Emergency Locksmith in Cambridge, MA

What makes a lock problem urgent here

Most lock trouble can wait. These situations in Cambridge cannot:

• Locked out in winter cold. Standing outside without a coat, or with a small child, cannot wait.
• A door that will not secure after a storm. NOAA's Massachusetts summary names nor'easters, tropical storms and hurricanes as a high risk on the coast. A wind-racked door or a failed latch leaves the home open.
• A shared street door that will not lock. One broken front-door lock in an apartment building exposes every unit; tell the owner too.
• A car on a snow-ban street. Cars on streets signed for snow emergencies are ticketed and towed during a ban, so a car lockout there has a clock running.
• Someone at risk inside. If a child is locked in a car, or someone who needs care is alone behind a locked door, call 911 first.

After a break-in

Call the police before calling anyone about the lock. Leave the door and frame as they are until police have seen them, and take photos. A kicked door often splits the frame at the strike, so the frame may need repair before any lock will hold. If you must leave, secure the opening as well as you can, and plan to rekey any lock whose keys may have been taken.

Lock changes for safety

Under M.G.L. c. 186, § 26, a tenant, co-tenant or household member who reasonably believes they face an imminent threat of domestic violence, rape, sexual assault or stalking at the home may ask the owner to change the locks. The owner has 2 business days to make a good-faith effort or give permission; after that the tenant may change them with locks of similar or better quality. If the threat comes from someone in the unit, the request needs a protective order under chapter 209A or 258E, or a court or law enforcement record. This is general information, not legal advice. If you are in danger now, call 911.

What to send

Describe the situation first: who is affected, whether anyone is inside and whether the door closes. Then give the address, the door (street, unit or rear) and photos of any damage. The emergency locksmith page describes the service, and the Cambridge page has more local notes.