Saying exactly where the door is
The sheer size of the commune makes itself felt from the first call: a door in the town centre, a villa set back among the pines above Pyla-sur-Mer and a house in Cazaux some ten kilometres from the town centre have nothing in common. Describe the way in as much as the door itself: the name of the lane, a gate to get through, whether the number can be seen from the road, a building with an entryphone. France Serrure works across the whole of the Gironde; the terms of the call-out are given to you on the phone, before you commit to anything.
The second question is what actually happened. A door in the town centre simply pulled shut behind you, a terrace French window locked before heading down to the beach and a garage door that has become the only way into a house in Clairbois are three different jobs. In the meantime, walk around the property: the side door by the kitchen, the garden gate, the sliding door onto the back terrace, the utility room window. In suburban streets, it is not unusual for a secondary access point to have been left open, and for there to be nothing to open after all.
Proving you live there when you are not here all year round
A locksmith does not open a door simply because someone asks: it has to be established that you are the legitimate occupant. In a commune with so many second homes, the usual proof — a rent receipt, an energy bill in your name — is not always the one you have to hand. Title deeds, a property tax notice, an insurance certificate for the property or a holiday rental agreement in your name are all acceptable documents. Just explain your situation on the phone and you will be told what will do.
The common case here is the third party: a neighbour in Miquelots who keeps a key, a key-holding service preparing for an arrival, a family member looking after the shared family house. None of them can have a home opened on their own if they do not live in it. The owner or the tenant named on the agreement has to be reachable and give their consent, in writing where possible. A detailed quote is drawn up before any work and the invoice handed over afterwards: that is what allows an absent owner to follow exactly what has been done at their property.
How does this service work?
Techniques, typical situations, standards and things to watch out for: it is all on our door opening page. This page focuses on what the service involves in La Teste-de-Buch.