Top 5 Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring a Locksmith

Most Melbournians hire a locksmith in a hurry, locked out, dealing with a break-in, or moving into a new home and wanting the locks changed ASAP. That urgency is exactly when mistakes happen, because a stressed customer is far more likely to take the first locksmith that answers the phone without asking the questions that matter.

The overwhelming majority of locksmiths in Melbourne are skilled, honest tradespeople who just want to get you back inside and on with your day. But the trade does attract a small number of bad actors, and a little knowledge protects you from them. Here are the five mistakes we see customers make most often, and how to avoid each one.

The five mistakes, at a glance:

• Not checking qualifications and accreditation.
• Not getting a clear price in writing up front.
• Ignoring reputation and track record.
• Not confirming the locksmith is insured.
• Choosing on price alone.

1. Not checking qualifications and accreditation

The most common mistake is assuming that anyone who turns up with a van and a drill is a trained locksmith. They might not be. A qualified locksmith in Australia has typically completed an apprenticeship and holds a Certificate III in Locksmithing, and many belong to the Master Locksmiths Association of Australasia (MLAA), membership of which involves police checks, insurance and a code of ethics.

Licensing is worth understanding too, because it has changed. Victoria significantly reformed its private security licensing from 2025, with new rules phased in through to mid-2026, and the framework is still settling (you can see the current position via Victoria Police). Because licence status varies and shifts, the most reliable thing you can do is check for verifiable qualifications and MLAA membership before the locksmith starts work on your property. A good locksmith won’t mind the question.

👉 Are All Locksmiths Licensed in Victoria?

2. Not getting a clear price in writing up front

There are plenty of stories online of a call-out locksmith quoting one figure on the phone, then presenting a far larger bill once the work is done and the customer feels they have no choice but to pay. Don’t put yourself in that position.

Always ask for a price estimate in writing before any work begins, and make sure it covers the call-out fee, the labour, and any after-hours or weekend surcharge. A trustworthy locksmith will happily give you that clarity, because transparent pricing is part of doing the job properly.

👉 How Much Does a Locksmith Cost in Melbourne?
👉 Do Locksmiths Charge Call-Out Fees in Melbourne?

3. Assuming the locksmith is local when they’re not

Not every “Melbourne locksmith” you find online is actually in Melbourne, or even a locksmith.

One of the most common traps is the call-centre operation: a flood of cheap online listings, often advertising a headline rate like $29, that route your call to a national or overseas call centre rather than to a local tradesperson. The centre dispatches whoever is nearest, frequently someone unqualified, in an unmarked car, who then bumps the price up steeply once they are at your door and you are already locked out. The advertised price is the bait, and the real bill can run into the hundreds or thousands. Consumer Affairs Victoria and the ACCC’s Scamwatch field these complaints regularly.

The protection is to make sure you are dealing with a genuine local locksmith, not a faceless dispatcher.

Before you book, check that you can speak to the actual locksmith or someone who clearly knows the area, that they have a real local service area and phone number, that they will give you a price range over the phone, and that they arrive in a marked vehicle and can identify themselves.

A suspiciously low “and up” headline price, a call-taker who will not share any detail, and a reluctance to quote are the classic warning signs.

4. Not confirming the locksmith is insured

Opening a stuck lock or forcing entry after a break-in occasionally carries a risk of damage to the door or surrounding hardware. If something does go wrong and your locksmith isn’t insured, the cost can land on you.

Confirm the locksmith carries public liability insurance before they start. This is often a non-issue with MLAA members, since cover is part of membership, but it’s always worth a quick question. For context, a skilled locksmith usually opens locks with little or no damage in the first place:

👉 How Locksmiths Open Locks Without Damaging Them

5. Choosing on price alone

If a quote looks and sounds too good to be true, it usually is. A suspiciously low headline price is one of the oldest tricks in the trade: it gets the locksmith to your door, and the final bill bears little resemblance to the figure that won your booking.

The cheapest option can also be an unqualified one, which is a false economy when your home’s security is on the line.

Weigh the whole package, qualifications, insurance, a clear quote and a solid reputation, not just the dollar figure. Knowing the typical cost of a locksmith in Melbourne gives you a baseline to judge a quote against, so you can spot both the rip-offs and the too-good-to-be-true bait.

Your quick pre-hire checklist

Before you commit, run through this. A good locksmith will pass it comfortably.

Before you book	What to ask	A good sign
Qualifications	“Are you qualified, and are you an MLAA member?”	A clear yes, and no hesitation about showing credentials
Price	“What’s the call-out fee and total estimate, in writing?”	A written estimate provided before work starts
Reputation	“How long have you worked in this area?”	An established local track record and references on request
Insurance	“Do you carry public liability insurance?”	Cover confirmed, often automatic for MLAA members
Value	“What exactly does the quote include?”	A fair, itemised quote rather than a too-good-to-be-true price

Hiring a locksmith in Kew or greater Melbourne

Hiring a locksmith doesn’t have to be a gamble. A few questions about qualifications, pricing, reputation and insurance will tell you almost everything you need to know, and a good locksmith will welcome every one of them.

VicLocks works across Kew and greater Melbourne, with transparent pricing, professional service and straightforward answers to exactly these questions, whether you need an emergency lockout, a rekey, or a full security upgrade.

👉 Emergency Locksmith in Kew
👉 Residential Security Services

Contact VicLocks today or call 0418 397 297, and ask us anything from this list before you book.

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