It is not very often that you are locked out of your car or your home, so it is understandable that you are having a panic attack. This is the reason you should always have a trusted locksmith contact saved on your phone as you never know when such a situation might pop up out of the blue and you are stranded out of your house or your car not knowing what to do next.
Most people in such situations would browse through the internet to find a locksmith near them, although there are some adventurous people who would try to fix it themselves. If you are among the people who would search for a locksmith, you need to be very careful since there are a lot of predators waiting to take advantage when you are in such a vulnerable state.
Here are some tips to help you find a trusted locksmith in your area.
- Start the process before you need it.
When you are in an emergency situation, you are desperate to get a locksmith as soon as possible and that is where you make a mistake. The process of finalizing on a locksmith should start way before just like choosing a babysitter, a hairstylist or a dentist. Your friends and neighbors might have an idea about a good one. All the listings you get on the internet, some of them might not be legitimate ones with local shops and just be out-of-town call centers. You should do a proper research to protect yourself from such scammers.
Ask questions like how long has the locksmith been in the business and what trainings has he gone through, check his customer reviews online, check the company and its reputation he is working for. Pay attention to the way he is talking over phone, whether he uses the business name while answering the phone. A little diligence can help you avoid yourself to be conned.
- Locksmith with a toll-free number and unmarked vehicle a strict NO NO
Toll free numbers can be very tricky. Although some legitimate locksmith businesses keep a toll free number for customer convenience, a toll free number usually routes your call to a call center located in some other state or even country. A lot of times such a situation happens when a customer is told over phone that the fee for the service will be very low like $20, however when they arrive at the service point, they will ask for a high amount like $1,500 stating special circumstances in the lock change.
Another thing to lookout for is an unmarked vehicle. Locksmith businesses who are there in the industry usually promote their businesses in various ways, one such way is by advertising on the vehicle. If you find the vehicle without any business name, its better you do not take their service.
- Study the state locksmith licensing laws
Maryland does not require any license to become a locksmith. Hence you should always ask for proof of their identity like business card, invoice with business details printed which matches with the one marked in the business vehicle. The valid locksmith will also ask for your identity proof which shows you have authority to unlock the vehicle or the house.
- Make everything official
Before you start any work, get a written estimate of the work to be performed. This estimate should be written on a form which has company name printed on it. When the work is completed, make sure you get an invoice for the work done. With the invoice, you can dispute the charge later if required.
Q locksmith services is here to help
Q locksmith services is a locksmith services company who are in the industry since 2009 and is based in Maryland which provides services in Baltimore and Washington DC as well. We provide 24/7 Emergency Locksmith Services in Maryland which includes house lockout, car lockout and other emergency services. Call us on 888-571-4443 to speak with an expert now!