Locksmiths in demand over summer in UAE

Abu Dhabi: Lost keys and locked doors are a common occurrence in the capital over the summer and residents often find themselves unable to access their own homes.

Locksmiths operating in Abu Dhabi say they cater to double the usual number of customers at this time of the year because many residents end up losing their house keys while travelling.

“The majority of apartments in Abu Dhabi feature auto-lock doors, which can only be opened with the right key from the outside. There is no handle that can be turned, and this means that one cannot enter the apartment even if they accidentally leave the keys inside,” Rasol Al Husami, the manager of Prince Keys and Locks, told Gulf News.

“During the summer, not only do people lose their keys while travelling but they often leave behind family members to house sit. These people are not used to living in the apartment and carrying the keys with them, so they tend to lock themselves out quite frequently,” he explained.

Prince Keys has three branches across the city, and each receives 10 cases a week of people locking themselves out of their own homes. To regain access to the apartment, locksmiths then have to break and replace the locking mechanism on the door.

“We charge about Dh150, which covers the cost of the replacement lock and our services,” said Syed Fahad, locksmith at Al Jazira Keys, which is located on Zayed the First Street. He added that there are twice the usual number of lock-outs in the summer months compared to the rest of the year.

The procedure to change a lock takes just about 10 minutes, but can leave a few unfortunate scratches on the paint.

There are also certain cases when locksmiths change the mechanism without charging a fee.

“These are when there are valid emergencies, such as a crying child who has been left inside or flooding due to an open tap,” Al Husami said.

Residents do need to prove that they are the licensed tenants for the apartment, and this can be done with a valid tenancy contract, or a certificate from the police.

Despite the risk of being locked out, residents say they still prefer the auto-lock system to doors that need to be manually locked each time.

“I have been locked out with my family a few times, but I still prefer this system because I don’t have to remember to manually lock up every time I go out. I feel it offers better security,” said Ali Al Romi, 64, a Jordanian expat.

“And to prevent a situation where I get locked out after a vacation, we usually leave the keys with a family member who is staying back when we go on vacation,” he added.

Mohi Al Deen Barakeh, a 56-year-old consultant from Palestine, agrees.

“It is a small price to pay to have an auto-lock. Without it, you could end up leaving your home unprotected, and that is a far worse situation,” he said.

“I have had to get my lock changed several times because I had forgotten the key inside, but I would rather have a door that cannot be opened from the outside without a key,” Barakeh added.