GREAT SOUTHERN LOCK
Guides
Locksmith guides for Melbourne
Straight answers to the things people ring and ask — written out properly, with no sales pitch attached.
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Locked out in Melbourne? Do these five things first
Before you ring anybody — including us — there are five things worth doing. Two of them regularly save people a call-out fee.
Read the guide02What a replacement car key actually costs — and why the range is so wide
Anyone who quotes you a car key price before asking the make, model and year is guessing. Here is what actually moves the number.
Read the guide03Rekey or replace? How to decide
Most people asking “should I change my locks?” actually want a rekey. It is cheaper, faster, and achieves the thing they care about.
Read the guide04How to avoid a locksmith scam
The scam has a script, and once you have read it you will not fall for it. Two minutes now is worth several hundred dollars later.
Read the guide05Moving house: the security checklist nobody gives you
You have just been handed a set of keys and no idea how many others exist. Here is what to do in week one, in order of what actually matters.
Read the guide06How much does a locksmith cost in Melbourne?
Nobody wants to ring three locksmiths while standing in the rain. Here is what the work costs across Melbourne, what actually drives the number, and how to avoid the outfits that quote low and charge high.
Read the guide07Changing the locks when you rent in Victoria
Renters ask us this constantly and get told three different things by three different people. Here is what the Victorian rules actually say, in plain English, with the one important exception.
Read the guide08Locksmith or dealership for a replacement car key?
The honest answer: an auto locksmith for almost everything, the dealership for a short and specific list. Here is where the line actually falls.
Read the guide09How long does a locksmith actually take?
Two questions matter when you are standing outside your own front door: how long until someone arrives, and how long once they do. Here are honest numbers for Melbourne’s inner south-east.
Read the guide10Securing your home before the Melbourne summer
Burglaries rise when houses sit empty and windows sit open. Spring is the month to fix that, not the week you leave. This is the list, in the order that matters.
Read the guide11What kind of car key do you have?
Three questions. It tells you which of the four key types you are holding, what replacing it actually involves, and what to have ready before you ring anyone.
Read the guideLocked out, or need a key cut right now?
One call goes straight to the mobile — no call centre, no queue. You speak to a locksmith, not a switchboard. Can't talk? Text a photo of the lock and we'll come back with a firm price.