Burglaries…What can YOU do?

I cannot stress how important it is to do whatever you can to protect your home.

Although Norfolk is quite low on the burglary scale against the rest of the UK, we still have home intruders and they still go for easy targets. The most recent burglary I attended was a case where an insurance standard lock was not fitted on the door through which they gained entry. The alarm was not switched on, and the door through which the intruders entered was dark and secluded. All ideal circumstances for a burglar. The thieves made off with jewellery, ignoring the laptop computers on their way to the bedroom. Whilst it would have been a pain waiting for insurance to replace computers, the family heirlooms amongst the jewellery can never be replaced.

So here again, are the things you should be looking for when making sure you are as safe as you can be and also covered by most insurers.

If you have a upvc door, the locking barrel should have a kite mark on it. Regardless of the number of hooks and bolts and rollers the door has, this is the weak spot and I can guarantee most people reading this will have the basic barrels that are easy to bypass for those who know how, which unfortunately includes the burglars. Even among the kite marked barrels there are varying degrees of safety and we welcome all enquires along with free security checks.

If you have a wooden door with a ‘Yale’ type lock only, then this must also display a kite mark. You will usually see this on the part that is on the front edge of the door and therefore you will have to open the door to see it. These usually also have a chunky part around the keyhole to resist attack. The official name for these is an Automatic Deadlocking Nightlatch. If you only have a basic nightlatch and no other lock on your door, then you are asking for trouble as bypassing the standard nightlatch often takes less than a minute with no major tools.

The other locks found on wooden doors are mortice locks, often called “Chubb” locks. These are the ones that sit inside the door itself. Many people read in their insurance about 5 lever locks and confuse this with the upvc multi-point locking systems. The five levers are actually inside the mortice lock. You can get 2 lever locks, suitable for bathrooms, etc, 3 lever locks suitable for internal doors and then 5 lever mortice locks for final exit doors. If you have a 3 lever lock on your outer door, it will be vulnerable in many ways. They are easy to pick. They are easy to drill. The bolt does not come out as far as a 5 lever lock and they are therefore easier to lever open. The supplied keeps are never as robust either. Kite marked British Standard 5 lever mortice locks are designed to be difficult to pick. They have anti-drill plates. The bolts extend further and are protected against hacksaws and the keeps are strong with long screws to help ensure against being levered open.

If you have any doors in dark areas, invest in a powerful sensor light, and dummy CCTV cameras are a great deterrent. But a real CCTV system can be tailored to most budgets and burglar alarms can now send a message straight to your mobile phone alerting you to a break in, allowing you to be aware instantly that someone has triggered it. Even if you have pets that roam free, modern alarms can be set so that animals do not trigger them, while larger humans do.

Finally, many say to me that if a burglar wants to get into your house, then he will and unfortunately this is true. But he also wants to be able to get out fast without cutting himself on broken glass, so a solid lock on your door is still the best deterrent.

 

admin December 23, 2013

insurance standards / kite marked /

Staying Safe and Secure.

Almost half of all vehicle thefts are carried out by criminals who have gained access to the victim’s keys. This can either be by the keys being lifted from the owner’s person, e.g. pockets or picked, or handbags stolen, or from the owner’s home. I am constantly finding homes where keys are left on the inside of the front door or placed on a unit near to the front door. With telescopic magnets now easily available, these are very easy for thieves to get at and steal your car from outside your house.
I know it is very convenient to have your keys to hand as you leave the house, but please put them in a draw, or have some sort of barrier that hides them from any line of sight through your letterbox. (Not forgetting that a small mirror can be used to see anything to the sides.)
This does not just apply to the cars either; If a would-be burglar can see your keys on the inside of your door, he can get them and gain entry – thus making even the best of locks worthless. I have used this method several times when people have locked themselves out, I may be a professional locksmith but if I can do this then others can too! It is just too easy for those with a bit of knowledge or determination to do.

