Community locksmith on U St NW assisting DC residents with lockouts, rekeys, and lock replacements. Phone scheduling and extended daily hours make it convenient for time-sensitive calls.
Local presence on U St NW with extended daily hours. Handles straightforward lockouts and common residential lock work. Calls are scheduled directly by phone for quick coordination.
Washington, DC citywide, with frequent service in U Street Corridor, Shaw, Columbia Heights, Adams Morgan, Logan Circle, Dupont Circle, and nearby neighborhoods.
Residential and apartment lockouts, door unlocking, broken key situations, basic lock repair, lock replacement, and rekeying.
Reviews are mixed, with some customers noting quick arrival and successful entry with minimal damage. Others report concerns about high or changing prices and frustration over final costs for brief unlock jobs. Responsiveness is mentioned positively, while pricing clarity is a recurring complaint. Overall ratings reflect both timely service experiences and dissatisfaction with value.
I contacted Payless Locksmith because we were in a time-sensitive situation. My wife had broken a key off in the front door deadbolt, and when we left for an event, we secured the house by exiting through the rear door. Unfortunately, I later realized I locked the rear door handle and did not have a key for that lock.While at my daughter’s track meet, I scheduled the locksmith to meet us at our home. From the beginning, I clearly asked the dispatcher for an estimate for two things: removing the broken key from the front deadbolt and unlocking the rear door handle. I emphasized that I wanted pricing before service. No estimate was provided, and the locksmith was simply dispatched.When the locksmith arrived, I again asked for pricing. I was quoted $350 for the front door and $250 for the rear door. Since we only needed entry into the house, I chose the more affordable option and asked to proceed with the rear door only.At that point, the price suddenly changed from $250 to $450 for the same rear door service.That immediate price increase made me uncomfortable. It felt like the situation — including the fact that we were outside with our children and needed access — was being used as leverage. I declined the service.After I canceled, the locksmith then attempted to charge an $89 service fee, despite the pricing confusion and the lack of a clear estimate beforehand. The pricing continued to shift, which felt unprofessional and misleading.This experience felt extremely questionable. I expected transparent pricing and consistency, especially after clearly requesting an estimate multiple times.I would strongly encourage anyone considering Payless Locksmith to confirm written pricing before a technician is dispatched and before any work begins.
Called when I got locked out and will say they showed up quickly. However, they charged $499 just for using a metal bit on a drill to unlock my door in 30 seconds. Not a fancy lock picker or anything so they ended up breaking my lock. If I would've known, would have just rented the tools from the DC public library as they have those tools to rent for free.
I am the idiot that locked myself out of the apartment on Saturday night @ 9pm. But I do have to echo what others have said here. This is predatory and I'm still a little upset about it. The price changed multiple times. The original quote was over 600 dollars. I should have just gone and checked in to the Ritz for what I ended up paying. So yeah, it felt like a scam from the jump but he was quick and I did get in to my apartment in less than 30 minutes. Don't use this business. Taking advantage of people when they're at the worst is repugnant.
Do not use this place, it is a scam.The locksmith was an hour away from my place and wanted to charge me $600. It took her twenty seconds to unlock my door. It is a scam. Do NOT use these people.
They came last minute, technician was awesome with minimal damage. Excellent service
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This business may offer free estimates for some services.
Emergency service may be available for urgent issues.
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