What's the required cash and carry of losing the keys to your apartment?
January 28, 2011 3:02 AM Subscribe
What would be the average cost to get a locksmith to come over in the middle of the night to help me get into my house in a suburb close to the CBD in Melbourne, Australia after I lost my keys? Additionally, what do I need to prove that I'm the actual tenant of the apartment?
I carry various credit and direct debit cards, my medicare card and my organ donor card, but because I don't have a Victorian driver's licence, there's nothing official with my address on it.
I carry various credit and direct debit cards, my medicare card and my organ donor card, but because I don't have a Victorian driver's licence, there's nothing official with my address on it.
Response by poster: So how were you ripped off, what was a reasonable price at the time?
posted by moody cow at 3:42 AM on January 28, 2011
posted by moody cow at 3:42 AM on January 28, 2011
I paid ~$150 (iirc) for the CBD late one night a year or so back... I had my swipe card for the building, but I could have been having the bloke break me in to anyone's apartment for all the proof he asked of me...
posted by russm at 3:47 AM on January 28, 2011
posted by russm at 3:47 AM on January 28, 2011
I think I paid somewhere from $150 to $200 for a Sunday afternoon in South Yarra. I don't recall the guy asking for ID.
posted by Diag at 4:11 AM on January 28, 2011
posted by Diag at 4:11 AM on January 28, 2011
I have never had to show ID, either in New Zealand or Australia. It's also never been the middle of the night, but the last time was about 10pm and I paid about $150 in the CBD in Canberra.
(I now keep a spare set of keys in my office at work, which is within walking distance, and has 24-hour security that can let me in to collect them.)
posted by lollusc at 4:56 AM on January 28, 2011
(I now keep a spare set of keys in my office at work, which is within walking distance, and has 24-hour security that can let me in to collect them.)
posted by lollusc at 4:56 AM on January 28, 2011
About $150 is right, perhaps $200 if it's 2am. Last time a friend did this, they asked for no ID. I think they really break you in wherever, I guess they reckon thieves don't really go around paying $200 to get into random people's places.
posted by dave99 at 4:59 AM on January 28, 2011
posted by dave99 at 4:59 AM on January 28, 2011
I think the rule of thumb with regard to locksmith pricing is to price your services at just less than what it would cost for the occupant to break something to gain entry.
And clever as the idea may seem, no thief would call a locksmith to gain entry into a place when they could either break a window or use a $5 bump key.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 5:38 AM on January 28, 2011
And clever as the idea may seem, no thief would call a locksmith to gain entry into a place when they could either break a window or use a $5 bump key.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 5:38 AM on January 28, 2011
Response by poster: Thanks for all your responses, and quite a relief to know I won't have to carry around gas bills or bank statements to identify myself.
posted by moody cow at 9:44 PM on January 28, 2011
posted by moody cow at 9:44 PM on January 28, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
Avoid Stewarts Locksmiths!!
If it's the middle of the night / weekend then you usually have to pay a bit extra.
posted by jonathanstrange at 3:15 AM on January 28, 2011