The call
2:10am, a wet Tuesday. A tenant had stepped onto the porch of a Mount Eden villa to bring the bins in and a gust pulled the front door shut behind her. Keys, phone charger and shoes were all inside; she called us from a neighbour's phone.
What we did
Villas like this often still run their original mortice lock with a much newer cylinder screwed into it. This one was a worn Lockwood cylinder in a lever mortice case. We checked ID against a tenancy agreement the neighbour could confirm, then picked the cylinder open in about six minutes. No drilling, no damage, and the original brass furniture untouched.
Before leaving we cut two spares and fitted a proper doorstop so the same gust cannot slam it again.
The lesson
Old Auckland villas and bungalows around Mount Eden, Kingsland and Grey Lynn tend to have doors that latch on their own. If your front door can lock behind you, keep a key with a neighbour or fit a keyed deadbolt you have to actually turn — it is far cheaper than an after-hours callout.
Need the same job done?
This was a locked out of house auckland job in Mount Eden. Call 021 109 9293 any hour.