When you are out, there are some other ways to protect yourself. The busy shopping period is now in full swing and crowded shopping centres are a haven for light fingered pick-pockets and bag snatchers so here are some useful tips:

  • Put your wallet in a different pocket to your usual one – the different feel will hopefully alert you if someone tries to take it.
  • A karabiner style keyring that screws up, attached to your belt loop, will make keys harder to snatch. You can attach this via a cord to your keys in your pocket.
  • Only take what you really need in your handbag – address books and personal information should be left at home, if possible. If you lose your bag with keys and your home information you will have to change your locks.
  • Check wallets and purses for sensitive information. Is your credit card pin number hidden inside the same wallet as your card?
  • Keep cards and cash in separate pockets and wallets – this way if one gets stolen you still have the other for emergency use.
  • Look around and behind you before entering your pin into any terminal. Take the time to see if anyone is interested in what you are typing.
  • Keep a tight hold on the strap of your bag, or if you are carrying lots of bags of shopping, put your handbag into one of the shopping bags so it is not easy to snatch from your shoulder.
  • If you have a personal alarm, don’t carry it in the depths of your handbag. Make sure it is in easy quick reach so that you may get to it quickly should you need it.
  • Regularly check your pockets for your valuables. Pat your pockets, etc.
  • It’s great to look nice when you are out, but is it worth advertising your personal wealth and making you a target? Make regular trips to lock away your shopping in your car so you are not carrying too much. A laden, smart dressed shopper is a more obvious target.
  • If you leave stuff in your car, make sure it is hidden in the boot and that you have a parcel shelf (if you have an estate or hatch back).
  • Show your car is well protected by investing in bright coloured steering locks, etc that can be seen from a distance and stop the opportunist singling out your vehicle.
  • Be wary of groups milling around or anyone looking remotely suspicious.

There are also ways to look after your personal safety as the party season gets into full swing.

  • Don’t make yourself a target by going off on your own.
  • If you do have to go home alone, keep to lighted areas even if it means an extra ten minutes to your route.
  • Make a mental note of where to find places with more people. If you feel you are being followed, the nearest late night take away might be a safe haven until the danger has passed.
  • Always keep enough money back for a cab.
  • Only use licensed cabs.
  • If your friends have a tendency to go off with others and leave you alone then ditch them and find friends who are not so selfish as to leave you vulnerable.
  • If it’s your young adults that are out then try be understanding. Better you get out of bed at 4.00am to pick them up and know they are safe, than get up at 6.00am to find the police at your door.  
  • If for any reason you are being attacked, try and get an object like a car between you and your attacker, so you can see them and whichever way they go, you can just circle the car to get away.
  • In the worst case scenario, shout “Fire!” repeatedly. People are more likely to look out of their windows if there is a chance of personal danger.

 

There are obviously many more tips on staying safe personally but using common sense is your best ally. It would be great to live in a completely safe world but by using common sense, we become less of a target. Although no-one should ever blame themselves for what has happened to them, almost every victim can say: “If only I had not done this….” or “If only I had done…” and those sentences usually finish with something very basic and sensible.

Be safe this winter and thanks for reading

admin December 2, 2013

keys / locksmiths / Safety /

Save money when searching for a local tradesperson

Regular readers of my blog will know by now that AC Locksmiths Norfolk wants to spare as many people as possible from wasting money on National Companies, not just in the locksmithing trade, but others as well such as plumbing, electrical, etc.   I am not going to say that the National Companies have not been a help to me, because I would not have survived without sub-contract work and it continues to help pay the bills. This is the first reason I still do it. The second is that by sub-contracting out, my vehicle is also seen more – which generates my own private business. While I never give out my own cards whilst doing work for other companies, (this would breach my contract with them) hopefully the signage on my vehicle is seen by neighbours who might use me direct in the future.

All the above being said, it pains me to turn up at properties and have to charge the customers nearly double the amount I would be asking for if it were my own work.

So why do these large, nationwide companies need to charge so much?

Firstly, between forty and fifty per cent of the cost is to pay the sub-contractor and materials used. They then have the costs of large adverts in local directories, payments to ensure they are at the top of internet search engines as well as local telephone number diversions so that they can make you believe they are actual local companies. They also then need teams of  telephone operators to take the calls from all over the country as well as their managers, IT specialists and of course their company directors. That is a lot of money to pay out before they even think of profits.

