Service information
Door opening in Torrevieja: what we do and when
We open doors to homes, shops and communal buildings in Torrevieja at any time, including armoured and high-security steel doors. Before we start we need to know how the door is closed: a door that has closed on the latch is usually held only by the latch, whereas a door locked with the key turned has its bolts thrown. How we open it depends on that, on the type of door and on the condition of the lock. In some cases opening the door means replacing the cylinder or another component; we explain this before we start, but we cannot guarantee in advance that the door will be left completely undamaged.
Door shut with the keys inside
If the door slammed shut, it is normally held only by the latch. If it was locked with the key, the bolts are thrown and opening it is a different job. Tell us which applies to you and whether the key was left in the lock on the inside.
Lost key or no way in
If you have lost your key or cannot get in, as well as opening the door it is worth considering a cylinder replacement, especially if the lost key was with something that could identify the property. Before opening we check that you have the right of access to the property.
Key that won’t turn or has snapped
Don’t force the key or try to pull out the broken piece with tools: it can make the fault worse. Tell us whether the key won’t go in, goes in but won’t turn, or has snapped inside, and send a photo of the cylinder from the outside.
Service information
Areas we cover for door opening
We open doors 24 hours a day in Torrevieja and in 17 other towns. Outside Torrevieja a travel supplement is added depending on the town. On each town’s page you can check the approximate arrival time and work out the price according to the time and where the door is.
Service information
What a door opening quote depends on
In Torrevieja, opening a door closed on the latch starts at €70 and opening a deadlocked door starts at €110, before VAT. The time-of-day surcharge is added to that amount, plus the public holiday surcharge where applicable and, outside Torrevieja, the travel supplement for the town. If checking the door reveals something that changes the price, we explain it and don’t carry on without your agreement.
Type of door and how it is locked
A door that has closed on the latch is not opened in the same way as one locked with the key turned. The type of door (wooden, metal, armoured or high-security steel) and the number of locking points also play a part.
Condition of the mechanism
A faulty or badly worn cylinder or lock, or one with a key snapped inside, can make opening harder or mean that parts have to be replaced.
Replacement parts and travel
If the cylinder or another part has to be replaced, the price changes and we tell you before doing it. Outside Torrevieja a travel supplement is added, and the time of the call-out also makes a difference. The price calculator lets you check those amounts before you get in touch.
How we work
How a door opening works, step by step
1. Tell us about your situation
Call us or send us a WhatsApp message with the address, how the door was closed and whether there is a key left in the lock on the inside. A photo of the door and of the cylinder from the outside helps us prepare.
2. Go over the options and conditions
We explain how the door can be opened, whether any part is likely to need replacing and the price before VAT. In Torrevieja, opening a door closed on the latch starts at €70 and a deadlocked door at €110; surcharges depend on the time, public holidays and the town. You decide before we start.
3. Agree the work and check it together
Once the price has been accepted and your right of access has been checked, we open the door. When we finish, we check with you that the door opens and closes, and payment is made then.
What to check after the door has been opened
- That the door opens and closes from both outside and inside, and that the latch springs back on its own when you let go of the handle.
- That your key goes in and turns normally; if the cylinder has been replaced, that all the new keys work.
- If the cylinder has been replaced, how many keys you are given.
- That you are told if anything still needs looking at, such as a damaged lock or a cylinder that would be worth replacing later on.
Everyday use after the job
- Before going out, get into the habit of holding your key in your hand rather than leaving it inside while the door is already closing.
- If pulling the door shut is what usually happens in your home, think about whether you should lock it with the key when you go out, and talk it over with the people you live with.
- Leave a spare with someone you trust who doesn’t live with you and could bring it round if the door shuts on you again.
- If over the next few days you notice the key goes in less smoothly or the door is harder to close, let us know before it jams again.
Service information
Guide to preparing your door opening enquiry
Before calling about a door that won’t open
You can check these details from the outside, without touching the lock, and they help us prepare the job.
- Whether you pulled the door shut as you left without locking it, or locked it with the key turned.
- Whether you left a key in the lock on the inside.
- The type of door (wooden, metal, armoured or high-security steel) and whether it also has an additional bolt or a second lock.
- Whether you have the key and what it does: won’t go in, goes in but won’t turn, or turns without catching.
- Whether someone you trust has a spare and can bring it round, because that may make the call-out unnecessary.
Signs worth describing for a door opening
Describe what you can see even if you don’t know the cause. These are pointers only: the real reason is confirmed in front of the door.
- The key turns but the door won’t open: the fault may be in the lock rather than in the cylinder.
- The key won’t go in at all: there may be another key in the lock on the inside or something lodged in the cylinder.
