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"Locked Out of Apartment NYC"

Locked Out of Your Apartment in NYC? Here's What to Do

Locked out of your apartment in NYC, right now, at any hour? Call (347) 549-9077. A real person answers, day or night, and a licensed Basics Plus locksmith is dispatched from whichever of our three Manhattan storefronts is closest to you.

Basics Plus has been cutting keys and opening doors in Manhattan since 1988. We are not a call center that resells your job to a subcontractor. Our own licensed, insured locksmiths work out of three real storefronts — Union Square, the Upper West Side, and Midtown East — so wherever you're standing in Manhattan, a crew isn't far away.

What to Do the Moment You're Locked Out

Stay by your door. We cannot open an apartment without the resident present, so if you've stepped away, come back before the locksmith arrives. While you wait, have these four things ready for the phone call:

  1. Your cross street — the address plus the nearest corner, and your apartment number. In a city of short blocks, the corner gets our locksmith to the right door faster.
  2. The type of door — apartment door, building front door, office suite, or a rolling storefront gate. Tell us if it's metal or wood, one lock or two.
  3. Whether the key broke off inside the cylinder — a snapped key is a different job than a locked door with keys left upstairs. If it broke off, stop turning it and leave the piece where it is.
  4. ID showing the address — a driver's license, lease, a piece of mail, or a super or building manager who can vouch for you. We open doors for the people who belong behind them, so having this ready speeds things up.

What Happens After You Call

A licensed locksmith is dispatched from the nearest shop. Downtown calls run out of our Union Square shop, uptown calls out of the Upper West Side shop, and Midtown calls out of our 845 2nd Avenue location. We tell you on the phone who is coming and give you a real arrival window based on the hour and crosstown traffic — not a number we can't keep.

You hear the price before anything starts. The locksmith looks at the door, explains what the job takes, and quotes it on the spot. Nothing gets picked, drilled, or opened until you agree to the number.

The door opens without wrecking the frame. Non-destructive entry and picking come first, always. Most apartment lockouts open this way. If a cylinder genuinely has to be drilled, we tell you before we touch it and quote the replacement lock at the same time.

We rekey on the spot if your keys are gone for good. Lost in a cab, taken with a stolen bag, or simply missing — if the old keys are a security risk, we can rekey the cylinder right there and cut you a fresh set, so the old keys stop working immediately.

Coverage Across Manhattan

We cover all of Manhattan from three real storefronts, which means downtown, the Upper West Side, and Midtown East each have a nearby crew:

If you're specifically downtown or on the Upper West Side, see our dedicated guides: Locked Out Near Union Square or the East Village and Locked Out on the Upper West Side.

Why Manhattan Renters Call Basics Plus

Our shops opened in 1988 and we've served Manhattan storefront to storefront for 35+ years. Every locksmith on the job is our own trained staff — licensed and insured — not a subcontractor pulled off an app. Shop hours are Monday to Saturday, 8:00am to 7:00pm, with emergency lockouts covered 24/7.

FAQ

I'm locked out of my apartment in NYC right now — what should I do? Call (347) 549-9077 and tell us your cross street, the type of door, and whether you have ID showing the address. A licensed locksmith is dispatched from whichever of our three Manhattan shops is closest. Stay by the door — we cannot open an apartment without the resident present.

How fast can someone get to me? It depends on the hour and crosstown traffic, so we give you a real arrival window on the phone rather than a number we can't keep. Downtown calls run out of Union Square, uptown calls out of the Upper West Side, and Midtown calls out of 845 2nd Avenue.

Will you have to drill my lock to get in? Most apartment lockouts open without drilling — picking and non-destructive entry come first. If a cylinder genuinely needs drilling, we tell you before we touch it and quote the replacement at the same time. Because we carry stock, the new cylinder usually goes in during the same visit.

What do I need to prove the apartment is mine? A driver's license, lease, a piece of mail, or a super or building manager who can vouch for you. We open doors for the people who belong behind them.

Can you rekey my apartment if I lost my keys? Yes. If your keys are lost or stolen, we can rekey the cylinder on the spot and cut you a fresh set, so the old keys stop working immediately. See Apartment Rekeying in Manhattan for details.

Do you charge extra for nighttime lockouts? The locksmith quotes the job on the spot after looking at your door, before any work starts — so you always hear the price first. For current lockout pricing, call (347) 549-9077.