6 Important Tips On Avoiding Locksmith Scams

Singapore is a busy metropolis in which there are millions of homes where both the husband and wife leave in the morning and go out to work and the children, if any, are also check out in the morning and leave for their respective educational institutions. Thus, for a good part of the day the house is left unoccupied and unattended. How can they be sure that their possessions at home are safe and secure till they return in the evening. Singapore is also a city of expats; many of the expats travel to their native countries for several weeks every year leaving their homes unoccupied for long stretches of time. For all of them, mere clicking the front door shut when exiting is not an adequate guarantee of security for their homes.

The security of your home lies not in the quality of the front door alone; a critical aspect is the quality of the lock on the front door.
Statistics drawn from questioning of burglars and break-in thieves have revealed that they prefer to break into a home through a door because it is quick and easy. It is further revealed that they select their targets after looking at the quality of the lock on the front door. Door locks that can be picked or poorly fitted door locks or door locks that can be drilled out or door locks that are a poor choice for the type of door fitted are prime targets for these burglars and thieves. A conclusion that can therefore be drawn from the above is that using an experienced, qualified and trustworthy locksmith is the key to keeping your front door free of undesirable intrusions.

What are the qualities that a home-owner should look for in a locksmith before selecting him to work on his doors and windows?

#1. Employ Professionally Trained Locksmith
Since there aren’t any trade-specific licensing that is mandatory to practice as a locksmith, one should at least look for one who has been educated and trained in the trade. The courses are available in Singapore; these are of several months of duration and require tests and examinations to be passed to finally qualify as a locksmith. Therefore one can assume it will not attract a get-rich-quick dishonest person but only those who wish to practice this trade professionally, honestly and build a reputation over a life-time.

#2. Employ the Locally Available Locksmith
Employ a locksmith who is nearest to your home, instead of hiring one from the other end of the City. Check his identity. The locksmith near your home will be fully aware of the security conditions in your locality and be conscious of the level of safety required for securing your house. Local locksmith will also be aware of the kind of house-breaking that may have been occurring in the neighbourhood since it is most likely he would have been subsequently called in to fix a new lock! Another advantage of hiring locally, he is easy to call in for any emergency service or repairs to the lock.

#3. Follow your Locksmith’s Advice
Employing trained locksmith means that he brings with him a wealth of experience about the kind of lock that is most suitable for the type of door fitted in the house. For example, a properly locksmith will advice you that handle-sets (instead of knobs or levers) for front doors provide a high level of security because it involves the use of a deadbolt in its construction. A wide variety of styles of such hand-set locks are available in the market but without ever sacrificing security for the sake of style, he will help you select the right one to complement the door’s decor.

#4. Locksmith Must Provide Third Party References
Another tip is to look for third party approval in choosing a locksmith. Word of mouth is a trusted way to avoid selecting a poor tradesperson. Consult your friends in the neighbourhood for a recommendation of a good locksmith. You can even ask the local locksmith to provide some references.

#5. Locksmith Must Have Product-Awareness
A modern method of keeping house secure is the use of locks with key control. Do you for example know how many copies exist of the keys to your front door lock? How do you eliminate the existence of rogue keys? Your locksmith must be aware of new products and advice you on their utility. Key Control means that the number of keys to the lock is under control. Nowadays manufacturers are making locks with keys that cannot be copied except by certain highly trustworthy locksmith or by the manufacturer themselves. In the event that the locksmith fitting your front door lock is an untrustworthy one, there is no chance that while working he can make a duplicate key to share with ill-intentioned acquaintances outside. Making an extra key for such a lock requires a specific request to the manufacturer. The security benefits surely outweigh the additional cost and inconvenience.

#6. Check the cost of services
It is good to know early about how much to pay your locksmith. Locksmiths do not only fit new locks, service and repair locks but they also open locks when you have been locked out or locked in. Losing a key or a jammed lock is no doubt an emergency but you need not have to pay for it through your nose. Therefore, at the first instance, you should ask the locksmith the cost for the services he is being asked to render. There will usually be a minimum charge for his house call plus a cost depending on the degree of difficulty in carrying out the task. All said and done, it always less hurtful if the costs are known in advance.

All said and done, home and car owners who use the services of locksmiths, specially for unlocking doors when keys are lost or opening doors whose locks have jammed, should appreciate that this is a highly-skilled trade and not all can be expected to have a knack for this. It uses up a lot of brain muscles and very little of the physical ones. Sitting still for a long time to pick a lock is an art and does not come easily to everybody.