If you ever get locked out of your home after dark, here are two tips to follow.

Give the locksmith some warning if the area is not well-lit

If your home is an apartment on a busy, well-lit street or if you have outdoor lights on your property, then you may not need to worry about the lighting conditions. However, if your home is not near any roads with streetlamps or if it doesn't have its own exterior lights, then you should inform the locksmith of this fact whilst you're on the phone with them.

The reason for this is that if they arrive at your home without knowing this, they may struggle to open your locked door without adequate lighting, as they might not be able to see the lock or their tools properly. Whilst they may be able to use the light on their phone for this task, this is a poor substitute for a headtorch or portable lamp that a locksmith could bring with them if you gave them some warning about this issue.

They might have to try to balance the phone in one hand whilst opening the lock or have you hold it in position for them, which could make this normally straightforward task quite challenging. This could be particularly frustrating for both of you if it happens to be raining or very cold when this incident occurs. As such, if you want to get into your home quickly in these circumstances, it's sensible to tell them about any issues with the lighting around your property beforehand.

Listen closely to any instructions the locksmith gives you if they install a new lock

If the locksmith needs to install a new lock on the door that differs from the old one, you should listen closely to any instructions they give regarding how to lock the door before they leave. The reason for this is that if you find yourself struggling to work out how to operate the new lock after they've left and you're not able to lock the door because of this, you might have to leave the door unlocked for the rest of the night. This could be risky and make it unsafe for you to go to sleep.

By paying attention to any instructions the locksmith gives you (and if necessary, recording a video on your phone of the locksmith demonstrating the use of the new lock), you can avoid creating another stressful situation for yourself.

Contact a locksmith in your area for more information.