How Much Should a Locksmith Cost in Spain, and How to Avoid a Rip-Off
What changes the price, the warning signs of a rip-off and your rights as a customer in Spain.
Locked Out in Spain: What to Do, Step by Step
Standing outside your apartment with the keys on the other side of the door? Here's what to do, in order, to get back in quickly and without paying more than you should.
1. Check whether it's an emergency
If a child, someone who needs help or a pet is alone inside, or something has been left on the cooker, call 112, the European emergency number. It works from any mobile, foreign SIM cards included, and the operators can usually help you in English.
If nobody is in danger, you have time to sort it out calmly.
2. Look for a spare key before calling anyone
- Family, friends or neighbours who have a copy.
- The rental agency, property manager or key holder, if the home is rented or managed.
- The caretaker (conserje) of your complex, if there is one, although they rarely keep keys for individual homes.
Don't climb between balconies or force a terrace door. It's dangerous, and a broken patio door usually costs more than opening the front door.
3. Was the door pulled shut or locked with the key?
This is the first thing a locksmith will ask, because it changes the job and the price:
- Pulled shut: the latch clicked but the key wasn't turned. It can usually be opened without damage.
- Locked with the key, or the key snapped or won't turn: the work is on the cylinder, which sometimes has to be replaced.
Our prices: a door pulled shut is from 70 € + VAT and a door locked with the key is from 120 € + VAT. Here's how we open doors.
4. Check your home insurance
Many Spanish home insurance policies include an emergency locksmith service. If yours does, call the insurer's assistance line first: they may send their own locksmith or tell you how they refund the cost. Keep the invoice either way.
5. What to tell the locksmith and what ID to have
- The exact address: urbanisation, complex, block and door number, and the gate code if there is one.
- Whether the door was pulled shut or locked.
- A photo of the lock from outside, sent by WhatsApp.
A responsible locksmith will ask you to show that you live there or are allowed in: ID with the address, a rental contract, a booking confirmation or someone who can vouch for you. If your documents are inside, it's normal to show them once the door is open.
6. Ask for the price before anyone starts
Ask for the total on the phone, including VAT and any night or weekend surcharge, and confirm it at the door before work starts. Be wary of adverts with very low prices that grow once the locksmith is at your door. All our rates are on the prices page.
How to avoid it next time
- Leave a spare key with someone you trust who lives nearby.
- Don't hide keys outside: under the mat or in a plant pot is the first place a burglar looks.
- Lock with the key when you go out. A door that has only been pulled shut is much easier to open, for a burglar too.
If the keys are gone for good, read about lost keys.
More locksmith guides
Changing the Locks After Buying a Home in Spain
Who else may have a copy, which doors to include, what it costs and what to do about community keys.
Anti-Snap Cylinders Explained: Choosing a Secure Euro Cylinder
How cylinders are attacked, what anti-snap and anti-bump mean and how to tell if yours needs changing.
How to Secure Your Holiday Home in Spain While You're Away
Locks, shutters, keys and key holders, and what to do if someone breaks in while you're away.
Need a locksmith in Orihuela Costa now?
Call or send us a WhatsApp with your address and a photo of the lock.