Locked out of the house? We come to the door

What this covers

A house lockout means being shut out of your own home: the keys left inside, lost, or broken in the lock, or a lock that will not open with the key you have. We come to the house to open the door for the person who lives there. Before anything is opened, we ask for something that shows the home is yours, such as a photo ID with the address.

How we approach it

Three details shape the job: the address and how to reach the door, the kind of lock on it (a knob or lever, a deadbolt, both, or a keypad), and whether the keys are inside or lost. If the keys are lost and could be tied to your address, you may want the locks rekeyed or changed once the door is open.

Where it stops

A house lockout covers opening the door. If someone inside needs help, a child is alone inside, or something is left on the stove, call 911 first: emergency services can enter a home when someone is in danger. Damage to a door from earlier attempts to force it needs fixing separately before the lock can do its job again.

Before you call anyone, walk around the house. Back doors, side doors and sliding doors are easy to forget from the front step, and one of them may be unlocked. Do not climb to an upper window or break glass: the injury or the repair is worse than the lockout.

Think about who already has a key: a partner, a family member, a neighbor, a house sitter, or your landlord if you rent. One phone call may be all it takes. If you rent, your lease may also say that the landlord has to be told before anyone works on the locks.