This all means that there are certain things these companies have to do to maximise their profits. There may be encouragement of more destructive entry methods that destroy the locks, thus meaning more profit in the mark-up of a new product. Some will charge labour twice if the engineer does not have the required products on board (- quite common when there are so many locking devices, especially for UPVC doors that are not easily inter-changeable.) Some will take your debit card details up front making you uneasy about shopping around. Some will give you an expected arrival time, with no idea where they are going to find a sub-contractor to do the actual work and then keep you hanging for up to two hours, before giving an excuse as to why the engineer could not make it. Then there is VAT. Because they have high cash turn overs, they have to charge VAT. That is an extra £20 on top of every £100 you spend. In most cases, you are paying nearly £100 just for the locksmith to be there and although there may be “no call out fee” as soon as the engineer touches your locking product he or she is into the “£ per hour or uncompleted part thereof” clause.

This means that for something simple like a broken window handle on a double glazed unit, the engineer may have to spend a few minutes securing the window in the shut position requiring one payment of nearly £100 including VAT. Unless you have the most basic of handles, he or she will have to go away and order another one. When he or she comes back, there will be another labour charge of nearly £100 plus the small cost of the new handle. It should take less than ten minutes. These labour rates are just weekday office hours as well. If you need someone in the evening, or at weekends or on bank holidays, i.e. when you are not at work, then the charges go up. So unless you want to lose money by taking time off work, you have to pay more to have the locksmith come to you at a convenient time. You can’t win. The national companies have to charge more to encourage their sub-contractors to work the so called unsociable hours, though.

When you see the reasons for the high costs, it all makes sense. After all, no-one creates a business without wanting to make a good profit and the larger the company, the more overheads there are and the more you need to do to make a profit. But for the customer, it is a large pay out. You are essentially paying a large company to contact a locksmith local to you who would do the work for him or herself at a fraction of the cost and he or she will still be better off than taking on that same job through the national company. And this is not just true of locksmiths. Other trades have national companies that use sub-contractors as well;- Glazers, plumbers and electricians amongst others can all use sub-contract workers, especially in the emergency work areas.

So what can you do to save on these extra costs. Well, the best way takes a bit of planning and a little time, but is well worth it. I have mentioned this in a previous blog, but it really works. Sit down and think about all the services you may ever need. Plumbers, carpenters, decorators, chimney sweeps, mechanics and all the others you can think of.  Look through the internet or local directories and find those tradesmen who are local. Ring them up and ask if they are genuinely local and if so, what their labour rates are, including VAT (you don’t want surprises). Write the information down somewhere safe. Do this until you have two or three for each trade (you never know your first choice may be unavailable when you need them). If you can, put these numbers in  your mobile phone. They may come in handy if you are with a friend or, in the case of a locksmith, you may lose your keys but still have your mobile phone.
You will also get a feel for the type of person you may be required to use in the future and notes are always good. For example, someone who is cagey about their labour rates may be the sort of person who makes it up as they go along and therefore only to be used if your other options fail. You might prefer a cheery tradesman to a grumpy one, or someone who is more willing to discuss what they do and how they do it. This is time consuming but well worth the effort if you need a tradesman in an emergency. This will also help you better know the range of services offered by your local trades people.
For example, I recently did a window handle change through a National Company. The customer did not know locksmiths did this and had requested a double glazing engineer. Luckily, the particular company worked both fields and was able to allocate the work to me.

If you do not want to go through the above process, then when you do need the tradesperson, ask at the beginning of the phone call if they are truly local. Will they sub-contract the job? Where exactly are they based? Can you talk to the actual person who is coming out to you? At the end of the day, if they are going to sub-contract the work, then the person they will use is available through direct contact and you should try another number and pay less for the same service. Small adverts in local directories are not cheap so ask yourself would a genuine local trader take out a huge advert in the yellow book, or is that likely to be a national company using a local number?

So, now you have read this, please feel free to copy and paste it and send it to all your friends and family. In times of austerity, we could all do with spending less for work we have done. Plus supporting your local businesses means boosting the local economy. Win Win!

