Most lock and key emergencies are predictable: a lost key, a lockout, a dead smart lock battery, a broken key or a break-in. You can't prevent all of them, but ten minutes of preparation decides whether one costs you an evening or a few minutes. This guide sets out a simple lock and key plan for your home and your car: what to keep, where to keep it, who to call and what to write down before anything goes wrong.

Already in a lock emergency? Call (613) 707-4884.

1. Spare Keys, Stored the Right Way

A spare key is the single most useful thing you can prepare.

  • Home: leave a spare with a trusted neighbour, friend or family member who lives nearby. Avoid hiding one under the mat, in a planter or above the door frame; those are the first places a burglar checks.
  • Car: keep a spare key or fob at home, never inside the vehicle. If you only have one car key, get a copy while it still works. Our article on why every driver needs a spare car key explains why that is far easier than replacing a lost last key.
  • Label nothing. Don't put your address or licence plate on a key tag. A lost key with no identifying information is much less useful to whoever finds it.

2. A Short Emergency Contact List

Save these in your phone and keep a paper copy at home, since a lockout often happens when your phone is low or locked inside:

  • A locksmith you've already checked out, so you aren't searching online in a hurry.
  • Your roadside assistance provider, through your insurer, auto club or vehicle manufacturer.
  • Your landlord, property manager or condo security desk, if you rent or live in a managed building.
  • The person holding your spare keys.

For a child or pet locked in a car, or anyone in danger, the number is always 911 first.

3. Information Worth Writing Down

A few details make any key replacement faster:

  • Your vehicle's year, make, model and VIN. The VIN is on your registration and insurance documents and is the starting point for replacing a car key when none are left.
  • Your key type. Note whether your car uses a plain key, a chipped key, a remote-head key or a push-button smart key.
  • Key cards and codes for home locks. Some new locks and high-security cylinders come with a key card or code. Store it somewhere safe; it can make ordering extra keys simpler.
  • Smart lock details. The brand, model, account login and backup access method (keypad code, mechanical key or emergency power terminal).

4. Smart Locks and Keyless Entry

Electronic locks fail in different ways from mechanical ones. Replace smart lock batteries when the app or lock first warns you, not when it dies. Know where the backup key is and test it occasionally, because a mechanical override that has never been used can be stiff. For keyless cars, learn where the hidden emergency key blade sits inside your fob and how to start the car if the fob battery is dead; your owner's manual covers both.

5. Your Car's Emergency Kit

A lockout or lost key can leave you waiting outside in bad weather, so keep the basics in the vehicle. Transport Canada's winter driving emergency kit list includes a first aid kit, booster cables, an ice scraper, a flashlight, extra clothing and a blanket, a shovel and traction aids, non-perishable food and water, and a charged cell phone. Add a phone charging cable and a small card with your emergency contacts. Keep lock de-icer in your coat or at home rather than in the car, where you can't reach it if the door is frozen. For cold-weather lockouts specifically, see our guide to car lockouts in an Ottawa winter.

6. If You Rent

Lock changes in rental housing are covered by Ontario's Residential Tenancies Act, 2006. According to the Government of Ontario, it is an offence for a landlord to change the locks to a rental unit without giving the tenant a new key, and it is also an offence for a tenant to change the locks without the landlord's consent. If you lose your keys or want a lock changed, contact your landlord first, and keep their after-hours contact in your list.

7. A Plan for After a Break-In

If your home has been broken into, call police before touching anything. Once they've finished, check every door and window lock, not just the one that was forced, and plan to repair or replace damaged hardware the same day so the home can be secured overnight. If keys were stolen, have the locks rekeyed or replaced.

Your Next Step

Spend a few minutes this week making spares, saving contacts and writing down your key details. When something does go wrong, our emergency locksmith service handles home, car and business lockouts, broken keys and urgent repairs, or you can call (613) 707-4884.

Sources: Transport Canada, Winter driving emergency kit; Government of Ontario, Rental housing offences.