Overcharged by an Emergency Locksmith or Tradesperson? Your Rights (UK)

Locked out, or facing a burst pipe at midnight, you call the first number you find — and get a bill for hundreds of pounds for ten minutes' work. Emergency call-out overcharging is rife, but you have rights. Here is how to challenge it.

The "reasonable price" rule

Where you did not agree a fixed price in advance, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 says you only have to pay a reasonable price for the work. A charge wildly out of line with the going rate for the job is challengeable — you are not bound to pay an unreasonable sum just because it is on the invoice.

Common emergency-trade tactics

• Low quote on the phone, huge bill on the day ("the lock was anti-snap", "extra parts").
• Pressure to pay immediately by card before they leave.
• Unnecessary work — drilling a lock that could have been picked, replacing parts that were fine.
• National-sounding "call centres" that dispatch random subcontractors.

If you were cold-pressured at your door

If the contract was effectively agreed at your home, the 14-day cancellation right may apply — though for genuine emergencies you requested, the trader can charge for work you expressly asked them to start. Even then, the price must be reasonable and the work properly done.

How to claw money back

1. Ask for an itemised invoice and the company's real trading details.
2. Get evidence the price was excessive — quotes from two or three local firms for the same job.
3. Dispute in writing, offering to pay a reasonable amount and asking for a refund of the excess.
4. If you paid by card, ask about a chargeback or Section 75 (credit card, over £100); report rip-offs to Trading Standards.

A dispute letter template

Dear [Company],

Re: Emergency call-out at [address] on [date] — overcharging

I was charged £[amount] for [work], which is far above a reasonable price. Under
the Consumer Rights Act 2015 I am only obliged to pay a reasonable amount. I
enclose comparison quotes of around £[amount]. Please refund the difference of
£[amount].

If you do not, I will pursue a chargeback/Section 75 claim and report the matter
to Trading Standards.

Yours faithfully,
[Your name and contact details]

For future emergencies, use a vetted local firm and get a price before they start. If you were stung, gather comparison quotes — "reasonable price" is your strongest argument for a partial refund.