If you have any further questions, please contact me through any of the methods on our contacts page. www.ac-locksmiths-norfolk.co.uk

 

 

 

 

 

admin November 21, 2013

Locksmiths norfolk /

Burglar Alarm Systems

After my last blog, I have had a re-education about alarm systems: – Modern technology has advanced alarm systems a huge amount. In my previous blog I referred to my experiences of alarms going off and being ignored, however, I came across an article for locksmiths discussing burglar alarms and security. In the article they looked at wireless alarm systems that were linked up to mobile phones, so that, should an alarm go off at your property whilst you are not there, you are notified immediately, and you, or a key holder, can investigate what is going on and deal with it accordingly. The alarm system, therefore does not rely on attracting the attention of those in the immediate vicinity, but on notifying the people with the vested interest in the property.

Alarm systems can be a great deterrent to the opportunist thief and it is only apathy of some of the general public that ever lets them down.  Whilst I can recall instances of times no-one has taken notice of the alarm, I cannot say how many times a potential burglar has looked at a property and upon seeing it has an alarm fitted, decided to try elsewhere, perhaps for an easier target.

So, whether it be the correct locks, alarm, CCTV, bright lights or any of our other security products, you can now rely on AC Locksmiths to put up the best defences against unwanted intruders to your home. Consultations are entirely free (although the cuppa is always graciously accepted) and there is never any hard sell.

Please see our contacts page to book an appointment.

admin October 26, 2013

Burglar Alarms Systems /

Updating your home security

With the summer quickly coming to an end, it is now time to double check your locks. Wooden doors that have dried out and contracted in the warm weather will now start to expand again as the rains and damp cold arrive. UPVC doors are just as susceptible to weather changes, but help is at hand. When your locks start getting stiff, it usually takes just a little adjustment to get them back in great working order again and AC Locksmiths will always try to get your current locks working before saying you need new locks. But locks need to be looked at when they are starting to get stiff, especially UPVC door mechanisms, as they have very small moving gears and cogs inside which can be broken when too much force is required to lift the handles.

As the nights are drawing in, life is also becoming easier for the opportunist thief. In a street full of houses with lights on, is yours the only one in darkness signalling no one is home? It might use up electricity, but lights on timers are a good idea. Neighbourhood Watch and alarm stickers are great deterrents in the summer as they can be seen from the road, but in the dark, the intruder needs to be close to see them, by which point he may just try his luck anyway. A big, bright motion detector light at the front and back of your house (also useful when returning late an you don’t want to get your keys out until you are at your door) may be an ideal deterrent.

I would like to say a burglar alarm is a good idea, but recent events have really turned me away from this idea. I was asked to gain entry to a shop by an estate agent as the out-going tenant had kindly left with all keys (lesson to landlords-make sure you always have a set of spares). As I went about my work, only one person challenged my credentials as a locksmith, my id was under my coat and my vehicle was out of sight, and that was for potential work! (I am rarely, if ever, challenged to produce my ID, which I always have to hand. I think the assumption is that an intruder would have to be pretty brave to break in to a shop in plain view of everyone, but you never know.)

As I bypassed the locks and entered the building, the burglar alarm went off. It made a horrific noise, but did not seem to arouse any interest from passers-by. I did not know the code and when I asked the estate agent via telephone, they also had no clue. So I fitted new locks with the siren blaring while the estate agent phoned the alarm provider. My work was soon finished but I waited at the shop, hopefully not looking too shifty, unaware that my I.D. was still tucked out of the way. Hardly a soul looked up at the blaring racket that was the alarm. Eventually the estate agent got back to me with news that left alone, the alarm would go off in twenty minutes as long as its motion sensors were not set off again.

This whole situation made me think – What if this was a house being burgled??

An ex-neighbours alarm seemed to go off almost every time they went out for the day or on holiday. I would always look out of my window (from which I could see a limited view of their drive) and then spend ages annoyed that the noise was distracting to whatever else I may be doing. I often thought I should go and check on their house, but after the first few times, I never did (in the days before I was a locksmith). None of the other neighbours emerged either. The point is, unless you have a system linked directly to a central control centre that will respond to your alarm, are they any use? Like all things, you get what you pay for.

