House Lockout in Savannah, GA

Locked out of a Savannah house

What you can tell a locksmith about your doors depends on the house. The Chatham County-Savannah Metropolitan Planning Commission (MPC) describes Kensington Park-Groveland as a roughly 160-acre area of ranch houses on large lots, built between 1950 and 1968 among live oaks. A house like that can have a front door, a carport door and a patio door, and each may lock differently. Before you send a request, note which doors you hold keys for and whether each is secured by a deadbolt, a knob lock or both.

The Victorian Historic District, which the MPC calls Savannah's first streetcar suburb, covers 45 city blocks developed from the 1860s to the 1920s. A door that old may still be original, with hardware to match, so a clear photo of the lock from outside helps a locksmith plan the visit.

Apartments and shared entries

More than half of Savannah households rent. In a rented apartment or a divided house, the street door and your own unit door can be controlled by different people. Tell the owner or manager as well, since they control the shared entrance and may hold a spare for your unit, and say which door you are locked out of: the street door, your own door or both.

Waiting outside in the weather

NOAA's summary for Georgia describes long, hot and humid summers, with tropical storm remnants bringing heavy rain and strong winds. Wait in shade, or with a neighbor, rather than on an open porch, and give that spot in your request. If someone inside cannot open the door for themselves, such as a young child or a person who is ill, call 911 before anything else.

What to have ready

• Photo ID, plus a lease or utility bill for the address
• The owner's or manager's contact details, if you rent
• Whether the keys are inside, lost or broken off in the lock
• Your street, the nearest cross street and which door you are at

If your ID is inside the house, say so in your request. If the keys turn out to be lost rather than inside, lock rekeying makes them useless to anyone who finds them. See house lockout service and the Savannah page.