Lock Picking & Non-Destructive Entry

There is a reason a lot of lock-out call-outs end with a drill: it is fast, it needs very little skill, and it guarantees the locksmith a lock sale on top of the call-out. The customer pays for a cylinder they did not need.

Picking, raking, bypassing and manipulating a lock open takes more time and more practice, and it leaves you with the lock you already own, working as it did before. On the overwhelming majority of domestic and commercial doors, that is what should happen.

What non-destructive entry covers

Picking and raking euro, rim and mortice cylinders
Letterbox and under-door bypass where the door furniture allows it
Latch slipping on a nightlatch that has not been deadlocked
Mortice lock manipulation: curtain picking lever locks rather than drilling the case
UPVC multipoint manipulation where the gearbox has partly failed
Padlock and shutter bypass on commercial units and containers

When drilling is genuinely the right call

We will not pretend it never happens. A lock that has already failed internally, a cylinder snapped during a break-in attempt, a high-security lock that would take an hour you do not have at two in the morning with a child inside. Those get drilled, and they should.

The difference is that you will be told before it happens, told what the replacement costs, and given the choice. A locksmith who reaches for the drill first and explains afterwards is doing it for their convenience, not yours.

Why it matters for insurance and tenancy

A door opened non-destructively has no damage to report, nothing for a landlord to deduct from a deposit, and no claim to make. For letting agents and managing agents doing access visits, that is the whole point. The tenant comes home to a door that works.

Questions we get asked about non-destructive entry

Is lock picking legal?

Carrying and using lock picks in the course of legitimate work is lawful. Using them to enter premises you have no right to enter is not, which is why any locksmith worth calling will ask you to prove the property is yours before opening it. We do.

Does picking a lock damage it?

No. A correctly picked lock works afterwards exactly as it did before. That is the entire point. Clumsy picking can scratch pins over many attempts, but a single entry does no meaningful harm.

Can every lock be picked open?

No. Some high-security cylinders are genuinely resistant, and a lock that has already failed mechanically cannot be picked because there is nothing left to manipulate. We will tell you quickly rather than charging you for an hour of trying.

Is non-destructive entry more expensive?

It is usually cheaper overall, because you are not buying a replacement lock on top of the call-out. The labour may take a little longer; the bill is normally smaller.

Emergency locksmith

Locked out, keys gone, or a lock that has simply given up. We open it, usually without damage, and make it secure before we leave.

Lock & key extraction

Key snapped in the lock, or a lock seized solid. Both come out, and the door does not have to come off with them.

Lock replacement

New tenancy, lost keys, a relationship ended, a break-in, or an insurer asking for a standard you do not have. All the same job, done properly.

Enquire about non-destructive entry

Free estimates. Tell us roughly what has happened and where you are, and we will come back to you with a price and a realistic date.

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We reply by email, usually the same working day. We will only use your details to answer this enquiry. See our privacy notice. In a genuine emergency, call 07538 094345.

Lock picking and non-destructive entry