A locksmith firm accused of ripping off a pensioner after charging her £1,600 to get her into her house has defended the eye-watering bill.
Bosses at Trust 24/7 Locksmith say they “stand by the pricing” for the job at Jayne Marney’s Ashford home – despite three other companies later quoting no more than £285 for the same work.
KentOnline revealed last month how the 68-year-old, who had been locked out of the property, stumped up the cash – but at the time the firm did not respond when challenged about the sky-high invoice.
Now, however, it has attempted to justify the cost, which it says was “based on the specific circumstances of the situation”.
But a furious Mrs Marney, who has since rejected three offers of partial refunds, remains determined to see the company return all of her money.
“They’re standing by their pricing but they’re just con artists,” she said.
“I think they’re only offering me a partial refund so that I go away. They think they can intimidate people into being quiet and going away but it won’t work with me.”
Mrs Marney’s ordeal began when she returned home from a dog walk at about 9pm on April 9.
Several attempts to unlock the front door failed, so she called an emergency locksmith out of desperation, with a man arriving within 10 minutes.
Mrs Marney says he did not try her key in the door until she insisted and made no attempt to pick the lock – measures other professionals say are standard practice.
She says he instead told her the mechanism – the internal part that bolts the door – needed to be replaced, but said he could not give her a cost until it had been removed.
“It was dark and cold outside and we had no means to access the house,” Mrs Marney said.
“Feeling I had no other choice, I told him to proceed.”
Mrs Marney says the man started drilling out what he described as “a very expensive and high-security lock”, and completed the job within 20 minutes.
He then asked for payment of £1,599.60, presenting a card reader to Mrs Marney so she could settle the bill.
“When I said it was a bit more expensive than I thought he just shook his head and said that it was the going rate,” she recalled.
Mrs Marney paid the invoice, which broke down the costs of the job, showing she had been charged £89 for the callout, £150 labour, £369 for “door opening”, £140 for a cylinder lock, and £585 for a new mechanism.
Feeling as if she had been ripped off, she sought three quotes from other locksmiths for the same work, with the highest coming in at £285.
One – Alan Hocknell from All Locked Out in Tenterden – even visited her home to replace the lock free of charge, and put in writing that the mechanism had not been changed by the original locksmith.
Another – Rob Mitchell from Ashford-based Lockrite Locksmiths – told KentOnline the average cylinder lock costs no more than £60, while a mechanism is typically priced between £50-£100.
“There’s no way he’s fitted a new mechanism if he was only there 20 minutes,” he added.
“I would allow one to two hours for that job to be done properly.”
While the call-out was made through Trust 24/7 Locksmith, the invoice provided to Mrs Marney was headed with the name of London-based construction company Fixtoon Ltd.
After failing to respond to KentOnline before publication, the firm has since said it “thoroughly investigated” the concerns raised by Mrs Marney.
“First and foremost, we take all customer complaints seriously and strive to ensure that our services meet the highest standards of quality and professionalism. We regret any dissatisfaction experienced by the resident involved in this incident,” a spokesperson said.
“In response to the complaint, we have already made extensive efforts to address the situation in good faith. We offered a partial refund as a gesture of goodwill, but unfortunately, the customer declined our offer. Despite our best efforts to reach a satisfactory resolution, it seems that the customer remains unsatisfied.
“Regarding the pricing issue raised in your inquiry, we understand the importance of transparency and fairness in pricing.
“However, the cost of locksmith services can vary based on several factors, including the complexity of the job, time of service, and materials required. We stand by the pricing provided by our technician, which was determined based on the specific circumstances of the situation.
“In conclusion, we want to emphasize that we have taken this matter seriously and have made every effort to address the concerns raised by the customer. We remain committed to providing excellent service to all our customers while upholding the highest standards of professionalism and integrity.”
Mrs Marney says the initial refund refund offer was for £300, but she declined it as it would only have reduced her bill to £1,300.
Eight days later she says she was then offered a 30% refund, and then in a follow-up email £585 to cover the cost of the mechanism, which she again rejected.
“The quotes I got from three other locksmiths did not exceed £285 and that was for the full work, including replacing the mechanism, which [Trust 24/7 Locksmith] didn’t change,” she said.
“The whole thing is ridiculous and I’m not accepting what they’ve offered me. I want the full refund.”
KentOnline asked Fixtoon to clarify if the mechanism had been changed, but it did not respond.
However, in correspondence with Mrs Marney it said the locksmith “confirmed the replacement of the gearbox, a crucial part of the mechanism”.
While Trust 24/7 Locksmith assures on its website “No hidden costs! We will keep you informed of all expenses”, customers have shared similar poor experiences with the company on consumer review website Trustpilot.
One says they were charged more than £700 to drill and replace a lock, adding: “They exploit you at a vulnerable moment and then disappear. Do not use this company.”
Mrs Marney has reported the firm to Trading Standards at Kent County Council, which previously told Kent Online it could not disclose information relating to individuals or businesses.