Most people who find themselves locked out of their home, business or vehicle are quite happy for any available emergency locksmith to come to their rescue and sometimes this works out fine for the customer but occasionally it doesn't. This is the risk that everyone takes when choosing a local emergency locksmith for the first time.

When searching for a local locksmith on Google, Bing or by using your smartphone's built in search function you may come across the phrase "Non Destructive Entry" and wonder what exactly it means and why certain locksmiths use the term in ads and website content and some don't

Firstly we need to know what non destructive entry is. It sounds straightforward right? Entry without destroying anything by the use of manual lock picks or specialised lock picking tools, but the problem is that some locksmiths don't offer this service and go straight for the drill and proceed to drill out your lock which can be costly for you, the customer, not just because of the need to replace the lock but because some locksmiths actually charge an extra fee if your lock needs drilling even when they gave you no other choice.

The process however should be as follows... When the locksmith arrives at a lock out situation they should always begin by investigating ways to get you back inside your property or vehicle without damaging anything and allowing you to retain the use of your original keys. However, the locksmith will need to have been professionally trained in these techniques and will have to have attended an in-depth locksmith training course.

Because the locksmith industry has no regulation you'll find a number of locksmiths touting for lock out work who have either been on private 3 day crash courses or had no formal training at all and these are the locksmiths who will immediately reach for their drill to drill out the lock because they really don't know of any other way to open your door.

The reason some locksmiths user the term "non destructive entry" in their ads and their websites content is to let customers know they are professionally trained and have the skills required to do this, however, most of people outside of the locksmith industry simply do not know the relevance of this term so continue to book unskilled, amateur locksmiths.

 

When Should a Skilled Locksmith Reach For Their Drill?

Not all jobs can be approached in this non destructive manner which is why many skilled locksmiths use the wording "Non destructive entry if possible" because sometimes drilling out the old lock and replacing it with a brand new one really is the only solution, particularly if the original lock is very old, not very secure or not fit for purpose.

However, drilling a lock is also a skill and a professional should be able to do this without additional damage to other parts of the lock, the door and/or the frame and no customer should be asked to pay extra for an unnecessary new lock or damage made to their door because of an unskilled locksmith.

Customers need do their own research and find a local locksmith with good customer reviews and the right skills for the job and since the launch of the official Ofqual locksmith training courses back in 2019 this has become a little easier and any locksmith who has this qualification is guaranteed to have the required skills, why? Unlike the private 3/5 day crash courses, which are in fact still around, the official Ofqual regulated locksmith diplomas take several months to complete and are the most advanced academic and vocational courses within the field of locksmithing and non destructive entry is in the syllabus.