Proof of ownership: what a locksmith should ask you for

Why being asked for ID is a good sign

Picture the calls a locksmith gets late at night from someone saying "this is my place". Nearly all of them are from the person who lives there. A few are not:

• a former partner who has moved out
• a past tenant who kept the address
• a friend of a roommate
• someone who has noticed the house sits empty on weekends

A locksmith who opens every door on request opens it for all of them. The ID check is how the first caller gets in quickly and the others don't get in at all. We do it every time, for homes, cars and businesses, including the times it's late, wet and you'd rather we just got on with it.

What to have ready

For a house, condo or apartment, it's your photo ID. A Nova Scotia driver's licence or Nova Scotia ID card is what most people show.

That's all for a home lockout. Have your ID handy, or let us know on the phone that it's inside.

When your wallet is inside

Most people locked out of a house have their ID locked in with the keys. That's expected, and it doesn't slow anything down much:

1. When you call, we take your name and the address, and ask where your ID is.
2. When we arrive, the technician opens the door, trying the least damaging method first.
3. Once you're in, you show us your ID before we leave.

Renting? Check with your building first. Many apartment buildings in Halifax and Dartmouth have a superintendent or property manager on call who can let you in, which may save you a locksmith visit.

Rentals, roommates and separations

We don't take sides in these. Our part is opening a door for someone with the right to be inside, and nothing more.

• Roommates. If it's your home too, the check is the same as for anyone: your ID.
• Tenants and landlords. Lock changes in a rental are governed by Nova Scotia's tenancy rules, and a dispute over access belongs with the province's residential tenancies process, not a locksmith at the door. Our guide on landlord and tenant lock changes in Nova Scotia explains it in plain words.
• Separations. If a court order says who lives where, that order decides who can go in. If you aren't sure, or don't feel safe, speak to the police first.

If anyone in the home is in danger, call 911 before anything else.

Locked out of a car

The idea is the same. Before a car is opened, we check that it's yours, normally with photo ID that matches the registration or insurance. If those papers are in the glovebox, we open the car and look at them before you go. In a downtown parking garage with sleet blowing in, that can feel like one step too many. It's also the step that stops someone else opening your car in that same garage.

A locksmith who asks for nothing

Treat it as a red flag. If they didn't ask you, they wouldn't ask anyone. It sits on our printable red flags card next to an unmarked vehicle, no company ID, and reaching for the drill before trying anything gentler. That last one is explained in does a locksmith break your lock.

You can check the locksmith, too. Ask who is being sent, ask to see their ID, and call the company back on a number you found yourself. Our who's coming to your door page shows how we do it: you get a name and a door word before we arrive.

A dead keypad, not a lost key

If an electronic lock has gone dark, you may be able to get in without anyone. Most keypad deadbolts have a backup, and our guide to a keypad door lock with a dead battery shows where it is on the common brands.

The short version

• Expect a careful locksmith to check ID before opening a home or car.
• A home needs your photo ID. A car needs ID that matches the registration or insurance.
• ID locked inside is normal; it's checked once the door is open.
• No questions asked is a reason to be cautious.