Call any time
Locked Out Oxford Emergency Lockout Locksmith From £59
Shut out of your house, flat or office in Oxford? We come from North Oxford 24 hours a day, open most doors without damage and agree the price on the phone before we set off.
Locked out? Get a price and arrival time
Tell us what you need and we will call you straight back. Calling is quickest: 07520 644 595. Photos by WhatsApp: 07466 695655
Non-destructive entry first
Picking or bypass before any drill, so your lock usually keeps working afterwards.
Usually 10 to 30 minutes in OX1 to OX4
We give you an honest arrival time for your street when you call, traffic allowing.
£59 to £79 daytime
Evenings after 8pm, weekends and bank holidays £79 to £99, fixed before we travel.
ID check on every door
We confirm you live there before or right after entry. It protects you as much as us.
If you are locked out in Oxford, we open house, flat and office doors 24 hours a day, usually arriving within 10 to 30 minutes across OX1 to OX4, from £59 in the daytime. Most doors open without damage using non-destructive entry, and the price is fixed on the phone before we leave our North Oxford base.
This page explains exactly what happens from your call to the moment you are back inside, how each kind of door is opened, and what it costs. If you have not called anyone yet and want a quick checklist of things to try first, read our guide on what to do when locked out of your house.
From your call to an open door: the lockout process
A lockout should be simple and predictable. Here is how ours runs, start to finish.
1. You call or WhatsApp
Tell us your address, the door type and whether the keys are inside or gone. A photo of the lock from outside helps us pick the right tools before we leave.
2. Price and time agreed
You get a fixed figure and an honest arrival time. The price does not change on the doorstep. If something unexpected turns up, we stop and agree it with you first.
3. We travel from OX2
Our base is at 169 Woodstock Road. Summertown, Jericho and the city centre are close; Cowley, Headington and Botley are usually inside half an hour.
4. Proof of address
We ask for ID or a letter showing the address. If it is inside, we check it the moment the door opens.
5. Entry without damage
We open the lock using non-destructive methods first. Drilling is a last resort and we explain its cost before touching the drill.
6. You are secure again
Before we leave, the door locks properly. If keys were lost, we can make them useless on the same visit.
How we open uPVC, composite, nightlatch and mortice doors
The door in front of us decides the method, the time it takes and whether any part needs replacing afterwards. A quick description on the phone lets us tell you which of these applies.
uPVC and composite doors
If the door was only pulled shut and the handle was never lifted, the multipoint is not engaged and entry is normally quick and clean. If it was locked with the key, we work on the euro cylinder. Standard cylinders usually open without harm.
Usually no damage
Anti-snap and high-security cylinders
A TS007 3-star or Sold Secure SS312 Diamond cylinder is built to resist attack, and that includes a locksmith. Some can only be opened by sacrificing the cylinder. If so, we quote the replacement first and fit one of equal grade.
Sometimes a new cylinder
Timber door with a nightlatch
The classic slam-shut on a Victorian terrace or a Summertown flat. A Yale-style rim latch that was not deadlocked is normally the fastest entry we do, and the latch keeps working.
Almost never any damage
Mortice deadlock
A 3 or 5-lever box lock thrown with a long key takes more skill and more time. Most open without damage. A worn or failed lock may need replacing with a BS3621 lock, which many insurers ask for anyway.
Usually no damage
For anything that does need replacing, we carry common sizes of cylinder, nightlatch and mortice lock in the van. You can read more about those parts on our nightlatch and rim lock and 5-lever mortice lock pages.
Keys locked inside or keys lost: why it changes the job
These two situations look the same from the pavement, but they are different jobs with different prices.
Keys inside the house
The door closed behind you and the keys are on the hall table. Once you are in, you pick them up and life carries on. Nobody else has your keys, so there is no security risk, and the price is just the entry: £59 to £79 in the daytime.
Keys lost or stolen
Here the entry is only half the job. Whoever finds your keys may also find your address, especially if a bag or wallet went with them. Our lost keys service covers entry plus making the old keys useless, at £75 to £125 plus any locks. On a uPVC door that usually means a new euro cylinder. On a timber door with a lever mortice lock, a lock rekey can sometimes keep the existing lock body in the door. Where a full replacement makes more sense, our same day door lock change service fits new locks with three keys included.
