BEWARE of D & V Onestop Locksmith

I haven't priced a locksmith locally but that is about the going rate stateside for even the smallest job (my only experience with one was the first day of ownership in our first house when we locked ourselves out and paid over $100 for a 2 minute job.)

Check the phone book--white pages-- for Doug Locksmith; he's very good.

Thank you boyd46 for the info.

Maybe D & V Onestop Locksmith has to raise their prices every time somebody refuses to pay!

I would balk only if I knew what the going rate was, and they were charging much more than that. And (something I often forget to do) ask ahead of time what the charge will be.

You could also lodge a complaint with DLCA.

Occasionally DV does some work for me. Compared to others I've use they are a little higher but not much. The woman, Jill is a trip to deal with.

Let me get this straight.
You called them, asked them to come out, which they did, didn't ask the rate or fee, and refused to pay after they opened the lock??

I would call them and see what you can work out. It seems a locksmith will have no problem "collecting". You don't want that looming for $150 I wouldn't think. $150 seems high the way you describe the job but what would have been reasonable? $12.50?? You surely insulted them if you think that was fair.

What would you expect to pay a plumber, electrician, appliance repair, mechanic, or any other trade for a service call?

" Time and gas? " If they drove from the west end to the east end that could be an hr each way and a few gallons of gas. Lock Smiths don't get a steady income of 8 hrs a day. They take the calls that come in and try to make a living doing service calls. Would you expect a tow truck to haul your car to a mechanic for $12.50??

We had the guy "locksmith" from Gallows Bay Hardware come to a house we were caretaking several years ago and he charged over $200 to disassemble a door lock that was stuck. It was a speciallty lock and I couldn't quite figure it out. When I tried to watch him he turned to me and said in a very stern voice, "I paid good money to learn this trade and I'd appreciate if you wouldn't watch me".
So I didn't, and paid him with a check and a thank you.

Sky,

1 You're right stxnama should have gotten a quotation for a housecall.

2 You're also right that $150 is reasonable (on the very high end) for a housecall, and should include up to an hour's work.

3 If however, the piece of furniture was damaged then the work should have been done at no charge.

4 I know that "locksmith" at GBH and he is awful...not just by my standard but by the fact that he has run himself out of business twice before on this rock, and if he continues to speak to customers in the fashion you describe he'll be on the merry-go-round again soon.

rks
I agree with all your points.
Accidents happen and the locksmith should have conveyed an apology as well as monetary compensation. They also should have quoted her a price for a service call which probably shouldn't have been over $100. She in turn should have asked a price up front.
Depending on the gouge severity I would have maybe haggled with them but it would have to be pretty bad for me to refuse payment.
We recently had a guy install a mahogony window in an opening with an existing mahogony slab sill. While installing the latch he drops it on the finished slab and puts a nice little dent in it. Doh!! He felt really bad and apologized several times. I didn't dock his pay because s=!t happens.

My point is starting a feud over $150 doesn't seem worth it to me. Especially if she feels" fearful they could be more than just locksmiths!!!!! " Just never call them again. They were the only ones to return the call though.

While caretaking a house on STX for over 4 years we encountered several "vendors" of services that would refuse to come out due to dealings with previous caretakers or even the grumpy owner. Word travels fast and when you're out of water and hear "we won't come to that house anymore" "click". WTF?

I say call them and see what you can work out. Then it's on them.

It's also possible that the locksmiths were overcharging, and they left out of embarrassment for being called on it. That happened to a neighbor when a taxi driver tried to overcharge some guests for a trip. The neighbor said the listed rate was lower, went inside to get the money, came out, and the driver had left without waiting to be paid anything.

But at this point, I would find out the going rate for the lock work they performed, including any emergency or off-hours fees that may apply, and pay them something, even up to $150 if it turns out that amount is plausible for the service provided.

Just to clarify a few things.....When I asked what the house call would cost, the woman, told me it would depend on the difficulty of the job. That is what I interpreted after needing to ask her to please repeat the answer twice more as I could not understand what she was saying. I did not come up with the $12.50 figure. That was what I understood of the mumbled response and was very incredulous of that answer. I was prepared to pay a considerable amount more than that. When no apology was offered nor any comment of any kind considering the damage to the door and the breaking of the ice pick I felt they had to own up to some liability issues. Not a word was said. I have never before refused to pay someone for a service they performed and offered to discuss their price when they simply said nothing and walked out.

Stxnama, over the internet we (or I) cannot read the tone of the discussion you had with D&V, but from what you wrote, I think you are 100% in the right. My posting above tried to show that it's possible that both you and Sky are right in this case.

I'm both a contractor and a homeowner. As homeowners, my wife and I have occasionally fallen prey to people charging extra for our being white, living on the east end, and so on. These cases are rare, and getting rarer, but it does happen. Taxis are especially brazen in their billing shenanigans.