In the UK there has been a surge in bogus locksmiths preying on the public who may not be in a position to question the companies credentials and claim’s. The locksmith industry is currently unregulated in the United Kingdom and despite the best efforts of the Master Locksmiths Association (MLA) this is unlikely to change anytime soon. The Master Locksmiths Association is the only federation recognised by the UK government, Police and insurance industry. You can find your local MLA member by visiting www.locksmiths.co.uk
So you may now be asking yourself, how do I choose a proper locksmith? Well, we have put together a list of alarm bells to spot while online. This list is applicable to any location nationwide and is a well known indicator of bogus locksmiths that our colleagues see on a daily basis. Below we will explain how we are different and how we operate.
1. Contact details
Let’s start with contact details. Anyone, anywhere, can get a phone number. You need to check the full address, including door number and postcode. If they have a local number but no address, chances are, it’s a call centre.
Abbey Gate together with Smiths Security Services have locksmiths permanently based in Reading, Newbury and Basingstoke. All locations have full addresses and local phone numbers.
Furthermore, all our locksmiths have profile photos that can be found at the bottom of the Abbey Gate home page, so you can see the engineer coming to your door. For additional peace of mind we will even email you the number plate of the vehicle attending.
2. Cheap advertised price
When you see a locksmiths advertising prices for as little as £35 or £45, tread very carefully. All companies have overheads, for example vans, wages, premises and (hopefully) insurance. Companies will often quote this price then pile additional costs onto materials. The photo (below left) is a real receipt from a customer who was charged £3123.60. after selecting a locksmith offering services from £45.00.
Companies who offer no call out charge should also be questioned further, while it may be a good selling point the fact is no one will go to work for free!
At Abbey Gate and Smiths Security Services we will give you a fixed price to come to your home or business, this price includes the first hour on site. Should the fault be fixable, then this is the price you pay! Should parts be required we will inform you of what you need and the cost. When quoting we will always (where possible) give you a range of product options from low budget to high security. This gives you the choice to select the best lock for you at the right price.
3. Client lists
Many bogus locksmiths will try to indicate professionalism by stating “We work for large corporations including…….” or “customers include……” This claim is probability false!
At Abbey Gate, we have a number of contracts with a variety of companies, schools and organisations. Non disclosure agreements prevent us from listing them as customers.
4. Certified locksmith
Some companies claim to be certified. Another false claim because, as mentioned earlier the industry is currently not regulated. The closest thing to certification is through the MLA. Should you encounter a company who imply or falsely claim to be a member it is imperative you report them to the MLA. “Certified locksmiths” often accompany this by professing to be “fully trained”, again this should always be questioned.
Abbey Gate holds the highest membership level possible as an Approved company (membership number 003203). Company founder Stephen Underwood has been a member since the mid 1970’s and has been officially recognised by the association for his service. All of Abbey Gates locksmiths attend regular courses run by the MLA and manufactures, all provable. Some of the certificates receved are available to view here. In house training is also provided for more unusual antique locks.
4. Company History
Check out locksmiths history. Many claim to have decades of experience. Can they prove it?
At Abbey Gate we can. Check out our history page and some of our collection accumulated over the years.
5. Reviews
Sounds strange but question reviews! While we always knew, now we have proof. On the 1st February 2021 we received a message through a search engine offering 100 positive reviews. Our advice is if a company can boast 100’s of positive reviews, ask questions about any negative reviews. Also have a look at replies from the locksmith. A screen shot of the service offered can be seen on the right.
Abbey Gate is committed to keeping our reviews honest and real.
The search engine in question has nothing to do with the advert.
In conclusion
If you choose not to use our service we STRONGLY advise using a member of the MLA by visiting www.locksmiths.co.uk and using their search engine. Out of non MLA companies only 2 in Berkshire get our approval and would be recommended if we were not available. A number of “locksmiths” in Berkshire have attempted to gain business by offering to “work with us”. Because of our high standards this is very unlikely to happen and companies who claim to work with us should be avoided.