House Lockout in Spokane, WA

Which door stands between you and your keys

How you get back inside depends on what kind of building you live in.

• Browne's Addition. This neighborhood just west of downtown was Spokane's first, and its large mansions have mostly been turned into apartments, a change that began in the 1920s. A converted house can have a shared street door, separate unit doors and a back stair, so you can be shut out at the street door, at your own door, or at both. A neighbor may let you into the hall, but your unit door is a separate matter, and the manager may hold a key to it.
• Five Mile Prairie. Houses have been going up on this northern mesa, on former rural land, since about 2000. A newer house can add a side entry, a garage-to-house door and a keypad to the front door, so check each before asking for help. One of them may have been left unlocked.

Being shut out in a Spokane winter

Spokane's snow season runs from November 15 to March 15, and a lockout in that window is a safety problem before it is a lock problem. A porch is a poor place to stand. A neighbor's house, a nearby business, or a car with its tailpipe clear of snow is better. In your request, say if your street is unplowed, if the steps are icy, or if anyone with you is elderly, very young or without a coat.

If the keys are lost rather than locked inside, ask about lock rekeying once you are in.

What to have ready

It helps to have something that shows you live at the address:

• Photo ID showing the address
• A lease or deed for this address, if your ID still shows an old one
• For an apartment, the manager's name and whether your unit lock is on the building's key system

A tenant shut out by a landlord who has changed the locks is in a different situation from an ordinary lockout. RCW 59.18.290(1) makes it unlawful for a landlord to remove or exclude a tenant except under a court order. This is general information, not legal advice.

The house lockout page describes the service, and the Spokane page has the neighborhood notes.