But there is another solution – wireless CCTV.There doesn’t need to be holes drilled through your walls,they can record images day or night and store the recordings for days, rather than the few hours of earlier models. Or you can have an instant image or video sent to your mobile phone if the motion sensors are activated, allowing you to call for help (even from abroad) while the intruder is still in your house.

Another new innovation on the market is a door viewer, with a screen on the inside of the door giving a recordable image of the visitor. When you look through a standard viewer, the person on the outside can tell you are in as the light is blocked off when you put your eye to the door. This can be annoying if the visitor is someone you would rather not see. A digital viewer allows you to see who is on the outside without them knowing you are in. So while it is great for security, it also acts as a means of screening your visitors.

Should you wish to discuss any of the topics in this blog, please get in touch via any of the methods on our contacts page.

Thanks for reading

 

admin September 26, 2013

Home security /

Security Chains

 

Having recently read the local crime report, I see that distraction burglaries have started up again. This is where someone comes to your front door, with some excuse to keep you talking. They might be selling something, or posing as a charity worker, or one of many other things that can be used to keep your attention.

While they have you listening to them at the front door, their partner in crime is in the back looking for anything of value that can be stolen. This is a great time of year for it as many of us have our back doors wide open in the heat to allow cool air through the house. It’s almost too easy for them, especially as they prey more on the elderly and vulnerable.

Many people have security chains on their front doors so they can see either the face, or the credentials, of the person they might be potentially letting into their home, but how many of us put a chain on the back door as well?  It would take a second or two to ensure the security chain was on your back door (if you had one fitted), before going to see who your unannounced visitor was and if it was a hoax, then the potential back door burglar would not be able enter without making a huge racket and thus, alerting you to their presence.

Alternatively, you may be the sort of person who likes an afternoon nap in our current hot weather. A security chain on the back door allows you to still let the cooler air in and keeps the opportunist out.

 AC Locksmiths Norfolk can come and fit a security chain in less time than it takes to drink a cup of tea. (Although we always say “yes” when one is offered.)  We can also talk to you about all your security needs and help make sure the opportunist thief moves on elsewhere.  We will also be sympathetic to financial constraints and will endeavour to make recommendations with various options to suit all budgets. 

 Thanks for reading!

admin August 6, 2013

Crime prevention /

Locks and Insurance standards explained

Which lock?
While some of the following may sound obvious to some readers, I do still come across many instances where I am asked the questions I will answer here and hope that everyone finds at least some of it interesting.

Firstly, the three most common types of lock;-

  1. The Rim cylinder, often referred to a “Yale” type lock. This usually has a circular housing on the outside of the door, with a mechanism on the inside that is operated by a knob or lever, called a “nightlatch.”
  2. The mortice lock, often referred to as a “Chubb” lock. This lock is positioned into the door with a key hole on both sides. It can be just a key operation, in which case it is called a “mortice deadlock”, or it can have a latch as well, with door handles – In this case it is called a “mortice sash-lock.” The keys are usually cylindrical with a square piece on the end into which is cut the shape that will match the levers inside.
  3. The Euro-cylinder. This is found on upvc, composite (wood effect), aluminium and a very few wooden doors. The key is similar to the rim cylinder, the lock barrel is shaped as a circle with a rectangular piece coming down. There are oval versions of this but they are not common in Norfolk.

BSI and insurance standards.
If your door only has a rim cylinder and it is your door of final exit, then it must have a BSI kite mark to satisfy most insurers. This means it should have an automatic deadlocking system. You can identify this system by looking at the nightlatch. Where the latch part comes out, you will see a smaller spring loaded protrusion. As the door closes, this strikes the keep and makes the latch shoot out further and makes a barrier that stops burglars “slipping” the lock to gain entry. Often these also have a key hole on the inside to lock the nightlatch, making it impossible to open the door using the lever. This means that if a burglar breaks into your home through a window, they still cannot take large items out the front door. Finally, around the front of the key way on the outside of the door, a strong housing over the disc will deter drilling attempts.

