Office lockout in Amsterdam: getting your team back in without damage
An office lockout is the situation where nobody present can open the business premises, because the key is lost, the lock has failed or the only key holder is unreachable; a locksmith opens the door without damage and, if needed, replaces the cylinder in the same visit.
It is ten past eight. Six people stand on the pavement in Amsterdam with coffee and laptops, and the one colleague with the key is on a train to Utrecht. Or the key is there and the lock refuses. An office lockout in Amsterdam is rarely dramatic, but every hour costs money and someone has to decide what to do. This blog tells you what that is.
First: who has a key and who owns the door
Before you call anyone, check two things. Is there a second key holder, a neighbour or a building manager who can be there faster than a locksmith? And is the door yours to open? In a shared office building the street door belongs to the landlord or the manager, and they may have a key and a procedure. For your own office door, you decide.
What the locksmith needs from you
- The address and which door: street door, office door or both.
- What kind of door and lock it is: a glass door with a lockable handle, a wooden door with a cylinder, a door with a multipoint lock.
- Whether the door is bolted with the key or only pulled shut.
- Proof that you are entitled to enter: a business card, a letter with the address or the manager on the phone.
With those answers we bring the right tools and give you a realistic price before we leave.
How the door is opened
Most office doors are opened without damage. A door on the latch is pushed open with a tool; a bolted door is opened through the cylinder. Only when the cylinder has failed or the key is lost and the cylinder has to go anyway is it drilled and replaced on the spot. Either way you are back inside within the hour in Amsterdam, and the door closes behind you as before.
When the key is lost rather than left behind
A lost office key is a different problem from a key on a desk inside. If a key with your address on it is out there, the cylinder should be replaced the same day, and the number of keys reissued. Our blog on lost office keys explains how to handle that with staff.
What we do
Our emergency locksmith in Amsterdam service opens office doors day and night, replaces the cylinder if needed and issues the keys you ask for. The full range of business services is on our our locksmith services page. You hear the price before we start.
Frequently asked questions
How fast can a locksmith get to my office in Amsterdam?
Within 30 minutes anywhere in Amsterdam, day or night. Call +31 (0)20 210 1986.
Will the door be damaged?
Usually not. Most doors are opened with tools. Only a failed cylinder is drilled and replaced on the spot.
What do I need to show the locksmith?
Something that links you to the address: a business card, a letter or the building manager on the phone.
Should I replace the lock after an office lockout?
Only if a key is lost or the lock has failed. If the key is simply inside, the door is opened and nothing is replaced.
Can you also open the street door of our building?
Yes, with permission from the landlord or the building manager. Have them available on the phone.
Team on the pavement? Call Locksmith Amsterdam on +31 (0)20 210 1986. We open the office door without damage, within 30 minutes in Amsterdam, with the price confirmed before we start.
