When a Vilnius resident lost the keys to the apartment, a summoned teacher opened the door: all that remains is to trust the honesty of the people.

I lost the keys

A turnkey apartment unlocking service can be helpful if the landlord has actually lost the keys and cannot get into their home. However, such activities are also very risky: how to ensure that the closed apartment really belongs to the person who wants such services?

Karolina, who told her Delfi Būsta story about unlocking her house, has repeatedly asked such questions. According to the Vilnius resident, when she lost the keys to her house, she had to urgently seek help. On the Internet, he found a teacher who announced that he could open any door.

“I called the master, he asked me if that apartment was mine and to prove it was mine. Since I rented the apartment, I could not prove that I really lived in it, I did not have any documents. He offered to call the owner of the apartment, but she lives abroad. I already lost hope, but then the captain said that we can call the police and open the lock with their supervision, and then the officers will have to make sure that I live here, “Karolina said.

According to the girl, she agreed that the doors of the apartment be locked with the supervision of officials. They benevolently agreed to come and observe the process.

“Officials came, we explained the situation to them, they weren’t surprised at all, it seemed like they did it every day. The master opened the door, I paid him and then he was left to prove that he lived in this apartment. It was easy to do because I had left my personal documents in it. I showed them and said goodbye to the officers, ”Karolina shared her experience.

We need to trust honesty

In this case, the officials ensured that Carolina had access to the house where she lives. Jaroslav Chont, director of the Lithuanian Keys Association, says that whenever a person requesting unlock services cannot prove that the apartment he is asking to unlock belongs to him, police officers are called in to monitor the process and then clarify property problems. It also points out that if a person needs home unlocking services, it would be safer to request them from members of the Lithuanian Keys Association. They must have the appropriate licenses and documents to participate in such activities.

“Before the emergency opening of the locks (apartment, car, safe), verify that the person is the owner of this property. If there are no supporting documents or witnesses, we recommend performing services only with a police officer, ”state key worker job recommendations.

Delfi Būstas asked J. Chont what legislation regulates the emergency unlocking of locks. According to the interlocutor, there is no specific legal basis for this activity, it is necessary to trust the honesty of both the teachers who are engaged in this activity and the residents who request the service. The most trusted key persons are those with licenses. Police officers are also involved in the work, as already mentioned. Ramūnas Matonis, Head of the Communication Department of the Lithuanian Police, in turn says that Delfi Būstas is the most important thing for the police to make sure that the person requesting the unlocking of the apartment is really its owner, and any method is suitable for that.

How to unlock locks? Craftsmen use different means: they close the locks with special keys, also called all-key keys, use the latest technology or disassemble the locks without damaging the door trim.