Do you tip a locksmith?

Locked out? Lost your keys? Struggling with a flimsy lock? A good locksmith is always at hand to save the day. Professional locksmith services may spare you a lot of stress and money, which is the reason many customers wonder if they should tip a locksmith to show appreciation.

Does your locksmith expect to get tipped?

In hospitality and, generally, in industries related to leisure, it is customary to leave a tip when you enjoy the service. A locksmith, however, is a technician trained to deal with the security of your property and a number of emergencies such as lost keys or broken locks.

These situations can hardly be considered something we choose to do. This is the reason a locksmith is not going to expect a tip for fixing your locks. Similarly, a surgeon does not expect to get tipped for fixing your broken leg.

Particularly tricky jobs

What if you happen to get locked out of your holiday cottage deep in the woods in the middle of the night on a bank holiday in terribly heavy rain and your locksmith is there in a blink of an eye to let you into your property?

Obviously, this is a highly hypothetical scenario, but just a couple of its components might be enough for you to feel like tipping the locksmith after all.

If you feel so, go for it. Tipping a locksmith in UK is not obligatory or customary, but it’s not unheard of in the case of jobs involving bad weather conditions, holidays, nigh-time emergencies, particularly tricky tasks, unusual locations or situations when locksmith’s work actually saves you a lot of money (it’s certainly cheaper to fix the lock than replace the door!).

How to show appreciation

To sum up, you are not expected to tip a locksmith, but you can do that if you wish. Tipping a locksmith is not going to be taken as an insult, but neither is not doing so. Most locksmiths have fixed prices for their services. Experienced professional locksmiths do not have any hidden fees and they do not expect you to pay any extras.

If you want to show appreciation to your locksmith but hesitate to give them a tip, here’s a good way to go: leave them a positive review on Goggle or social media and tell your neighbours about the excellent service you received!