Car owner demands that locksmith open his car then refuses to pay, locksmith re-locks his keys in the car: "I'm not paying you 80 bucks"

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Sep 18, 2025 3:00 PM EDT

"We have the right to refuse service," this locksmith wrote, "even after it's done." How delightful! Can you even imagine the satisfaction such a clause could bring to ones' life? 

There are certain industries that all but demand customers be on their best behavior with the workers, lest they mess around and find out. For example, would you be impolite to the person who's fixing your broken washing machine? I sure wouldn't. That person has a particular set of skills, and they can charge any amount of money they want to. Even if they're charging a ton of money to fix said washer, if there's no one else around to do it cheaper, well, the clientele will have to pay up. The same goes for plumbers, movers, painters, the list goes on. When you require a skilled individual to help you out with a problem you can't solve on your own, you will most definitely be paying for their years of knowledge or their specialty tools. 

That doesn't stop some customers from devaluing this work, though. Just because a plumber can fix your bathroom up in 15 minutes then charge $$$ for it, doesn't mean it was "worthless." That dude brought tools and expertise, and solved your problem, so you'll just have to pay what's demanded of you! And if not… well… you can read about the consequences of what happened with the customer who decided to FAFO with his locksmith down below. 

Up next, read about the 31-year-old woman who's been enduring an irritating neighbor for quite a while, as you can read about in her 8-part saga: "I repeated that this was my home and she couldn't walk in whenever she wanted." 

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  • 01
    Man in black button-down and jeans talks on cell phone next to a white car and a black car while looking to the right, on right is woman in pink shirt holding up keys and smiling
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 02

    "If you're r*de and refuse to pay, we have the right to refuse services, even after they're done"

    So I was in the shop one day, a customer was in getting some keys copied, nice and simple job. Suddenly while I've got the machine running, some shirtless guy comes in looking really frantic. I tell him I'll be just a minute longer, then I finish the keys, and send the first customer on his way.
    via u/itstheleviathan
  • 03
    Frantic dude: "jeez, took you long enough, I need you to come unlock my car" I'm already a little annoyed since its almost closing time, but I just figure he's got a kid/dog/groceries in the car and give him the benefit of the doubt.
    via u/itstheleviathan
  • 04
    Me: "No problem, where is it?" FD: "A couple miles that way, my girlfriend drove me over here. You can follow us to it." I get some info from him, the kind of car it is, his name/number/address in case we get separated, etc.
    via u/itstheleviathan
  • 05
    FD: "My phone's in the car so if you call it I won't answer" Me: "Then how about your girlfriend's number?" FD: "Hers is in there too" Well ok then Since it's pretty much closing time, I just go ahead and set the alarm and lock the doors as I leave, he doesn't like this and starts saying how I'm taking
    via u/itstheleviathan
  • 06
    Cheezburger Image 10555420672
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 07
    forever. Yeah yeah, take a chill pill, 5 extra seconds won't kill you. I get in my truck and follow him out there, when we get there | grab my tools and head to the car. Surprisingly, there's nothing in there except for the keys on the seat. No kids or dogs, so now I'm just hoping it's actually their car.
    via u/itstheleviathan
  • 08
    FD: "You'd better not mess up my doors, this is a classic" Yeah, a classic Ford POS I open it up in about 10 seconds and check the insurance card, and yup it's their car. I pick up the keys and go over to him, tell him it's $40, and he just looks at me dumbfounded.
    via u/itstheleviathan
  • 09
    FD: "Wait you mean I have to pay for this?" Ummm, yeah? Me: "Yes sir, we charge a service call when we have to go out to the location." FD: "Well I'm not paying for that, you did it in 10 seconds, I could've done that myself if I'd have known" Me: "Well I'm
    via u/itstheleviathan
  • 10
    sorry, but I can't do this for free." I could've, but there was no real urgency like a life endangered, plus he was ride about the whole thing. We normally would just bill someone in the situation, but we've been burned too many times, so we'll only do that for companies.
    via u/itstheleviathan
  • 11
    FD: "I'm not paying for that, I don't have any money" Me: "Then if you think you can do it yourself, go for it." I throw his keys in the car, lock the doors, shut it behind me, and leave. I get home about ten minutes later, then after probably an hour he calls back.
    via u/itstheleviathan
  • 12
    FD: "I can't get it open, come back and open my car again" Me: "I can go out again, but I'll have to charge you for two service calls." FD: "F- you A-he, I'm not paying you 80 bucks" Me: "Then you can call out other locksmith nearby, I'm sure he'll be happy to help y-" click
    via u/itstheleviathan
  • 13
    I didn't tell him, but they charge $100 to unlock cars. Never heard back from him
    via u/itstheleviathan
  • 14
    ForeverAdorable I would have been disappointed if you hadn't locked his keys in his car after he refused to pay. Good on you for standing your ground.
    via u/ForeverAdorable
  • 15
    [deleted] I didn't tell him, but they charge $100 to unlock cars I was about to say, $40 sounds too generous to unlock a car
    via u/[deleted]
  • 16
    Call_Me_Feefer It took ten seconds because you know what you're doing and he doesn't, that's also why you have to pay for services, skilled vs unskilled.
    via u/Call_Me_Feefer
  • 17
    coatrack68 I don't know, $40 doesn't really seem like a lot to fix a f, like locking my keys. in my car...
    via u/coatrack68
  • 18
    Gimletson I've only had one customer not pay me, but since she was obviously poor and suffering from the mental overload that poverty imposes I handed over her keys. I also gave her some practical advice on how to not get in that situation again. She got a 20 from a family member, and I made her a spare key that would work her door.
    via u/Gimletson
  • 19
    I've had several others that didn't want to pay me, but I sit in their driver's seat filling out my invoice with their keys in my hand. If they get vocal I happily offer to call the sheriff to help us resolve matters. Strangely enough, no one has taken me up on the offer.
    via u/Gimletson

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locksmith keys car keys lock car cars driver entitled people karma entitled locked out entitled people
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