Incompetent Locksmith and Overcharged - Avoid
Quoted £214, charged £400.80 – avoid
I was locked out and found this company through a Google listing. On the phone I was quoted £75 per door.
The technician couldn't open either door without damage, including the front door, which has a standard Yale night latch. He drilled the back door lock and quoted £120 for the lock, £49 labour and £45 call-out, a total of £214. I agreed to that.
When the work was done, the bill was £400.80. He added a £120 "drilling" fee that was never mentioned before he drilled, and then VAT on top, which was also never mentioned. I was in a rush to get to work and had to pay by contactless.
I've asked for a refund of the overcharge in writing and reported the matter to my bank.
Check carefully before calling anyone from an online listing. Get a full price including VAT confirmed before any work starts, and if you can, use an MLA-approved locksmith.