If your door is protected by a mortice lock, then it must be a five lever mortice lock. You can get two and three lever mortice locks but these should only be used for internal doors and cupboards. A BSI kite marked five lever mortice lock will have certain features that are not obvious or even seen. Firstly, there is the anti-pick curtain. This sits just inside the hole where the key goes in. It stops standard lock-picking procedures. You will not see the anti-drill plate which is an extra piece of metal on both sides that protects the internal working parts from attack via drilling. Standard drill bits will blunt before getting through these. The bolt will be hacksaw protected by either internal rollers or a thick rubbery material that grips the saw blade. The keep that sits in the frame of the door, will be deep and fully metal. These locks are so strong, if the door is forced, the door, frame or both will normally split before the lock gives.

The Euro cylinder on upvc doors is the only lock that, so far, does not have to have a BSI kite mark to satisfy most insurance companies. When your insurance company asks if you have a five lever lock, they are NOT referring to upvc doors – this is a very common mistake. We believe every upvc door should have a kite marked euro cylinder as it has been shown several times that they are easy to attack in several ways. BBC West Yorkshire have shown it is possible to break in, with no power tools, in less than a minute, regardless of the amount of hooks, rollers and bolts on upvc or composite doors.
There are many ways to help ensure standard cylinders are harder to attack, but investing in a kite marked cylinder and more robust handles is, in our opinion, the best way to go. Sooner or later, the insurance companies are going to start calling for improved cylinders on upvc doors anyway, and at that point, the cost is likely to go up.

Many people are unaware that upstairs windows require locks by most insurance companies as well. These are often cheap and easy to fit, but it is always worth an assessment by a locksmith to make sure you have the best, or even to see if there are any locking designs that are more aesthetically pleasing than the bulk standard held in DIY stores.

Also, many people do not realise that most good locksmiths will also be willing to fit security lights and alarm systems. With wireless technology, these are now getting just as easy to fit yourself, but again, for more in depth security, a locksmith or alarm specialist should be consulted.

Should you have any questions about your particular locks, home security or anything in our blogs, please do not hesitate to contact us via the contacts page, or, by calling  07846 643176.

Thanks for reading.

admin June 24, 2013

insurance standards / kite marked / locks /

Car Entry

Many newer cars have a deadlocking system that means once the doors are locked, only the remote will unlock them. ‘Deadlocking’ is if you can lock your car with your remote, and, even if you were inside the vehicle, you cannot unlock the doors without the remote key. In these cases, unless the remote is visible, i.e. not locked in the boot, we are unfortunately unable to help. We do not cut car keys,(and cannot help with alarms or immobilisers) so, if your keys are completely lost you would need a specialist auto locksmith.

Where we come in, is in cases of keys being locked inside cars – something that happens surprisingly often!  We are always happy to take your calls and discuss with you what we are and are not able to do, however, there are ways to avoid the rather expensive vehicle locksmith emergencies:-  

  •  Firstly, check, check, and check again, that you have your car keys on you, or in your hand before you close the car door. (Sounds daft – but believe me – worth checking.)
  • Always use the key, or remote fob, to lock the car from the outside, never the door handle lock as you are exiting. – If you keep your car keys in your pocket, have a weighty key ring so you will notice if the keys fall out or are stolen – especially with very light “keyless” cards. – If you keep your keys in a bag, make sure they have their own pocket, preferably a zip up compartment. The routine of putting them in the same place will help ensure you do not leave them in the car.(And make it more difficult to lift from a bag.)
  • Remember to check you have your keys in your hand before closing the car door.
  • Shopping is the most common time for locking keys in the boot. Do not put your keys in the boot or on the parcel shelf thinking you will pick them up when the shopping is out of the trolley. Take those few seconds to put your keys back in your pocket or bag. – If you do not have a spare key, take the time to shop around for someone who can cut keys for your car, and get one cut. It will save you money over having one cut in an emergency.
  • If you have a spare key, do not keep it in the car – yes, this does happen. It is much easier to get a friend or family member to bring you the spare, than have a locksmith break into your car.
  • Did I say check you have your keys in your hand as you exit your car?

