting 2 hours for Locksmith Company X to show up(told 30 mins).
He called me and cancelled them, they wanted to charge him cancellation fees etc etc and threatened court action if he didnt.

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Just had a young woman call me in tears as some wannabe national going by Locksmith Company X was trying to shaft her.
Tried to leave with the mech claiming it was a custom made lock and needs to be rebuilt at his factory.
Wanted £300+ vat
She told him bollocks and he took 70 quid off her to put it back in the door.
My blood is boiling, i told her to take a picture of the cunt so i can share it around
[update] He fooked off and took the lock with him!