OPINION PIECE
Jonas King, Jonas King Locksmiths
Good locksmiths already follow the rules. The real challenge is stopping the traders who mislead customers, ignore the law and hide behind fake online adverts. I completely understand why people are calling for regulation in the locksmith industry. I really do.
Nobody wants rogue locksmiths operating, nobody wants vulnerable people being ripped off at the door, and nobody wants our trade dragged through the mud by people who should not be anywhere near someone’s home, keys or security. But I don’t think mandatory licensing is automatically the answer.
The problem we have is not that there are no laws. The problem is that the laws we already have are not being enforced strongly enough, quickly enough, or visibly enough.
Locksmiths, like any other business dealing with consumers, already have to comply with consumer protection law. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 says services must be carried out with reasonable care and skill. The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations protect customers from misleading actions, aggressive sales tactics and unfair commercial practices. Parliament has also confirmed that locksmiths are already subject to these consumer protection laws, and that breaches can carry criminal penalties enforced by Trading Standards.
So when a rogue locksmith advertises a cheap £49 call-out, turns up, drills a perfectly good lock, pressures the customer, then demands £600, £800 or even more, I don’t see that as a lack of licensing first and foremost. I see that as misleading pricing, poor workmanship, pressure selling and potentially fraud.
We already have rules to deal with that. Even in March 2026, the Government said it was aware of issues with rogue locksmiths, but it also pointed out that locksmiths must already comply with existing consumer legislation. It also said the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 has strengthened enforcement powers, including giving the CMA and courts powers to impose significant monetary penalties.
That matters, because if the rules already exist, adding another rulebook does not automatically protect the public. A rogue trader who is happy to mislead a customer today is not suddenly going to become honest because a licence exists tomorrow. They will either ignore it, fake it, trade under another name, or move online under a new advert. And that is one of my biggest concerns.
Mandatory licensing could easily end up punishing the good locksmiths more than the bad ones. It could even become a barrier to new locksmiths starting out and add further financial strain to self-employed locksmiths already battling with high running costs and a cost of living crisis that doesn’t seem to be ending. Honest local businesses would pay the fees, fill in the forms, take the time away from work, and carry the extra admin.
Meanwhile the actual scammers, the ones already ignoring the law, would just carry on until someone properly enforces against them. That is not protecting the public. That is adding cost and burden to the people already trying to do things properly. There are already trusted routes for consumers who want reassurance.
In fact, the Government itself has said that several self-regulating trade associations and accreditation schemes already exist in the locksmith industry, providing training, criminal record checks and member inspection. That is a much more balanced view than pretending there is only one possible answer.
We are members of the UK Locksmiths Association, because we believe in raising standards, training properly, acting professionally and giving customers confidence. There are others too, the MLA and the ALA are also well known and they all require members to supply DBS/CRB checks as part of the joining process, and they all provide comprehensive locksmith training.
That is important, because it proves a key point: the industry is not against standards. Good locksmiths are not scared of being checked, trained or held accountable. We just do not believe that a blanket mandatory licensing scheme is automatically the most effective way to stop criminals and cowboys.
There are also other routes customers can look for, such as Trading Standards Approved schemes, SafeContractor, ISO standards, insurance-approved products, DBS checks, proper invoicing, transparent pricing, warranties, local reputation and membership of recognised locksmith organisations.
These are practical signs that a locksmith is trying to operate properly. In my view, that is where the focus should be. Not another blanket licensing scheme that treats every locksmith like a potential criminal. Instead, we need proper enforcement of the laws we already have.
We need faster action against misleading adverts. We need Google and online platforms held to account when fake locksmith companies buy their way to the top of search results. We need Trading Standards to have the resources to investigate repeat offenders. And we need the public educated on what a genuine locksmith looks like before they are locked out at 11pm and panicking.
London Trading Standards has already warned that thousands of people fall victim to rogue locksmiths every year, often being overcharged by hundreds of pounds for simple jobs. Their advice is practical: find a reputable local locksmith before you need one, check for established businesses, avoid relying on random emergency adverts, and be cautious of suspicious stickers or fake recommendations.
That kind of practical consumer education, backed by real enforcement, would do more good than a licence that honest businesses comply with and criminals ignore. I am not against standards. Far from it. I believe locksmiths should be trained, insured, accountable and transparent. I believe customers should know who they are letting into their home. I believe rogue traders should be named, prosecuted and removed from the market.
But we need to be honest about what the actual problem is. The issue is not a shortage of regulation. It is a shortage of enforcement, awareness and accountability. Before we create a new licensing system, let’s properly use the protections we already have.
Let’s enforce the Consumer Rights Act. Let’s enforce unfair trading laws. Let’s crack down on fake adverts and bait-and-switch pricing. Let’s support Trading Standards. Let’s promote trusted trader schemes. Let’s recognise responsible organisations like the UK Locksmiths Association. And let’s make it easier for the public to find genuine, local, accountable locksmiths.
Because the answer to rogue traders should not be more red tape for good tradespeople. It should be tougher action against the people already breaking the law.
