Locked out of your house? What to do, step by step

The short answer

Make sure you're safe, check every other door and ground-floor window, and ring anyone who has a spare key. If none of that gets you in within a few minutes, call a licensed locksmith rather than forcing your way in. A broken window or a kicked-in door costs far more than a lockout.

In Brisbane, LockOps usually arrives in 20–30 minutes, opens most standard doors in up to 15 minutes without damaging the lock, and charges from $125 including the callout, at any hour.

Locked out now? Call 07 3524 8064

1. Check you're safe

Before anything else, think about whether the lockout is just inconvenient or actually urgent.

• A young child or someone vulnerable is inside alone, or something is on that shouldn't be (a stove, a heater, a bath running, a smell of gas): call Triple Zero (000) first. Emergency services can force entry when there's a real risk.
• It's late, dark or you feel unsafe where you are: wait somewhere well lit, in your car or at a neighbour's, and call from there. The technician will call you when they're close.
• The weather is bad (Brisbane storms arrive fast): get under cover. Nothing about the lockout gets worse while you wait.

2. Look for another way in

Walk the whole house before you call anyone. A surprising number of lockouts end here.

• The back door, side door, laundry door and the internal door from the garage.
• Sliding doors that might not have been locked.
• Ground-floor windows that are already open or unlatched.
• The garage, if you have the remote in your car or a keypad code.

3. Who else has a key?

Think through everyone who might have one before paying for a callout:

• Anyone you live with, even if they're at work. Twenty minutes in the car might be quicker than waiting.
• Family, a friend or a neighbour you gave a spare to and forgot about.
• Your property manager, if you rent. Most agencies keep a key and will let you collect it during business hours.
• Your building or body corporate manager, if you're in a unit. Some hold keys for emergencies.
• A cleaner, dog walker or tradie who's been given access.

4. Call a licensed locksmith

If none of the above works, call a locksmith. Here's what happens when you call LockOps, so you know what to expect from any good one:

1. On the phone we take your address and what kind of door and lock you have, and give you a starting price and a real ETA. Nothing is booked until you say yes.
2. Arrival: 20–30 minutes on average across Brisbane and the Gold Coast, a little longer in outer suburbs. The technician calls when they're close.
3. At the door the technician looks at the lock and confirms the price before starting. If the lock turns out to be different from what was described, you hear the new price before any work happens.
4. Getting in: non-destructive entry first, so the lock still works afterwards. Most standard doors take up to 15 minutes; deadlocks and high-security locks can take longer, and the technician will tell you on the spot.
5. Proof it's your home: once the door is open, you'll be asked for photo ID with the address, or a lease, a bill or something else inside that shows you live there. A locksmith who doesn't ask is a locksmith who'd open anyone's door.
6. Payment by card once you're back inside. Never before.

Check any locksmith's Queensland Security Provider Licence before they start. Ours is 4512789, and you can look it up on the Queensland Government register.

What a lockout costs

All prices are GST inclusive and the same nights, weekends and public holidays. There's no after-hours surcharge. See the full price list, or read what a Brisbane locksmith should (and shouldn't) charge before you call anyone.

Renting? What to know

Call your property manager first during business hours; they usually hold a key and it costs you nothing. After hours, you can call a locksmith to let you in and pay for the visit yourself. Getting back in doesn't change the locks, so you don't need the agent's permission for that.

Changing or rekeying the locks is different. In Queensland, tenants and lessors generally need each other's agreement to change locks, except in an emergency. Our rekey or replace guide explains the rules in plain English.

Lost your keys, not just locked them inside?

If your keys are lost or stolen, especially with your address on something in the same bag, getting back in is only half the job. Whoever finds them can get in too. Ask the technician to rekey the lock while they're there: from from $15 per cylinder, the old key stops working and you get new keys cut on the spot. It's usually far cheaper than replacing the lock. Anything we fit is covered by our 90-day parts and labour warranty.

How to stop it happening again

• Leave a spare with someone you trust nearby, not under the mat or a pot plant. That's the first place anyone looks.
• Know if your front door has a self-locking latch. Many Brisbane homes have deadlatches that lock as soon as the door closes. They're the most common cause of "I only stepped out for a second".
• Consider a keypad or smart lock if you or the kids lock yourselves out regularly. A code can't be left on the kitchen bench. Our rekey or replace guide covers when that upgrade makes sense.
• Save a locksmith's number now, while you're calm and can check their licence and prices. Ours is 07 3524 8064.