What should you do first when you're locked out of your apartment?
Stop and check the simple things before you spend a dime on anyone. Walk the whole way around your door situation: is there a roommate, partner or family member with a key? Is there a second entrance, like a patio slider, that you left unlocked on purpose? Does the building have an on-site manager or a lockbox for tenants? Two minutes of checking sometimes solves it, and we'd rather you know that than pay for a service you didn't need.
If none of that works, don't force the door, and don't try to slip the latch with a credit card on a deadbolt. A deadbolt won't give to a card at all, and you can end up with a bent strike plate, a chewed-up door frame, or a lock that no longer turns smoothly. Those repairs cost far more than opening the door properly. Also resist climbing a balcony or second-floor railing. People get hurt doing that every year, and it is never worth it.
Then call us at (213) 577-1366. We answer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays. Tell us the address, what kind of door and lock you have if you know, and whether your building has a manager we should loop in. If your keys are inside a car in the apartment lot rather than inside the unit, that's a different job, and our car lockout service covers it.
Why is an apartment or condo lockout different from a house lockout?
On paper, a locked door is a locked door. In practice, apartments and condos carry a few extra layers that change how we work. A single-family home usually has one person who owns the lock and the door. A rental unit has a tenant who controls daily access, a landlord or owner who controls the hardware, and sometimes a management company or HOA that has rules about who can be let in and what can be changed. If you're locked out of a house you own, our house lockout service is the straighter path. Apartments take a little more care.
The hardware also varies more. In one building you might have a standard knob lock and a single deadbolt. In the next you might find a restricted keyway the manager controls, a mortise lock in an older conversion, a keypad deadbolt, or a smart lock that stopped responding because the batteries died. Some doors have a second latch or a chain that makes things look worse than they are. Each setup calls for a different approach, and part of the work is simply reading the door before touching it.
Condos add another wrinkle: the entry door to your unit may be your responsibility, while the building's front door, garage gate and mailroom belong to the association. We can open your unit door, but we can't and won't override the building's own access system. That's a call to the management office.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366How do we handle an apartment lockout, step by step?
We follow the same order each time, because it protects your door and keeps the job honest. Here's what happens when you call.
- You call (213) 577-1366. We ask for the address, the building type, the kind of lock if you can describe it, and whether anyone from management is reachable.
- We send a mobile van from our fleet, and we talk you through anything you can safely do while you wait, such as contacting your manager or finding your ID.
- On arrival, we confirm you live there. Expect to be asked for ID or some proof of residence, such as mail or a lease. That protects you and your neighbors, and any honest locksmith will ask.
- We look at the door, lock and frame before touching anything, then choose the least damaging way in. Non-destructive entry comes first. Drilling is a last resort, used only when a lock is damaged or built to resist other methods.
- We open the door, check that the lock still works smoothly with your key, and tell you if anything was already worn or failing.
- If you want, we rekey or replace the lock on the spot, or we leave it as it is and talk through options for later. You decide, and we explain the price before work begins.
Do you call building management or a locksmith first?
It depends on the building, and the honest answer is that it's worth a quick call to both. Many complexes keep a master or spare key for emergencies, and if your manager can let you in during office hours, that's usually the more economical route. The catch is timing. Offices close, on-call maintenance numbers go unanswered at night, and some managers can only open a door during business hours or only after paperwork. When it's late, or you can't reach anyone, a locksmith is the practical answer.
Some leases say tenants must not change or add locks without permission, and some require that a copy of any new key goes to the manager. We take that seriously. If we're only opening your door, there's usually nothing to coordinate beyond letting the manager know. If you want a new lock afterward, check your lease first or call the office, because changing a lock without permission can cause a dispute that's much harder to fix than a lockout.
We coordinate with building management when that helps: confirming who the lawful tenant is, getting a go-ahead for a lock change, or asking about restricted keys that only the property can cut. Landlords and property managers who want one company to rely on for their units can read about our locksmith service for landlords.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366How much does an apartment lockout cost in Monrovia?
We won't quote a number on a web page, because the price depends on facts we can only learn from your door. We will always explain the price before work starts, so you can say yes or no with full information. Here's what moves the cost up or down:
- The type of lock. A basic knob or lever lockset is usually quick. A high-security deadbolt, a mortise lock, or a smart lock takes more time and skill.
- How many locks are on the door. A knob and a deadbolt together mean two openings, not one.
- Time of day. Nights, weekends and holidays involve pulling a technician out of their off hours, and that's reflected in the job.
- Distance. Our storefront is in Westwood, and Monrovia is about 29 miles from our base, so travel is part of the job, the same as for anyone driving that distance.
- Whether the lock is damaged. A lock that has been forced, or has a broken key stuck in it, takes more work than one that simply has the keys inside.
- What you want after entry. Opening the door is one job. Rekeying, replacing a deadbolt or adding a new lock are separate decisions, each with its own cost.
Should you rekey or change the locks after a lockout?
Not every lockout needs a lock change. If you simply left your keys on the kitchen counter, you're done once the door is open. But if your keys are lost or stolen, or if you're not sure where they went, the lock deserves attention. Anyone who finds a key with an address on it, or who knows which door it fits, can walk in. That's the point where a lockout becomes a security problem.
The lighter-cost option is usually rekeying: we change the internal pins so your old key no longer works, and you keep the same lock hardware. If the lock is worn, broken or outdated, a full lock change makes more sense. Either way, check your lease and let the manager know, since many buildings want a copy of the new key on file.
If your lockouts are a pattern, a keypad or app-based lock can help. A keyless deadbolt means you can't leave your key inside, though it comes with its own trade-offs, like batteries and a code you must remember. We're happy to explain those honestly. You can read more about smart lock installation if that interests you, and many landlords allow it only with written permission.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366What do apartment lockouts look like around Monrovia?
