June 2, 2023, 9:03 am | Read time: 4 minutes
Lost your key or accidentally locked your apartment door? That can be expensive, as locksmith services often charge high prices. The ADAC automobile club now wants to make a statement.
The apartment door closes, and you’ve lost your key—in such cases, if you don’t have a spare key handy, you have to call a locksmith. However, their reputation is often quite poor. Stories frequently surface about customers being shamelessly exploited and exorbitant prices being charged for opening the front door. The ADAC wants to counteract this and has set up a locksmith service—even for non-members.
ADAC aims to make a statement with locksmith service
Being able to rely on not being exploited in an emergency—that’s exactly what the ADAC locksmith service aims to offer, with fixed and fair prices. Initially, only premium members of the automobile club benefited from the service, but now anyone, even non-members, can use it.
Why the “Yellow Angels,” who are usually only deployed for car breakdowns, are now also helping at the front door was explained by association president Christian Reinicke in the “Süddeutsche Zeitung.” He said they want to make a statement against the usury of some locksmith services.
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Locksmith service also for non-members
Non-members or non-premium members can currently use the service only in selected cities. The ADAC’s ZIP code finder shows where it is offered.
The major advantage of the ADAC locksmith service: There are fixed prices that vary only by time of day and weekends, weekdays, or holidays. Additionally, travel costs are already included.
| Time Period | Base Price |
| Monday to Friday 6:01 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. | 95 euros |
| Monday to Friday 8:01 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. | 169 euros |
| Weekends and holidays 12:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. | 169 euros |
If additional services are required, such as installing a new cylinder or if drilling is necessary to open the door, additional costs will apply, but these also have fixed prices. Unlike many other, less reputable locksmith providers, there is a bill at the end that can be paid cashlessly.
Also interesting: Misplaced your key? 5 tips to prevent it from happening again
Consumer advice center offers tips against inflated bills
The consumer advice center frequently receives reports of scams involving locksmith services. There are cases where consumers paid several hundred euros, only to later find out that the charges on the bill were entirely fabricated. According to the consumer advice center, such frauds occur repeatedly.
In 2022, the Federal Court of Justice confirmed that locksmith services exploiting consumers’ emergency situations with inflated bills are engaging in usury. According to the consumer advice center, the ruling at the time should offer better chances for criminal investigations for consumers. Nevertheless, they recommend always scrutinizing locksmith services:
Compare prices
Despite the emergency situation, it’s important to keep a cool head and first compare offers, opting for local providers to avoid long travel distances.
Agree on a fixed price
The consumer advice center recommends agreeing on a fixed price in advance that already includes travel costs and any other potential surcharges. In this case, you should also clearly describe what happened: Did the door just close, or is the key stuck inside? This allows the provider to calculate more accurately.
Specify the work
To protect yourself from inflated bills, you should also clearly specify that, for example, only the locked door should be reopened and not the entire lock replaced.
Don’t be coerced
Overall, the consumer advice center advises staying calm and not accepting overpriced offers. You should only pay what was agreed upon. Also, don’t be coerced if the service threatens to lock the door again if the excessive price isn’t paid. In such cases, you should call the police via the emergency number.