Locked out in Toronto? What to do right now

Call 911 right away if:

• A child or pet is locked in a car, especially on a hot or very cold day. A parked car heats up fast in the sun, even with the windows cracked.
• Someone inside needs medical help and can't open the door.
• Something dangerous is going on inside, like a stove left on, an overflowing bath, a gas smell or smoke.
• You think someone is inside your home who shouldn't be.

Emergency services can get in when a life is at risk. A locksmith is for everything else. If you are not sure which one you need, call 911 and let them decide.

Think about your own safety too. If it is late, freezing or you feel unsafe where you are standing, wait somewhere warm and well lit, like a coffee shop or a building lobby, and tell the locksmith where to find you.

1. Call your spare key holders. A partner, family member, neighbour or friend with a copy. This is often the fastest and cheapest fix.
2. Check every ground-level door. Back door, side door, the door from an attached garage. If you have a garage keypad or an opener app on your phone, that may get you in.
3. Try your smart lock backup. If the keypad is dead, look for 9V battery contacts on the outside of the lock. Some Yale, Schlage and Kwikset keypad models have them, and some newer locks use a USB-C port instead. Hold the battery to the contacts and enter your code. Many smart locks also take a regular backup key.
4. Check windows only if it is safe and legal. A ground-floor window you left open is fine. Climbing onto a porch roof or forcing a window is not worth a broken arm or a broken pane.
5. Call a locksmith. A standard house lock can usually be opened without damage.

Our home lockout service covers houses across Toronto, from older semis in the west end to newer builds in Scarborough and Etobicoke.

Condo and apartment lockouts come with a few more options, and a few more rules.

• Concierge or security desk. Some buildings keep a key on file for each unit, but many don't, and staff can only let you in under the building's rules. It is still worth asking.
• Your landlord or superintendent. If you rent, your landlord may have a key. Many are not reachable late at night, so a locksmith may still be faster.
• Property management. A lost fob or a locked building door is up to the condo corporation or property manager. A locksmith can open your unit door but can't issue a building fob.
• Never climb between balconies. Even on a low floor, it is a serious fall risk. No lockout is worth it.

In a high-rise, tell dispatch the building, unit number and buzzer code, and whether the locksmith has to check in with the concierge. That saves time at the door.

First, walk around and try every door and the hatch or trunk. Then look at who can help:

If the keys are locked inside, a locksmith can usually open the car without damage and you drive away. Our car lockout service covers driveways, condo garages, laneway parking and parking lots across the city. If the keys are gone for good, see car key replacement.

• Call building security or the property manager first. In many office towers they control the main entrance and may be able to let you in.
• Call a coworker or manager who holds a key.
• If the space has an alarm, make sure you know the code before the door opens, or call your alarm company so they don't send a response.
• Expect a locksmith to confirm you are allowed in: photo ID plus a business card, a lease, or a call to the owner or manager.

See office lockouts for how business lockouts work, including after-hours calls.

If your ID is locked inside, that's fine. The locksmith opens the door and checks it before leaving. If you can't show that you live there, a careful locksmith may refuse the job. That is a good sign. It means they would refuse a stranger at your door too.

• Make a spare key plan. Give a copy to someone you trust who lives nearby. Skip the key under the mat or in the fake rock. Those are the first places anyone looks.
• Use a key safe. A combination lock box mounted out of sight works well for families, rentals and dog walkers. Change the code now and then.
• Think about a keypad or smart lock. You can't lock a code inside. Keep fresh batteries in it and know where the backup power contacts are. See smart lock installation.
• Keep a spare car key. Store it at home and save your roadside assistance number in your phone. Getting a spare made now is simpler than replacing your only key later.
• Lost keys rather than locked in? Once you're inside, think about rekeying so the lost set stops working.

Before you call anyone, take two minutes to read how to avoid locksmith scams. A stressful lockout is exactly when bad operators make their money.