Keys on the seat, in the boot or in the ignition with the doors locked? We'll get you back in without a mark on the car, and we typically reach you within 45 minutes to an hour of your call.
Let’s talk keys
Send your details and we’ll get back to you about your keys. For anything urgent, call us.
Safety first
Typically 45–60 minutes to reach you • Car unlock service from £95 • Non-destructive entry • Cars, vans and keyless vehicles
If a child or a pet is shut inside, especially on a warm day, ring 999 straight away. That comes before anything else.
Otherwise, walk round the car and try every door and the boot: one is sometimes still unlocked. If there's a spare at home and someone can bring it quickly, that may be the cheapest fix of all. If not, leave the coat hanger alone and give us a call.
Response time
We typically reach you within 45 minutes to an hour, and locked keys in car jobs go to the front of the queue. Once we're there, most cars are open within minutes, and the price starts from £95.
Our patch takes in Southampton, Portsmouth and Eastleigh, plus Winchester, Fareham and the New Forest, Monday to Friday until 10pm and 10am to 6pm at weekends. Tell us exactly where the car is, and we'll give you an arrival time on the call.
How it happens
Lockouts happen in a handful of ways, and where the key ends up affects how we get to it.
The classic. You unlock the car, get distracted, and many modern cars quietly relock themselves if no door is opened within a short time. Or the key's left in the ignition while you step out and the door shuts behind you.
Keys put down on top of the bags, then the boot lid closes on them. Keys locked in boot spaces can be more involved to reach, because many boots only open electronically, and we cover that further down.
Keyless cars are meant to stop you locking the key in, but a weak fob battery, or a fob sitting next to a phone or laptop, can mean the car doesn't sense it and locks anyway.
It happens more than you'd think, particularly with keyless cars and on frosty mornings when the car's left warming up. Tell us when you call, because a running engine changes how urgent the job is.
How we open it
Every make builds its doors and locking differently, so the job starts with working out exactly what we're dealing with, then choosing the gentlest way in.
We confirm the make, model and year, then how the car is locked. If deadlocks are set, the inside handles and buttons are switched off, which rules out some approaches and makes others the right choice.
Car door unlocking is done with purpose-made tools that operate the car's locking the way it was designed to work, with the paintwork, seals and glass protected throughout. Nothing is levered, bent or broken, and the door frame is never wedged open.
Many boots have no key barrel and only release when the car is unlocked. On some cars, getting into the cabin lets us pop the boot; on others the route is less direct. Either way, the aim is the same: reach the keys without forcing anything.
Once you're back in, we try your key on the locks, the central locking and the alarm, so you know the car behaves exactly as it did before the door shut.
Pricing
Our car unlock service starts from £95. The final price depends on the car, how it's locked and where the keys are, and it's agreed by phone before we travel.
A standard door lockout is the usual job. A deadlocked premium car or a keys-in-the-boot situation can take longer, and if it costs more, we'll say so first. Every price is given before anything is taken apart; if one symptom could be more than one fault, you hear each possible price on the phone first, then we confirm at the vehicle.
Your options
There are three ways back into a locked car, and they don't carry the same risks.
Some breakdown policies include help with lockouts, so it's worth checking yours. Waiting times vary with how busy they are. If you'd rather not wait, or your cover doesn't include it, we'll give you an arrival time and a price straight away.
A coat hanger or a wedge in the door frame can bend the frame, tear the seal and scratch the paint, and inside the door there's wiring for the windows and central locking that's easy to damage. The repair bill is usually bigger than a professional unlock would have been.
Vehicles we open
We open most cars and vans, from older models with a simple lock to keyless premium cars with deadlocking.
That covers Ford, Vauxhall, Volkswagen, BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota and most others, plus trade vans like the Transit, Vivaro and Transporter, whether the keys are in the cab or the load area.
FAQ
Yes. Car door unlocking is done with specialist tools built for the job, so the door, glass, seals and paintwork are left exactly as they were. We check the locks, central locking and alarm before leaving, so you can be sure everything works as normal.
Usually, yes. Keys locked in boot spaces can take a little longer, because many boots only release electronically once the car is unlocked. We assess the car's layout first and pick the least intrusive way to reach the keys, without forcing the boot lid, doors or trim.
Most cars are open within a few minutes of us arriving. Deadlocked cars, some premium models and boot lockouts can take longer. Getting to you typically takes 45 minutes to an hour, and we'll give you a more exact time on the call based on where we are.
Call us and tell us the engine's running, because that moves you up the queue. Keep an eye on the car, don't try to force a window, and if anyone is inside who can't get out, ring 999 first. We'll open it without damage, and your key will work normally afterwards.
Yes. Before or straight after we open it, we'll ask for photo ID that matches the registered keeper, the V5C, or documents inside the car that show it's yours. It protects you as much as anyone, because it stops cars being opened for people who have no right to them.
From £95. The final price depends on the car and how it's locked, and we confirm it on the phone before setting off. Every price is given before anything is taken apart; if one symptom could be more than one fault, you hear each possible price on the phone first, then we confirm at the vehicle.
Something else?
If the keys aren't in the car and can't be found, you need car key replacement. If the remote has stopped unlocking the car, see car key programming. For a backup key so this never happens again, see spare car keys.
From the van
February 2025Alfa Romeo MiTo
Replacement flip key on a Alfa Romeo MiTo for a customer in Netley & Hamble, done on site from the SmartTech mobile workshop. The new key was cut to code and programmed to the vehicle, then the locks, remote and start were tested before we left.
Netley & Hamble
April 2026Volkswagen Passat
Key fob repaired on a Volkswagen Passat for a customer in Locks Heath & Warsash, done on site from the SmartTech mobile workshop. The worn parts were sorted and the key tested in the locks and ignition before handover.
Locks Heath & Warsash
May 2026Audi A3
Ignition barrel and key on a Audi A3 for a customer in Southampton, done on site from the SmartTech mobile workshop. The faulty ignition was repaired on the driveway with no recovery truck needed, and the key was matched to the new lock.
Southampton
What customers say
"I cannot recommend Alec enough. My transit custom lock was not turning. I did not know Alec at this point and called another locksmith. To cut a long story short the other locksmith attempted a repair and then gave up, leaving me with a van I could no longer use. I called Alec who came out next day; he repaired the damage done by the other locksmith and custom made a replacement ignition barrel so one key still does the doors and the new ignition. I couldn't be more pleased. Price was very fair too!"
"Did the work at a 3rd of the price of the dealership and I'm sure to a higher quality, the work was quick and professional. Could not recommend more!"
"Absolutely spot on! After ringing about 15 different companies who said they couldn't help and one company even saying the series of my car doesn't exist I found smarttech who I contacted who could finally help! The next day he came out and I now have access and a new key to my car! Fast and efficient polite service! Highly recommend!!"
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