Emergency Locksmith in Johannesburg
A lockout rarely picks a convenient moment. The door of your flat swings shut on a nightlatch while you fetch the post, your bunch of keys is somewhere in an Uber, or the key goes into the front door tonight and simply stops halfway. We're a mobile locksmith, which means we come to the address rather than asking you to come to us. Our area runs from Melville and Parktown across to Houghton, Norwood and Linksfield, with Bedfordview and Edenvale on the eastern side.
We pick up the phone 24/7, weekends and public holidays included. On the call we give you an honest idea of when the technician can reach you, instead of promising a time that the traffic on Jan Smuts Avenue or the M1 might break.
- 24/7Every day, nights included
- R250Call-out fee
- On sitePrice agreed before work
- EFT · Cash · CardWays to pay
Typical lockouts we're called to
- A self-locking door. Nightlatches and many multipoint doors lock as soon as they close, so one gust of wind can leave the keys on the kitchen counter.
- Keys that have gone missing after a night out, a gym session or a handbag theft. Tonight you need to get in; tomorrow you'll want the old key to stop working.
- A key snapped off in the cylinder. There's a separate page on getting a broken key out of a lock.
- A worn lock that finally gives in and won't turn with the correct key.
- Someone locked inside behind a deadlock with no key, which is urgent when it's a child, a pet or an elderly relative.
- A security gate or trellis door in front of the main door that won't release.
- Staff waiting on the pavement because the office or shop won't open in the morning.
Car and safe lockouts follow their own steps: have a look at car keys and car lockouts or opening a locked safe. If you're stuck outside a complex unit, our guide on what to do when you're locked out of a flat or complex is worth reading while you wait.
Damage-free entry comes first
The technician starts with non-destructive entry: methods that leave the lock, the door and the frame as they were. That works on most ordinary residential and office locks. It doesn't work on everything. With some high-security cylinders, or a mechanism that has failed inside, there just isn't a clean route. When that happens you'll hear it straight away, along with what the alternative involves (usually removing the lock and fitting a new one) and what it would cost.
The technician assesses the job on site and gives you the price before any work starts. Nothing is done until you agree. Until you give the go-ahead, nothing is touched.
Why we check who you are
Opening a door for a stranger would make us a risk to every home we cover, so we ask first. Expect the technician to want ID plus something connecting you to the address: a lease, a rates or electricity account, a message from the managing agent or body corporate, or a neighbour or security guard who knows you. ID locked inside with the keys? Tell us on the phone, and we'll look at it once the door opens.
While you wait
- Find somewhere safe and lit. At night, a neighbour's place or the complex guardhouse is better than the pavement.
- In a complex or an apartment block, let security know a locksmith is coming and which unit it's for.
- Send us a location pin on WhatsApp, plus the gate code or intercom instructions if there are any.
- Resist the urge to work on the lock with a knife, bank card or shoulder. That usually splits the frame and makes the job bigger.
- Snap the outside of the lock and send it, so the technician knows what to expect.
After you're back inside
If the keys were lost or stolen, the lockout is only the first problem. Whoever has them may also have your address. Swapping the cylinder or lock they fit is normally the sensible follow-up: see replacing locks in Johannesburg. If the lockout was caused by a lock that has been getting stiffer for months, a lock repair stops it happening again next week.
Cost of an emergency call-out
R250 call-out fee. Beyond that, the price is shaped by the type of lock, whether a damage-free opening is possible, any replacement part, and access to the door itself (say, a trellis gate standing in front of it). That figure is given at the door before work begins. EFT, cash or card are all fine. Our guide to what a mobile locksmith costs in Johannesburg explains how the quote is worked out.
Lock brands we work on
These are the lock and security-gate brands you'll find on most Johannesburg doors and gates, sold by Builders, Cashbuild, Leroy Merlin and locksmith suppliers across Gauteng. If yours isn't listed, send us a photo.
- UnionMortice locksets, cylinders, gate locks
- YaleLocksets, padlocks, smart locks
- TrellidorSecurity-gate locks
- CISACylinders, gate and door locks
- Mul-T-LockHigh-security cylinders, padlocks
- dormakabaCommercial locks and key systems
- ABUSPadlocks
- Master LockPadlocks
Brand names belong to their owners and are used only to describe what we work on. We're not an agent of, or endorsed by, these manufacturers.
Where this service is available
We provide emergency lockouts as part of our mobile locksmith service across Johannesburg. Areas we're often asked about include:
Questions customers ask
Will someone answer in the middle of the night?
Yes. The line is staffed around the clock, every day of the year. The call-out stays at R250 at night, and the work is quoted on site before it begins.
Is my door going to be damaged?
We always try a damage-free method first. If your lock doesn't allow one, the technician tells you why and what the other option is, and nothing destructive is done unless you agree.
Can you make a spare key while you're here?
No. Key cutting and key duplication aren't part of our service. When we fit a new lock, you receive the keys that come with it.
Which suburbs do you come out to?
Our list runs from Auckland Park and Linden to Glenhazel, Bedfordview and Edenvale. See the full list of Johannesburg suburbs we cover and ask if yours isn't there.
Request emergency lockouts
Four quick details. We reply by phone or WhatsApp, 24/7. For anything urgent, calling is quickest.