Now, one last thing;-  We see, all too often in homes, many cases of keys being left, either on tables or hooks near doors, where anyone with a bit of determination (and the right tools) can get to them. Keeping your keys near the door is obviously needed so you can get out in an emergency, but please make sure there is some sort of barrier between them and your letter box.
A good idea is to sit with your back to your door, with your eyes at letter box height. If you can see your keys from here, in most cases they can be stolen, and if your car keys are visible, your car can be stolen from your drive. If your door keys are visible, then your door might as well be unlocked. This is also true if you keep your keys in the lock on the inside of the door, if it has a letterbox it is easy to get access to the key.
If you keep a spare key somewhere outside the property, the place you think of to put it will probably be obvious to the burglar too. A better idea may be to invest in a digital key safe.

We hope that all who read this already implement all these procedures, but if you don’t already, making sure you do, will save you money and stress in the long term. 

Did I mention – check you have your car keys in your hand when you exit your vehicle!!

admin June 14, 2013

auto locksmith / car locks / keys / security /

Why choose AC Locksmiths Norfolk?

There are several Locksmiths available to carry out your work in the Norfolk area, so we have done some research on the competition to find out what sets us apart. Please take a minute or two to read the following and make your own mind up.

  • We are a genuine local company, based in Norfolk meaning the money you pay remains in the local economy stimulating local business.
  • We do not sub-contract out our work.
  • We are transparent with our pricing. Our labour rates for 2013/14 are £50 regardless of time of day, weekends or bank holidays. (£70 for car entry) and there are no labour costs if the locking products exceed £100. We can find no other locksmith website in this part of the country that advertises its’ prices. We find this fact very significant as we believe in being open and honest about our pricing from the first – there are no unpleasant surprises regarding what we charge our customers.
  • We are a qualified locksmith, we hold the highest level of accreditation in the country, NCFE level 3; this means we have trained and gained the appropriate qualifications. This is of particular importance in an industry that, so far is unregulated. (Although this should hopefully be changing soon.) We know that there are not many locksmiths that can offer this high standard at the prices we charge.
  • We still offer free security checks of your house, garage, office etc. – with no obligation to buy.
  • We often give free advice over the phone.
  • We do not charge labour twice if we have to make a second visit because we did not have your product on board the first time around.
  • Our existing customers are rewarded for loyalty by having labour rates frozen against future rises, i.e. last year’s customers continue to pay last year’s labour rates.
  • We stock second hand products for customers who cannot afford new ones.
  • We agree the full cost before work commences.
  • We take pride in our work: – that’s why we get testimonials and recommendations (which go on the testimonials page.) These are all genuine, from happy, satisfied customers.
  • We do not charge VAT, and will not charge it until we have to – this alone saves 20% off your final costs.
  • We write information blogs to help you save money, or inform you how to improve your security.
  • We want to be the best and are always on the look out for ways to improve without impacting on our prices.

admin May 31, 2013

AC Locksmiths / Locksmiths norfolk / qualified locksmith /

Older UPVC doors.

With the weather warming up, we are noticing an up turn in upvc doors that are in need of adjustment. French doors that have been shut over the winter are being opened again, and the owners are finding that the handles are stiff to operate. A relatively easy problem to fix as long as it is dealt with straight away, but expensive if the handles are forced and the mechanism breaks. At AC Locksmiths we would much rather do the adjustments than see money wasted further down the line and we charge nothing to have a look for you. We only charge if we have to do any work.

The other thing we have noticed is that many upvc doors are still of the old type that have rollers as the multi-point locking mechanism. Without going into details, these are extremely easy for burglars to gain entry through and should be upgraded to incorporate hook and shoot bolts where possible. Most people think this requires a whole new door, but in most cases, it is just a new mechanism that is required to increase your security.

While Norfolk is statistically low for reported burglaries, we have attended a fair number of cases in the North Norfolk area. For further information, please do not hesitate to get in contact via the contacts page. We do cover locks for the whole of Norfolk with particular focus on the Holt, Sheringham, Cromer, North Walsham and Fakenham towns along with the local villages.

admin May 5, 2013

AC Locksmiths / Fakenham / Holt / North Walsham / Sheringham / UPVC doors /

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