In short:
- If a child, an elderly person or a pet is shut inside, or a stove is on, treat it as an emergency and say so when you phone.
- Check the doors you're allowed to use before calling anyone, but never climb, force burglar bars or break glass.
- Phone the estate guardhouse early so a locksmith isn't stuck at the boom while you wait at your door.
- Have proof that you live there. If your ID and papers are inside, tell us when you call.
- We try non-destructive entry first, and the technician quotes on site before any work starts.
Start with what's on the other side of the door
Most estate lockouts are an inconvenience: the door pulled shut behind you, keys on the kitchen counter, a security gate locked from habit. A few are urgent. Before you work out who to phone, think about what's inside.
- A small child, an elderly parent or someone unwell on their own inside. Phone us and say so straight away. If they're in danger or distress, phone SAPS on 10111, or 112 from a cellphone, as well.
- A pot on the stove, a bath running or a heater on. Tell estate security too; they may be able to help with the risk while you wait.
- A pet in a hot room or a dog that will get agitated at strangers at the door.
- Medication you need soon, such as insulin or an inhaler.
None of these change what we do at the door, but they change how we prioritise the job, so mention them at the start of the call. We're open 24/7, so the time of day doesn't matter.
Doors you can try, and things you shouldn't
Walk around your home once and check every opening you would normally use. Look and try handles; don't force anything.
| Check | Why it's worth a look |
|---|---|
| Back or kitchen door, and any patio slider | A second door is often left on the latch while the front is deadlocked |
| Garage, if you have the remote on you | The garage may open even when the interleading door into the house is locked, which at least gives you shelter and your car |
| Who else holds a key | A partner, an adult child, a domestic worker or a relative may be quicker than any locksmith |
| Which locks are actually locked | A door on the latch only, or a security gate shut but not locked, is useful information for the technician |
Don't climb onto roofs, walls or balconies, and don't bend burglar bars or break a window to get in. Estate guards and neighbours may not know it's your home, and the damage usually costs far more than the lockout. Forcing a key that won't turn can also snap it; if that has already happened, read our guide to a broken key stuck in the lock.
Getting a locksmith past the guardhouse
Security estates control who comes in, and that's exactly why you live there. The catch is that a locksmith can't help you from outside the boom. Every estate sets its own visitor and contractor rules, so the quickest route is to ask your guardhouse directly what they need.
When you phone the guardhouse, give them:
- your name and your house, unit or stand number;
- the name Mobile Locksmith Boksburg, and that a locksmith is coming to your door;
- a cellphone number where they can reach you.
Some estates want the resident to approve the visitor through an app or a call; others ask contractors for ID or vehicle details at the gate. If you're already standing at your front door, keep your phone in your hand so the guard can reach you. If it's simpler, meet the technician at the gate and walk in together.
For example, around Atlas Road in Parkhaven, estates such as La Como are advertised with a manned guard house and security gates, so plan for a stop at the gate. Our page for a locksmith in Parkhaven and La Como Estate covers that part of Boksburg.
Proving you live there
Before opening any door, our technician asks for proof of ownership or residence. It protects you: a locksmith who opens a house for anyone who asks would open yours just as readily.
In an estate this can be awkward, because the documents that prove your address are usually inside. Things that help:
- your ID, together with something that links you to the address, such as a lease, a municipal account, a levy statement or a bank statement;
- a photo or PDF of one of those documents on your phone or in your email;
- an owner or landlord who can confirm you live there, if you rent.
If everything is locked inside, tell us when you phone. The technician will explain what they need before they start, so there are no surprises at the door.
What happens once we're at your door
A mobile locksmith works from the vehicle at your home, so there's no shop to visit and nothing to drop off. The R250 call-out fee. brings the technician to you.
The technician looks at the locks first. A front door that has only latched behind you is a different job from a deadlocked door with a locked security gate in front of it. Non-destructive entry is always tried first. If a lock can't be opened without damage, you'll hear why, what it would take to make the door secure again, and what that costs, before anything is touched. The technician assesses the job on site and gives you the price before any work starts. Nothing is done until you agree.
Payment is by EFT, cash or card. Our emergency lockout service page explains the wider service for homes, offices and cars.
If the keys are lost, not just locked inside
Keys sitting on the hall table are one thing. Keys lost at a shop or a sports field, or taken in a bag snatching, are another, especially if your estate tag, remote or anything with your address was on the same ring.
- Ask estate security or the managing agent to cancel the lost tag, card or remote.
- Consider replacing the cylinders or locks on your outside doors, starting with the door the lost key opens.
- Have your alarm company change any code that was written down with the keys.
We don't do key cutting or make copies. A new lock or cylinder comes with its own keys from the manufacturer, so you know exactly how many exist. Our residential locksmith page covers lock changes at homes, and securing your home before going away has more on looking after keys.
If your estate is a sectional title scheme, the conduct rules generally say changes to the outside appearance of your unit need the trustees' written consent unless they're minor. Swapping a damaged lock for a similar one is rarely an issue; a new security gate may be. If a disagreement with an estate or body corporate can't be settled, the Community Schemes Ombud Service (CSOS) deals with disputes in community schemes.
What to tell us when you phone
A clear picture on the first call saves time at the gate and at the door. If you can, send it on WhatsApp with photos.
| Detail | Example |
|---|---|
| Estate name and gate | Which entrance the guardhouse is at, if there's more than one |
| House, unit or stand number | As the guards will know it |
| Which doors are locked | Front door deadlocked, security gate locked, back door on the latch |
| Who is inside, if anyone | Toddler asleep, dog in the kitchen |
| Where your proof is | ID with you, lease inside, landlord on the phone |
| Photos | The lock from outside, and any security gate in front of it |
For anything else around Boksburg, start at our mobile locksmith in Boksburg homepage. If you want to understand the call-out fee and on-site quote before you phone, see what a mobile locksmith costs in Boksburg.
Questions
Can the guards let the locksmith open my house if I'm not home?
No. We ask for proof of ownership or residence before opening any door, so you, or someone with authority over the home, needs to be there. Guards can help with the gate, but they can't vouch for who lives behind a particular door.
Will you have to drill or break my lock?
Not if it can be avoided. Non-destructive entry is tried first. If it doesn't work on your lock, the technician explains why and quotes for the alternatives, including what's needed to lock up properly afterwards, before doing anything.
I rent my home in the estate. Can I still call you?
Yes. Bring your lease or other proof that you live there. If a lock has to be replaced, let your landlord or agent know, since the locks are usually part of what they provide.
Need a locksmith to look at it?
If this hasn't solved the problem, our emergency lockouts service covers it. We're a mobile locksmith in Boksburg, so we come to your door. Areas where this comes up often include Parkhaven & La Como Estate.
Sources and further reading
- Pam Golding Properties: security estate home to let, La Como Lifestyle Estate, Parkhaven, Boksburg — La Como Lifestyle Estate in Parkhaven, Boksburg, is advertised with 24-hour manned security, a guard house and security gates.
- EWN: 10111, 112 or 107: what number should you call in an emergency? — 10111 connects callers to SAPS; 112 can be dialled from a cellphone in an emergency.
- Sectional Titles Schemes Management Regulations, Annexure 2, rule 5: Appearance of section and exclusive use area — Trustees' written consent is needed for changes to the external appearance of a section unless minor.
- Community Schemes Ombud Service (CSOS) — CSOS regulates community schemes and offers dispute resolution to bodies corporate, homeowners' associations and their members.