Monrovia isn't one kind of housing, and that shapes what we see at the door. South Monrovia is mostly smaller postwar houses and apartment buildings, and complexes there often have older hardware that has been rekeyed many times over the years. Tenant turnover is part of that story, which is exactly why a rekey after a lost key matters: the old key may still be circulating. Around the Station Square area, near the Metro A Line stop at Monrovia Station, newer townhome developments have gone up. Those lockouts tend to involve newer hardware, sometimes keypad or smart deadbolts, and an HOA or management company that sets rules for what can be changed on the door.
Old Town Monrovia along Myrtle Avenue and the Huntington Drive and Foothill Boulevard corridors mix older buildings with newer ones, so one block can hold very different locks. Up toward the Monrovia Highlands, hillside homes and some multi-unit properties have their own quirks, and so do the older Victorian and Craftsman homes north of Foothill Boulevard, where converted units can still carry legacy hardware. We read each door as it comes.
The climate matters a little too. Monrovia's foothill summers run hot, and heat can make wood and some metal doors swell slightly, so a lock that normally turns easily gets tight and a key that worked yesterday starts to bind. Wind-blown dust from Santa Ana conditions can also gum up lock cylinders over time. If your key has been sticking before a lockout, tell us. It's useful to know, and sometimes a cleaning or small repair prevents the next call. There's no coastal corrosion to worry about here.
Whether you're in 91016 near Library Park or on the far side of town near Mayflower Village, the process is the same: we confirm who you are, read the door, open it carefully and talk through what comes next. If you want a broader view of everything we do in the city, our Monrovia locksmith page lays it out.
Why call Wilshire Lock & Key for an apartment lockout?
We've been in business since 1987, and apartment lockouts are some of the oldest, most routine work in the trade. That experience shows up in small ways: knowing which doors hide a second latch, spotting a strike plate that's been bent by a previous forced entry, and telling a worn lock from a locked-out tenant. David, the owner and lead technician, oversees how we work, and the standards he sets apply to every job.
We're one company, not a call center passing your job along. When you call (213) 577-1366, you reach us, and we send our own technician in a mobile van. We also have a storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood, so there's a real place behind the phone number. We serve 140 cities across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, and Monrovia is one of them. Our mobile locksmith service is built for exactly this kind of call, and if the situation is more urgent than a standard lockout, our emergency locksmith service covers that too.
We answer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all year, because lockouts don't wait for business hours. We'll tell you what we see, explain the options, and let you decide. No pressure to replace a lock that doesn't need replacing.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366How do you check that a locksmith is legitimate?
California requires locksmith companies to hold a license through the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS), which issues what's called an LCO license. Ask any locksmith for their BSIS license number before they start work, whether it's us or anyone else. A legitimate company will give it to you without fuss, and you can verify it with the state.
A few other signs separate a straight operator from a bad one. Be careful with anyone who won't explain the price before they begin, who quotes an unusually low figure on the phone and then adds charges at the door, or who insists on drilling your lock without looking at it first. Be wary of a company that won't give its name or physical address. A trustworthy locksmith explains what they're doing and why, asks to confirm you live there, and leaves you with a working door.
Frequently asked questions
Can you open my apartment door if I'm not the one on the lease?
We need to be satisfied that you live there and have the right to be let in. That might mean ID with the address, mail, or a call to the manager. If you're a guest or a roommate not named on the lease, we may ask the manager or tenant to confirm. It's a safeguard for everyone who lives in the building.
Will opening my apartment door damage the lock?
Usually not. We try non-destructive methods first and read the door before doing anything. Drilling is a last resort, used when a lock is damaged or built to resist other methods. If a lock does need replacing, we tell you before we do it and explain why.
Should I call my landlord before calling a locksmith?
If you can reach them quickly, yes. A manager with a spare key can sometimes let you in at the lighter cost. If it's late, the office is closed, or no one answers, call us at (213) 577-1366 and we'll work with management as needed once you're back inside.
Can you rekey my apartment lock after I lose my keys?
Yes. Rekeying makes the old keys useless without replacing the hardware, which is often the more economical route. Check your lease first, since some buildings require permission or a copy of the new key. We can explain the options at the door.
I'm locked out of a condo in a newer Station Square development. Is that different?
It can be. Newer townhomes sometimes have keypad or smart deadbolts, and an HOA or management company may have rules about changes. We can open your unit door, but we can't override the building's own gate, garage or mailroom access. Those are a management matter.
My key sticks in the summer heat. Could that cause a lockout?
It can contribute. Monrovia's hot summers can make some doors swell slightly, and dust from Santa Ana conditions can gum up a lock cylinder. If your key has been binding, tell us when we arrive. Sometimes the lock needs cleaning, adjusting or replacing, and fixing it early can prevent another lockout.
Do you handle smart locks and keypad deadbolts at apartments?
Yes, though the approach depends on the model. A smart lock that failed because of dead batteries is a different problem from one that's electronically locked out. We look at the lock before choosing a method, and tell you plainly if we can't open one without damage.
Is it cheaper to wait until morning to call?
Sometimes a daytime visit costs less than a night or holiday call, but only if you have a safe place to wait and your door isn't a security risk. If you're outside at night, or your keys may be in someone else's hands, calling now is usually worth it. We'll explain the price before work begins.
What's the difference between an apartment lockout and a house lockout?
The lock work is similar, but apartments involve more parties: tenant, landlord and sometimes an HOA. That affects proof of residence and lock changes. For a home you own, our house lockout service is more straightforward. For rentals and condos, we coordinate with management where needed.
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Reviewed by David, Owner & Lead Technician, Wilshire Lock & Key — in the locksmith trade since 1987.
Last updated 2026-10-11.