You have lost your keys ? Are you locked out of your house? Do not panic ! Follow our simple guide below for key replacement to regain access to your home as quickly as possible.
What to do if you lost your keys?
Stay calm and do not break into your house.
We’ll start with the least technical (but very practical) tip, which is to stay calm. Losing your house keys will be very distressing, but you won’t be able to think straight if you panic. Remember, there is always a solution for lost house keys. You won’t be stuck outside forever!
Never try to break into your home, as the damage you cause will likely be more expensive than hiring a locksmith.
No insurance for keys? Contact a locksmith
If you’ve lost your only set of house keys, replacing the keys is your only option. You will need to contact a reputable and experienced local locksmith who will be able to make you a new key. A competent locksmith will create a key for the lock by hand, without needing the original key. The price will likely depend on the types of door locks and the time it takes to make a new key.
Before hiring a locksmith for a house key replacement, ask yourself if your lost key can be easily found in your property. If this is the case, it is best to have your locks changed. This solution will be more expensive than cheap key replacement, but you will have the assurance that no one will be able to access your home with your lost keys.
It’s also worth noting that lost keys can invalidate your home insurance. If you lose your keys and someone uses them to gain access to your property and burglarize it, you may not be able to make a claim. The problem is that your home insurer will say that you didn’t take the proper steps to keep your home safe. Many insurance policies require proof of forced entry before they will agree to pay your claim.
If you want to change the locks completely, the locksmith may try to pick or drill your lock to gain entry. He will then change the locks and make you a new set of keys.
What keys can a locksmith replace?
A competent locksmith will be able to replace most keys, including the following:
- Lost front door key
- Lost rear door key
- Patio Door Key
- Keys for UPVC doors and windows
- Garage door keys
You will likely have to pay a service fee for them to look at the types of locks on your door and an additional fee for replacing the keys.
How much does it cost to replace a key?
As we mentioned above, the cost of replacing a key depends on the type of lock and the type of key you need (mortise key, small Yale key, security key).
The cost may also vary depending on your location and the time of day or night. Let’s be frank, a locksmith is much more likely to charge for a night intervention because of the inconvenience it represents.
Currently, there is no governing body for locksmiths, so they can charge whatever they want. However, most of them will charge a fair and reasonable price for key replacement in order to remain competitive.
Have you considered key duplication?
Do you tend to lose your keys? It might be a good idea to have another duplicate made.
But wait, you won’t want to keep it at home, because it won’t be of any use to you! Instead, we recommend entrusting it to a trusted family member who lives nearby. There are also key custody companies, but there is a fee to use their services.
Never hide a duplicate key. Even if it’s in an obscure place, you can’t be 100% sure that no one saw you hiding or retrieving it. Hiding a key can invalidate your home insurance policy in the event of a loss, because your insurer will declare that you have compromised the security of your home.
Improve your home security
If you have had to have new locks installed on your property due to losing your keys, you can take advantage of this to increase the security of your home.
Choosing BS3621 locks is one way to improve your security. These locks meet British Lock Standards Institute standards and have been tested against common burglary practices. Home insurance companies favor BS3621 locks, so you may be able to get a better price on your policy by installing them.
You can also improve the security of your keys by choosing higher quality locks that have useful anti-theft features, such as anti-picking.
Finally, this is not really a security measure, but you can ask your locksmith to close your locks the same way. This means you will be able to use one key for all your locks. It’s more practical and will save you from having several keys with you.
Save money on key replacement with key insurance
If you have a home insurance policy, it’s worth calling your provider to see if it includes key insurance. It’s unlikely to be offered “as standard”, but you may have to pay extra.
If key insurance is included in your policy, your insurer will cover the cost of key replacement and send a professional locksmith to change your locks.
If you don’t already have coverage for lost or stolen keys, you may want to consider adding it to your policy. Even if you are very careful, keys are one of the easiest things to misplace and it can leave you completely helpless. By purchasing house key insurance, as part of your home insurance policy, you can have peace of mind knowing that if you lose your house keys, you can get expert help quickly and you will not be deprived.
We hope that our tips on replacing keys have been helpful to you and that you will soon be back home, warm and safe!
