House Lockout in Los Angeles, CA

One city, many kinds of front door

Where you are locked out matters as much as how. A Hancock Park house, a Broadway lobby and a loft can each involve a different set of doors, so name every one that is locked.

• Hancock Park. These 1920s Period Revival houses generally have a side driveway that runs through a porte cochere to a rear garage. The front door, the side door and the garage are separate locks, so a single request may involve all three.
• South Broadway. Between Second Street and Olympic Boulevard, the old department stores have almost all been converted to offices or housing. A resident may be shut out of the street lobby, the unit or both, and building management may control the lobby door.
• Arts District lofts. Between Alameda Street and the Los Angeles River, the city's 1981 Artist-in-Residence ordinance allowed residential use of industrial buildings, and many became live/work lofts. Say whether your loft door opens onto a shared corridor or straight onto the street.

If the landlord changed the locks

Not every lockout is an accident. California Civil Code § 789.3 bars a landlord from willfully changing the locks, or using a bootlock, to force a tenant out. A landlord who does can be liable for actual damages, a daily statutory amount and the prevailing party's attorney's fees. If that is what happened, say so in your request and consider getting legal advice. This is general information, not legal advice.

What to have ready

1. A photo ID showing the address. If the ID shows an older address, bring a lease, deed or other paper that ties you to the home.
2. The neighborhood, the nearest cross streets and every locked door: front, side, garage, lobby or loft.
3. Anything inside that cannot wait, such as a stove left on. If a child, a pet or anyone unwell is shut in, call 911 first.

Lost a key instead of leaving it inside? Lock rekeying makes the old key useless. Service details are on the house lockout page, and the neighborhoods above are on the Los Angeles page.