Frequently asked questions

Why should I choose 1st Metropolitan Locksmiths?

We are competent. Our locksmiths are fully trained and experienced. All are examined and vetted to ensure that they can perform with excellence. Our files are bulging with customer correspondence attesting precisely this point.

We are fast!

We love straight talk and straight results for our clients.

We are affordable and committed to predictable pricing.

How do I call out an emergency locksmith for an immediate door opening service?

Simply pick up the phone and dial 0207 828 8888

Our office staff will diagnose the problem over the phone, give you an estimate of the cost and dispatch a service locksmith right away. Day and Night.

How fast will the locksmith be on site?

A locksmith will be with you about 15-60 minutes after your call. Once we've contacted our locksmith, our office will ring you back with an exact arrival time, so there will be no numbing wait at all!

Will the job get finished in one visit?

Yes. Occasionally, however, specialist equipment may be required which may have to be ordered in. You will quite possibly have been advised of that by the locksmith who answered your phone call.

How much does it cost to get a locksmith out?

Our office staff will give you an estimate of the likely cost over the phone, before you book our locksmith. The actual cost depends on the problem and the cost of the (replacement) locks, if you need any.

Please bear in mind that we don't charge by the hour but for the whole job - no matter how long it might take.

Is there a call-out charge?

No, we don't have a call-out charge. However, if you've booked a locksmith and don't need him any more when he arrives, we'll charge you a flat fee of £25 payable on the spot.

How long will the job take?

Normally, locksmith jobs take minutes rather than hours.

As a rule of thumb, you can expect that fitting a lock from scratch can take up to an hour, opening a slammed-shut door via the letterbox is likely to take seconds.

Access control installations can run into days, repairs of all kinds generally tend to go very quickly.

What do I do after a burglary?

It is usually best to contact the police and, if applicable, your home or buildings insurance, BEFORE calling out a repair locksmith. The police prefer to assess the crime site before a locksmith starts his work.

What are examples of pre-planned, pre-scheduled work types?

• Repossessions (meet with bailiff)
• Lock change on communal entrance doors with prior distribution of keys to tenants
• Many types of lock repairs
• Lock change due to ownership change for commercial, private or industrial premises
• Security and preventive maintenance surveys for office blocks
• Security upgrades
• Door replacement and door upgrade
• Intercom systems installation
• Access control installation

How does a locksmith open locks?

A locksmith has a set of tools to open different types of locks and doors.

If a door has been slammed shut, it should be relatively easy to open that door without damage to the lock.

If the lock has been locked with a key, the locksmith will assess whether the lock is 'pickable' or needs to be drilled open.

Do your locksmiths deal with access control and electronic locks?

Yes.

That comprises electronic access control instruments (mainly keypads, key-fob and swipe-card systems as well as biometric readers)

and

electronic locking devices such as magnet locks, electric locks, solenoid bolts or more basic instruments such as electric releases for standard rim or mortice locks.

An electronic access control system can be installed either as "stand-alone", completely independent from each other on a door-by-door basis, or as a hub-and-spoke system. Each reader is centrally administered by a computer to which it feeds back the information who has gone through the door and when.

Metrolocks' locksmiths not only install access control and electronic locking systems, they also repair as well as upgrade, extend or relocate your existing installations.

Do your locksmiths repair intercom systems?

Yes. Metrolocks' great advantage is its efficient intercom installation and repair service. Many firms don't offer repairs, because the margins on new intercom installations are better. We will normally be able to diagnose your intercom repair issue over the phone, and then will give you a costing before carrying out the repairs.

An intercom system has 4 functions:

• Speech going up to the intercom telephone handset
• Speech going down to the intercom panel on the outside
• Making the bell ring in the intercom telephone handset
• Buzzing the door open via the intercom telephone handset
• Depending on which of these functions are impaired and whether this applies to all or just one flat (or office area), we can usually diagnose pretty well what's wrong with your intercom system. That then allows us to draw up a reliable plan for a repair.

Do you open or repair safes?

Yes, we do.

It is not easy to identify a safe on the basis of a client's description over the phone. To give you a price for opening or repairing a safe, we will usually require a good description of the brand, the shape of the keyhole and the thickness of the door. A picture by email is also very helpful.

What about key cutting?

We cut a lot of keys and are very experienced in this field. Please also see our Key Cutting Online Pages

• Key cutting as a copy of an original
• Key cutting to code numbers (keys for office furniture, keys for letter-boxes, cash-boxes, locker-keys, front-door keys etc)
• Key cutting for high security keys, copy-protected keys and masterkeys. Usually, various authentication and authorisation procedures have to be followed to order security keys.
• Presentation keys, such as large brass ceremonial keys, or keys in bulk for corporate marketing purposes, such as treasure hunts and other competitions.

What is a masterkey system?

A masterkey system is a set of locks, which can be opened by one key (the masterkey). In addition, these locks also have keys which are specific to each one (the change key or differ key) and cannot open any of the others in the set. Larger organisations, with more complex "grandmaster key" systems, may have several master key systems where the top level grandmaster key works in all of the locks in the system. Masterkey systems are common in many forms of work premises as well as many sophisticated private dwellings.

What are the advantages of a high security lock?

A high security lock offers two advantages:

1. Their lock barrels offer a far higher level of security against picking or drilling than standard lock barrels do.

   

2. The keys are copy protected. Only the registered owner is able to obtain copies of the keys. The keys will be cut to number (the number can usually be found on the key or on the lock), therefore we don't need the original key to make a copy of your high security replacement key.

What are combination locks?

Combination locks are one of the busiest segments of our trade. Their advantage is clear: No keys!

They come in 3 different versions:

1. The medium duty digital mechanical lock

   

   Many firms fabricate this lock, and its design is based on the Lockey digital lock. It is a medium duty lock. If you have heavy door traffic using that lock, it may break quicker than it should. This type of lock is the market leader by a long distance.

   
   

   The runner-up is the Unican 7000 series, pictured here:

   
   

2. The heavy duty digital mechanical lock

   There are a few more contenders in this market segment, but the Unican 1000 pictured here clearly is the market leader.

   
   

3. The electronic keypad

   It comes in many shapes and designs. The keypad works with an electric lock, which opens, once the correct code is entered into the keypad. An electronic keypad is dearer than the Unican and Lockey solutions (see above), it is also a lot more durable and altogether more elegant.

   
   

How can I pay?

We accept credit cards, cheque, BACS and cash.

Can you invoice the insurance company for the locksmith call-out?

Probably yes. However, there needs to be an incontrovertible agreement to pay from the insurance company. That will usually take the form of a letter-headed fax or and email with the claims reference and their agreement to pay.

Can you invoice the landlord, or the managing agent, or the housing association etc for this call-out?

Yes, but we need to have an incontrovertible agreement to pay from the landlord or his agents. That will usually take the form of a letter-headed fax or and email with the property reference and their agreement to pay.

Can you invoice companies?

Our credit terms are 30 days from the date of invoice. If you run an order number system, please ensure you have given us the order number prior to commencement of the work.

Opening an account is hassle free, please ring us on 0800 980 7212.

Wouldn't the Fire Brigade also open doors, for less money?

The Fire Brigade does indeed open doors, however, they are no skilled locksmiths and often use a heavy handheld ram to open doors; thus, you would have to expect serious damage to door and door frame when they get called in.

Never call the Fire Brigade unless you are dealing with a serious and provable emergency.