Keys stolen in a burglary or mugging?
Report it to the police first and get a crime reference number. Your insurer will usually want it, and our itemised invoice will list exactly which locks were changed.
Snapped key or a lock that has failed with you outside
Not every lockout is about missing keys. Some of the calls we get start with the right key in the right lock, and the door still will not open.
- Key snapped in the cylinder. We extract the broken piece, check the pins and, if the lock is undamaged, get it working again. Broken key extraction is £45 to £75. Please do not push superglue or a hairgrip in after it; that often turns a quick extraction into a new cylinder.
- Key turns but the door stays shut. On uPVC doors this usually points to a broken cylinder cam or a failed multipoint gearbox. We open the door, then quote for the repair. Our uPVC door lock replacement page explains the gearbox side.
- Nightlatch handle spins. A worn follower or a snapped spring inside an old rim latch. Entry is straightforward and the latch can usually be swapped on the same visit.
If the lock gave in because it was tired rather than abused, a repair is often cheaper than a new lock. We always tell you which option is better value before doing either. More detail on snapped keys is on our broken key extraction page, and if you came home to a forced door rather than a lost key, our emergency boarding up and make safe service secures the property first.
What a lockout costs in Oxford, day and night
Lockout prices include VAT and labour. Parts are listed separately, so you can see what you are paying for. Travel is free within 5 miles of central Oxford, £10 up to 15 miles and £20 up to 25 miles.
| Situation | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Daytime door opening | £59 to £79 | Non-destructive entry |
| After 8pm, weekends, bank holidays | £79 to £99 | Same response, same methods |
| Destructive entry | £129 to £169 + new lock | Only if picking and bypass fail |
| Lost keys service | £75 to £125 + locks | Entry plus old keys made useless |
| Snapped key extraction | £45 to £75 | Lock tested afterwards |
If you want to compare what is fair across the county, our guide to emergency locksmith costs in Oxfordshire breaks down call-out charges and the warning signs of an inflated quote. The full list is on our locksmith price list.
Locked out of a flat, a shared house or a shop
Oxford has a lot of flats, college-adjacent lets and HMOs, and lockouts there come with their own wrinkles.
- Flats with a communal entrance. If you are stuck at the block door, the managing agent or a neighbour can often buzz you in, and we only need to deal with your own flat door. That keeps the cost down.
- Renting. Ring your landlord or letting agent before us, as they may hold a spare. If a lock has to be changed, the tenancy may require their agreement, and we can send them the invoice directly.
- Student houses. A room door with a thumb-turn on the inside and a nightlatch outside is common. We open it without damage and can rekey it if a key has gone walkabout.
- Shops and offices. We check authority to enter before opening business premises. Office or shop lockouts are £89 to £129; see our commercial locksmith service for shutters and master key systems.
If your car is the problem rather than your front door, our keys locked in car service opens vehicles without damage from £85.
When to call 999 before calling a locksmith
Someone at risk inside?
If a young child, a vulnerable adult or a pet is alone inside, or a hob, heater or bath is running, call 999 first. The fire service can force entry faster than any locksmith. Then call us to secure the door afterwards.
In every other case, stay somewhere warm and safe, keep your phone charged, and do not try to force a window or kick the door. Forced entry damage usually costs far more to fix than a professional opening. Our lockout service is one part of the wider range listed on our Oxford locksmith services page, and we cover the whole county, as shown on our areas covered map.
Lockout prices
Fixed on the phone before we travel, including VAT and labour, with parts shown separately.
| Service | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Door opening daytime | £59 to £79 | Non-destructive entry |
| Door opening evenings, weekends, bank holidays | £79 to £99 | After 8pm |
| Destructive entry | £129 to £169 + new lock | Only if picking or bypass fails |
| Broken key extraction | £45 to £75 | Lock checked and tested |
| Lost keys service | £75 to £125 + locks | Entry and old keys made useless |
| Office or shop lockout | £89 to £129 | Authority to enter checked |
Prices include VAT and labour. Parts are listed separately. See the full Oxford locksmith price list.
