Locked out in Stockholm? A locksmith on the way tonight

Yes, we can come now, day or night. Most calls in Stockholm have a locksmith at the door within 20–40 min, and you hear a fixed price on the phone before we drive.

You don't need to speak Swedish. Tell us in English where you are and what the door looks like. That is all we need to start.

Three things to do right now

1. 1Call us. Give the street address, the building entrance and the floor. Not sure of the exact address? Open the map on your phone and read it out. We confirm it back to you.
2. 2Get your ID ready. A passport, a Swedish ID card, a driving licence or a residence permit card. If your wallet is inside the flat, say so on the call. We check it just inside the door once it is open.
3. 3Stay where you are. Wait by the door or somewhere warm nearby. Keep your phone on and save battery. We ring the number you called from if we can't find the entrance.

That is it. Don't try to force the door. Don't push anything into the keyhole. A lock that someone has worked on with a knife or a bent wire is harder to open cleanly, and the job can get bigger because of it.

Before you call: two quick checks

Sometimes there is a cheaper way in. Worth thirty seconds:

• Is there a spare key nearby? A flatmate, a partner at work, a neighbour you once gave a key to. Ask first.
• Do you rent? Many landlords in Stockholm (your "hyresvärd") have an on-call number for tenants, often on a notice in the stairwell or in the rental contract. Some will let you in, some won't at night. If they can't help, call us. More on renting and lockouts.

If neither works, we are the next call.

What happens when we arrive

The locksmith looks at the door and the lock first. Most Swedish apartment doors have a lock case built into the door plus a cylinder on the outside. We start with non-destructive opening. In most cases the door opens without damage and the lock works afterwards just as before.

Then the ID check. We need to see who you are and that you live at this address. A name on the door, a letter, a rental contract on your phone, a bank app showing your address: we judge it on site. We do this every time, for everyone. It is the reason a stranger can't call us to your door.

If the lock can't be opened without damage, we stop and tell you. You get the price for drilling and a new cylinder before we touch it. You decide. No yes, no drilling.

What it costs

The price is fixed on the phone before we drive. It covers the call-out and the opening. A booked daytime opening is from SEK 1 295. Evenings, nights, weekends and holidays are priced on the call. There is no extra charge for distance anywhere in the Stockholm region. Full details on the prices page.

You pay when the door is open. Card and Swish both work. You get a receipt every time.

Lockouts we see every week

• The rubbish run. You stepped out to the bin room and the door clicked shut behind you. Swedish apartment doors usually lock by themselves.
• The laundry room. Same story, one floor down. The shared laundry ("tvättstuga") is a classic.
• Key left on the inside. Some locks can't be opened from outside while a key sits in them from the inside. Tell us on the call; it changes how we approach it.
• After a night out. Keys on the kitchen table, you on the landing. No judgement. Just call.
• Stuck at the street door. If you can't get into the building, tell us. Maybe a neighbour can let us in, or we find another way to your flat door together.

Questions people ask on the phone

Can you open without breaking anything? Usually, yes. We always try that first.

Do you need my personnummer? No. Any photo ID works, together with something that shows you live there.

How will you find me? We use the number you called from if we need you. Keep it switched on.

Is it too late to call? No. A person answers all night, every night. See how a night call works.