Detective Work Needed RE Locksmiths

freak2002

freak2002

freak2002

Associate
Joined
24 Nov 2008
Posts
840
Location
Mighty Mighty Luton
Hey All

Seen several post like this in the past with some help being given.

My boss yesterday was ripped off by a Locksmiths called UKLocksmiths (uklocksmiths.net and unitedkingdomlocksmiths.com) the guy turned up immediately said the lock needed drilling and got to work. the total cost was £200 but the service charge went up from the call (£50) to £70 when the guy arrived!

My boss is Hungarian and reletively new to the UK and was not aware people went around and ripped people off. Only my Rogue Traders watching alerted me to the problem. From what I hear the call out charge was a lot but the un-needed drilling of the door takes the pee. The door is a standard chubb lock and should be pickable/master keyed etc as is always seen on these programmes.

We have done some investigation ourselves, it seems this company are quite well known for this ripping off.

There was no company number or VAT number on the receipt. We now have a VAT number GB919142916 but have no way of checking this out. The website and the receipt look very dodgy. Spelling mistakes on both etc.

We have an email address (can be provided by PM) for the company but all seems really dodgy, he is going to ring trading standards after lunch but can anyone here help?

I cant believe 118 118 are giving out the number of these companies, I am going to tell him to call them and get them removed from the database.
 
why did you pay him the £70 when he quoted £50? does not sound dodgy at all, just someone who wants to make money, you should have got a 3 quote system... always the plan when getting anyone in to do any work.

if you call someone out who needs a bit of cash then maybe they will take the long road round, if you pay him then that's that end of story.
 
_Jimlad_ said:
why did you pay him the £70 when he quoted £50? does not sound dodgy at all, just someone who wants to make money, you should have got a 3 quote system... always the plan when getting anyone in to do any work.

if you call someone out who needs a bit of cash then maybe they will take the long road round, if you pay him then that's that end of story.
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By the sounds of it this guy drilled the lock with no reason to do so, Why must you come in and be all high and mighty....jesus this thing happens sometimes, if the guy is new to the UK and all, maybe you didn't read that part... :rolleyes:
 
Wizzkidy said:
By the sounds of it this guy drilled the lock with no reason to do so, Why must you come in and be all high and mighty....jesus this thing happens sometimes, if the guy is new to the UK and all, maybe you didn't read that part... :rolleyes:
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this locksmith might have thought in his view it was the best or only option. That's why it is best to get a few quotes...

what's that to do with being high and mighty gumbo..

if your not happy or thought it was over charged you withhold payment.
 
Thanks Wizzkiddy.

@_Jimlad_ This guy was from what My Boss assumed was from a reputable company he had no internet access or time to get 3 quotes and assumed (perhaps incorrectly) that the 118 118 number would give him a decent one. He locked himself out of his flat and obviously needed to get back in.

He paid the ££ because the guy had done the service. The call out cost is not really the issue tbh, anyone would expect to have to pay for this. I would have thought however a reputable locksmith would have charged around £40 all in for getting into the flat. With no drilling and new locks needed.
 
freak2002 said:
Thanks Wizzkiddy.

@_Jimlad_ This guy was from what My Boss assumed was from a reputable company he had no internet access or time to get 3 quotes and assumed (perhaps incorrectly) that the 118 118 number would give him a decent one. He locked himself out of his flat and obviously needed to get back in.

He paid the ££ because the guy had done the service. The call out cost is not really the issue tbh, anyone would expect to have to pay for this. I would have thought however a reputable locksmith would have charged around £40 all in for getting into the flat. With no drilling and new locks needed.
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fair enough, and yeah it should not have been that much. has he tried calling him or going down and getting a break down of the cost?

i understand he was not from the UK, but my point was he should have refused, if i remember rightly it was around £65 all in for my friend who got locked out.
 
Dodgy and overcharged? - Yes

Anything you can do about it? No

At the end of the day taking the first number given from directory enquires (they will pay good money to be first so not selected by 118 118 to be the "best") and in an emergency, I would expect to pay through the nose as well.

He probably got charged an appropriate amount of money for the work carried out. Whether that work was necessary is open to debate. They might not employ any locksmiths who can pick locks or have lock picks with them and their standard action is to drill the lock.

Hell, I drilled through an electric cable in my house on Christmas Eve (my own stupid) and I daren't tell you how much it cost to get a sparky out to fix that night.
 
neil3k said:
someone shine the tefal light into the sky
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tefal.jpg
 
Voltjunkie said:
I am fairly sure there was an episode of Rogue Traders featuring UKLocksmiths themselves :o
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I was just about to say the same thing. I remember seeing them on that particular episode too. Exactly the same craftsmanship the OP posted about too!
 
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