- The handle turns loosely or doesn’t return to its position: the internal mechanism may be failing.
- An additional bolt or a second lock is locked: this changes how we work and it is best to mention it from the start.
When it’s best to stop trying
If the door hasn’t given way with your key after a couple of careful attempts, pulling on the door leaf, shouldering it or trying other keys on the keyring won’t open it and can bend the strike plate or twist the bolts. It is also best not to improvise with whatever objects you have to hand. Leave the door as it is and tell us what you have tried; the less it has been touched, the more options remain when we assess how to open it.
Situations worth explaining when you get in touch
Every locked door has its own context. These situations are easier to deal with if you tell us about them from the start, although how to resolve them is decided once we see the door.
- Someone inside can’t open the door from their side: tell us whether that person is all right, whether they can talk to you through the door and whether there is a key in the lock on the inside.
- The door had been stiff to open for a few days and today it won’t open at all: explain since when you noticed the fault and what it was doing before, because that history points to the part affected.
- The door has jammed after an attempted break-in: avoid touching the damaged lock and tell us what marks you can see on the outside and whether the frame looks out of place.
- The door to a building entrance or a communal area won’t open for any of the residents: tell us whether it fails with all the keys or only some of them, and whether anyone else has already reported the problem.
Service information
Brands you can look up for door opening
If you know the brand of the cylinder or lock, it is usually engraved on the face of the cylinder or on the plate on the door edge; mention it when you get in touch. These pages help identify the hardware and do not mean that we are an official service for the brand.
Service information
What else can help after a door opening
If you have already got back in or want to understand better what happened, these pages follow on from your situation.
- Lock repair: useful if the door jammed because the mechanism was already failing before you were locked out.
- Cylinder replacement: worth reading if the key was lost or may have ended up with someone else.
- Frequently asked questions: general questions about keys, locks and what is worth mentioning when you get in touch.
- Prices: explains what a door opening quote depends on; the quote is given after reviewing your situation and before we start.
- Contact: to tell us how the door was closed and what is happening now.
- Towns: each town’s page helps you prepare your enquiry from where the door is.
Frequently asked questions
Questions about door opening
Can you look at a door that has shut with the keys inside?
Yes. How we open it depends mainly on whether the door slammed shut or was locked with the key turned, so that is the first thing we will ask you when you call.
Does opening the door mean the lock has to be replaced?
Not always. It depends on the type of door, how it is locked and the condition of the cylinder and lock. Sometimes the cylinder or another part has to be replaced; we explain this beforehand, although we cannot guarantee in advance that the door will be opened without any damage.
What happens if the key has snapped?
Don’t try to pull the piece out with tools. Send a photo of the cylinder and tell us whether the door is locked with the key. Depending on the case, the broken piece is extracted or the cylinder has to be replaced; we tell you before doing it.
What do I need to provide to prove my right of access?
Before opening we check that the person asking has the right of access to the property. We explain what is needed in each case when you call.
How is a door opening quote worked out?
In Torrevieja, opening a door closed on the latch starts at €70 and a deadlocked door at €110, before VAT. The total varies with how the door is locked, the condition of the mechanism, any parts needed, the town, the time and public holidays. You can work it out on the prices page; before we start we confirm the amount for your case.
What if the key is in the lock on the inside?
A key left in the lock on the inside can stop another one going in from the outside and affects how the door is opened, especially if it was also deadlocked. Mention it when you get in touch and don’t try to push it out from the outside with any object: you could damage the cylinder and make opening harder.
Can the door be opened if I don’t have any key?
Yes, we can still look at it; you don’t need to have a spare. What is worth thinking about is what to do afterwards: if the key was lost away from home or you don’t know where it is, consider replacing the cylinder so that it no longer opens the door. Remember that your right of access to the property is checked before opening.
Should I mention it if the door has an alarm or a connected alert system?
Yes. If the door is monitored by any kind of alert system, mention it when you get in touch so that you can switch it off or inform whoever needs to know before the door is opened, and avoid an unnecessary alert.
What should I do if the locked door belongs to business premises with stock inside?
Tell us whether the premises have more than one entrance, whether any of them still opens and whether there is anything inside you need to get out soon. With those details we can decide which door it is best to start with.
Can I request a door opening for someone else who isn’t there?
You can make the enquiry, but the door opening requires checking the right of access. When you call, we explain what is needed in that particular case before arranging the visit.
Other services related to door opening
After a door has been opened it may be worth replacing the cylinder, for example if the key was lost, or repairing the lock if the fault stopped the door opening.
Contact
Tell us about your door opening
Tell us where the door is, how it was closed and whether the key is in the lock on the inside. When you call, we explain what is needed to check your right of access. We answer 24 hours a day by phone and WhatsApp.