There’s nothing quite like the relief of returning home after an exhausting day. As you make your way from your parking spot to your front door, you think of all the things you can do once you're inside your apartment—change into comfy clothes, sprawl out on the couch, snuggle with your pet, or dance it out.
You reach your door. You’ve been waiting for this all day. You turn the handle…and it’s locked. You don’t have your key. Or maybe you do have your key, but the deadbolt is locked from the inside. Whatever happened, you can’t get in.
You’re locked out of your apartment.
What do you do?
What to Do When Locked Out
It’s easy to panic when you can’t get into your apartment. Before you spiral, run through a checklist of things you can do to solve the problem.
Call your property manager
If you live in an apartment complex, your leasing office representatives have an extra copy of your apartment key and are well-versed in the community’s lockout policy. If this is your first time being locked out of your apartment, you may not have to pay any fees, but if you constantly find yourself locked out (hopefully not!), you may be subject to a fine for a replacement key.
If you’re locked out of your apartment after hours, the leasing office at an apartment complex may not be available to unlock your unit. However, a private landlord may be available to help you out with a spare key or locksmith referral.
Phone a friend
If you live with a roommate, call them and ask when they’ll be home. Your best bet may be to hang out at a local coffee shop for a few hours while you wait for your roommate.
Is there anyone you forgot about who has a key to your apartment? What about your pet sitter, partner, neighbor, or close friend? It may seem obvious, but it’s easy to forget the basics when panicking.
Find alternative ways to get in
If you don’t want to shell out extra cash for a locksmith, check for any open windows or back doors to your unit. This is only an option if you live on the ground floor of your apartment building—don’t try to scale your building.
You can also try to unlock the door yourself. You may need to run to a store or borrow a screwdriver from a neighbor, but unscrewing the doorknob will allow you to unlock the door without your key.
Contact a locksmith
If you’ve exhausted all your options, your best bet is to call a professional locksmith to help you get back into your apartment. Many locksmiths are open 24 hours a day and can unlock your apartment for you, even when the door is bolted shut. Consult with your property manager or landlord before you do anything drastic, like changing the lock to your front door.
How to Prevent Getting Locked Out Again
In a perfect world, we would never forget our keys, but life happens. Here are some things you can do to help yourself out and prevent another lockout in the future.
Keep a spare key
Consider keeping a spare key in the glovebox of your car or somewhere else you can easily access just in case you get locked out again. The safest place to keep your spare key is in a lockbox with a unique combination only you know, but there are other discreet hiding places for your key outside your apartment.
Before you hide your key outdoors, consider any safety implications. It’s better not to leave one in common spots, like under the welcome mat, on the top of the door frame, or in a decorative rock designed to hide a key.
Give someone you trust a spare key
If your apartment complex gives you an extra key or allows you to duplicate your key, give the spare to a trusted family member or friend. Make sure you choose someone close by who can let you in if you’re locked out. Also…make sure they won’t lose the key, either.
Knowing that someone has your back in case something like this ever happens again can be comforting or even lifesaving. Even if you never forget your key or accidentally lock yourself out, having a backup plan will always be beneficial, just in case.
Consider keyless entry
A lot of newer, more modern apartment communities are including an array of smart devices in their rental units, such as smart locks. Smart locks allow renters keyless entry to their apartments through Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, mobile apps, or voice commands. Talk to your landlord about your options for installing a smart lock to avoid the risk of losing your key.
Getting locked out of your apartment can be stressful, but remember, it’s a solvable problem! You’ll be inside your home again in no time, and should it happen again, you’ll know just how to handle it.
Originally published on June 7, 2019.
