Updated October 2026
Damage-free car unlocking
Damage-free car unlocking means the door opens, the glass stays whole, and the car locks again. That is on a working lock. If the lock or the door is already damaged, we stop and say so before any further work. we unlock any car comes to the vehicle after we confirm we can attend and that the car is yours. There is no call-out fee. The price is agreed before we set off.
What does damage-free car unlocking mean?
It means the car is opened and left able to lock again. On a working lock, that is the job.
The opening should leave these as they were:
- The door paint and the panels around it.
- The window glass and the seals.
- The interior trim.
- The lock, the handle and the mechanism, so the door still locks.
we unlock any car opens the door at the vehicle. This page does not describe a method. A bent door or a broken clip is damage, even if the car is open at the end.
What should you see when the door is opened?
Three things. The door opens. The glass is whole. The door shuts and locks again.
That is the finish on a working lock. If the door will not lock afterwards, or the opening would mark the car, we stop and say so before any further work. We do not move from an unlock into extra work without telling you.
What if the lock or the door is already damaged?
A lock that has already been forced is a different job from keys shut inside a working car. Say which of these is true when you send the quote:
- Someone has already forced the door or the lock.
- The barrel will not turn.
- The door is bent, or a clip is already broken.
- The glass is already cracked or broken.
Do not keep forcing it. That makes the repair worse. We look at what is already there and tell you what has changed before any further work. The visit is still the locked out service, agreed from the quote.
Should you try to force the door yourself?
No. Levering the glass, or pushing a household tool into the door, is how paint, seals and locks get damaged, and the car can still stay shut.
Stop before you apply force. What to do while you wait is on locked out of your car. If it is your car, enter the registration and the exact location on the quote form. We confirm we can attend before you book.
Frequently asked questions
What does damage-free car unlocking mean?
The door opens, the window stays whole, and the car locks again afterwards. The paint, the seals and the trim are left as they were. Breaking the glass is not how the door is opened.
Will the door still lock after you open it?
On a working lock, yes. The door should shut and lock as it did before. If the lock will not do that, we stop and explain it before any further work.
What if the lock is already damaged?
Say so on the quote form. A forced lock, a barrel that will not turn, a bent door, or glass that is already broken is not the same job as a working lock. We tell you what has changed before we do anything further.