Does my building need to approve the visit before you can help me?

Some buildings do require this, particularly larger condo or managed rental properties — worth checking with your building if you're unsure, or we can help sort this out when you call.

What if I'm locked out of the building itself, not just my unit?

This is common, and we handle both situations — let us know when you call so we can plan the visit accordingly.

Will this damage my apartment door or its lock?

Very rarely, when non-destructive entry is used, which is our default approach for the large majority of calls.

I'm a tenant. Am I responsible for the cost of this, or is my landlord?

This depends on your specific lease terms — we can provide documentation of the work if that's useful for a conversation with your landlord or property manager.

Can you coordinate directly with my property management company?

Yes, we're glad to work with building management when that's part of how access needs to be handled.

How quickly can you get to an apartment lockout?

We treat these as a priority call and aim to respond as quickly as reasonably possible.

Do you need the building manager's approval?

Some buildings require it. Tell us the address when you call and we'll walk through what's needed before we arrive.

Can you open a unit if I only have lobby access?

We can usually work once we're at the unit door — lobby or elevator access is the part buildings sometimes restrict.

Apartment Lockout Service

Residential keys and lockouts

Being locked out of an apartment or condo unit involves a layer that a house lockout simply doesn't: a shared building, often a locked main entrance of its own, sometimes a superintendent or property management office with rules about who they'll let in and when. Can-Lock Security handles apartment and condo lockouts directly, and helps you navigate the building side of things when that's part of the actual problem.

Why an Apartment Lockout Is a Different Kind of Situation

A house lockout is fundamentally about one door. An apartment lockout can genuinely involve two — the building's main entrance, if you're locked out of that as well as your unit, and the unit door itself. Sometimes only the unit is the issue and building access isn't a concern at all; sometimes getting into the building in the first place is the first real obstacle.

What Actually Causes Most Apartment Lockouts

A unit door that locks automatically the moment it closes, with keys left inside. Keys lost somewhere during the day, on transit, at work, or out running errands. A fob or key card that's stopped working, sometimes without warning. A roommate or partner who has the only working key and isn't reachable. A lock that's jammed or stiff, more common in older apartment buildings with original hardware that's seen decades of tenant turnover.

Why We Ask About Building Policy Before Arriving

Some buildings have a strict policy requiring identification or management approval before anyone, including a locksmith, can assist with unit access, particularly in larger condo or purpose-built rental buildings with dedicated security or concierge staff. Knowing this ahead of time helps us plan the visit properly rather than arriving and discovering a building-level obstacle we weren't expecting.

What to Check Before Calling

Whether a roommate, partner, or family member might already be home or reachable with a spare key. Whether your building's superintendent or concierge, if there is one, can grant access to common areas while you sort out your unit specifically. Whether you have a spare key stored elsewhere, with a neighbour, a nearby family member, or in a lockbox, that would resolve this without needing a service call at all.

Why We Default to Non-Destructive Entry

The large majority of apartment and condo lockouts can be resolved by working the existing lock open with proper tools and technique, without drilling or damaging the door. This matters particularly in a rental unit, where damage to a door or lock can become a real dispute with a landlord or property management company. Non-destructive entry means your current keys or fob continue working exactly as before, with nothing to explain or repair afterward.

Why Rental Units Raise Their Own Considerations

If you're a tenant, it's worth understanding your specific lease terms around locksmith access and any costs that might be your responsibility versus your landlord's. We're happy to provide documentation of the work performed, which is often useful if a cost needs to be discussed with a property manager or landlord afterward.

What Happens Once You're Back Inside

If your key was genuinely lost, not just misplaced somewhere in the unit, it's worth considering a rekey, particularly if you're the unit's owner rather than a tenant. If you're renting, this typically needs to go through your landlord or property management, and we're glad to coordinate directly with them if that's how your building operates.

Why Apartment and Condo Residents Choose Can-Lock Security

Can-Lock Security is a mobile, family-owned locksmith experienced with the particular logistics of apartment and condo buildings, from independent walk-up units to larger buildings with formal management and security policies.