If you are locked out, or need your locks changed you need a way of quickly finding the best locksmith in your area – Toronto and GTA. By best locksmith we don’t just mean the most skilled locksmith in your area, we also mean someone who is trustworthy, fits genuine, good quality parts and charges honest prices. Here are some of our top tips for you:

1. Get personal recommendations from family, friends and neighbors
We trust recommendations from people we know well, so this tends to be the most valuable way of finding a good locksmith. Most people like to talk about experiences with service providers. So you can rely that your relatives and neighbors are a reliable source of information. A genuine locksmith will always work hard to build a good reputation in their local area. They understand that personal recommendations are a really important source of new business and will help their business grow.

2. Check reviews
If you don’t have access to any personal recommendations then checking reviews on Google, Home Stars, Facebook, Yelp etc. is helpful. You can easily spot locksmiths who have a high number of 5* reviews from happy customers, as well as those that have none (or few). By reading what is said in the reviews you can also get a feel for the type of person who will arrive at your door, which can be reassuring if you live on your own. Look what are customers saying for us:

3. Check accreditations
There is currently no government based licensing of the locksmithing industry in Ontario as all over the world, so anyone can call themselves a locksmith. If a locksmith is claiming to be accredited make sure you check the accreditation being claimed is true. You may find some companies making false claims of accreditation and using logos without permission. So it is therefore a good idea to check if the locksmith is on any approved trade lists, as this generally means that the company has been thoroughly checked out e.g. Trusted Trader, Which? Trusted Trader.

4. Listen carefully
A good locksmith will ask relevant questions when you call. They will have seen just about every type of lock problem, many, many times before and by asking the right questions can usually figure out the problem and give you an accurate quote over the phone. So you can be sure that the person on the phone is a competent professional who will do the job for which he is needed. Always beware locksmiths who say they need to come to your property before they can give you a price.

5. Check they have insurance
A good locksmith will always have public liability insurance to cover costs in the unlikely event that they cause damage to your property. Any reputable locksmith company should offer a warranty as an assurance that the item they install or service will operate as they should. A warranty protects the consumer and gives them calmness.

6. Check they are local
It is always better to use a local Locksmith. Larger national companies often run advertisements that appear to be for a local business but when you call, connect you to a call center in another city. They then subcontract work out to a locksmith in your area, without necessarily knowing anything about how skilled they are at their job. They usually cost a lot more too, as the fee they charge has to cover both the locksmith and the call center! Only legitimate companies take the time to rent out office space. By making sure that the locksmith you hire has a well-established office in your city or town, you can minimize the chances of getting scammed.

7. Get a few quotes
It goes without saying that you should always get more than one quote for the job. We recommend to a get at least 3 quotes as the cost of hiring a locksmith can vary depending on the type of job, your location and day/time. However be aware that some locksmiths will give you a really low estimate over the phone and then add lots of extras when the job is complete. Always ask if the quote includes any call out fees, labour, parts, VAT and if there are any other surcharges that have not been included.

8. Ask about locks
Most good locksmiths will have a few different brands of lock which they prefer to fit. From years of fitting and replacing locks, they know which brands consistently perform best. Some of the most common brands include Schlage, Weiser, Yale, M-Tech and Assa Abloy but there are many others. Unscrupulous locksmiths will try to save money by fitting cheap, unbranded locks bought off places like home hardware, ebay or amazon, so always ask to see the packaging. Also, if you need a new lock for an external door always check that the locksmith plans to use an insurance company approved, medium or high security lock.. In addition, a good locksmith should be able to offer you at least a 12 month guarantee on any new locks they fit.

If you follow these tips and find a good local locksmith remember to store their number in a safe place or add it to the contacts list on your mobile phone. This makes it easy to pass their number on to friends and family, as well as handy for you if you need to call them again in a hurry.

For help with all your locksmith problems 24 hours a day, contact Locksmith Express, a local and honest locksmith in Toronto and GTA .