Irish householders warned over dodgy locksmiths after number of incidents

Irish households have been issued a warning over dodgy locksmiths who often quote low prices before changing to a high price once they're at your house.

The warning comes from the Private Security Authority which is part of the Department of Justice.

A statement from the PSA stressed: “Members of the public should exercise extreme care when selecting a locksmith to call to their home or business.

“This is especially important if searching online for a reputable locksmith, and the exercise of caution is even more important in an emergency situation.”

“It is a common tactic of unlicensed locksmiths to quote a low price and then drastically increase the price once they arrive at the customer's location.

“They often use generic terms such as 'competitive price' and '24-hour emergency' to trick people into thinking they are a reputable company.

“Unlicensed locksmiths often use tools and techniques that cause damage and charge multiples of the quoted price when in your house.”

The PSA warned people specifically not to use www.locksmith24h-7.info to hire a locksmith as they don’t have a licence to operate in Ireland.

The agency reminded people to check the PSA register of licence holders when seeking a locksmith in their area.