Eviction Lockout Services across greater Los Angeles, Ventura County & the Bay Area.

This page explains eviction lockout services: what the job includes, what to have ready, honest limits and what sets the price.

An eviction lockout in California happens only at the end of the court process: after judgment and a writ of possession, the sheriff's civil unit posts notice and then returns at a scheduled time to restore possession to the landlord. Our role is to be at the door for that appointment, open the unit if it is locked, and rekey or replace the locks before the deputy leaves. Everything before that point is paperwork and belongs to the landlord, their attorney and the sheriff.

We dispatch across greater Los Angeles, Ventura County, Silicon Valley and the Bay Area; see the city pages for local detail. The dispatch line at (888) 492-0666 is answered around the clock.

• Arrival at the time the sheriff's civil unit sets, with the deputy's presence confirmed before anything is opened
• A check of the writ, the sheriff's notice and the agent's authorization so our invoice matches the record
• Non-destructive opening of the unit if the former tenant locked it, or extraction of broken keys left in the cylinders
• Rekeying of every exterior cylinder (entry, rear, patio, garage side door, and a private mailbox if there is one) or replacement of damaged locks on the spot
• New keys handed only to the named agent, with the key count recorded on the invoice
• Optional re-securing of sliders, windows and gates with pins, bars or new locks before the unit sits vacant
• Multiple units for the same property manager scheduled on one route when the sheriff's dates line up

• Sheriff-coordinated residential eviction
• Commercial unit eviction or repossession
• Roommate ejected by court order
• HOA-required lockout
• Court-ordered access for inspection

• The sheriff's civil unit appointment date and time, and the case or writ number
• The named landlord or agent present with photo ID; a property manager should bring the management agreement or a letter of authority from the owner
• A count of exterior doors and any gates, mailboxes, storage closets or garages to include
• Lock brands and a photo of the current hardware so the van carries matching cylinders
• Your decision on rekey versus replace for each door, and how many keys the next tenant will need
• A phone number for the agent on site, since sheriff appointments can run early or late

Typically 20-30 minutes per unit for a rekey of two to four cylinders once the deputy restores possession. Replacing damaged hardware, keying several units alike for a property manager, or re-securing sliders and gates extends each unit. Time spent waiting for the deputy is outside our control and is discussed up front.

• We do not lock out an occupied unit without the sheriff's civil unit present under a writ of possession. A landlord or roommate asking for a lock change to force someone out is refused; self-help lockouts are illegal in California
• Roommate disputes, family members who will not leave, and HOA conflicts are not evictions. Each needs its own court order before a lockout can be scheduled
• Belongings left inside are the landlord's responsibility under the abandoned-property rules; the technician does not remove, inventory or store property
• Commercial and self-storage lockouts follow their own legal processes (unlawful detainer for commercial space, lien procedures for storage); we require the matching paperwork before changing locks
• Cluster mailboxes owned by the Postal Service are serviced by USPS, not by us; a private mailbox at the unit can be included
• If the former tenant damaged the door or frame, the lock change may need to be paired with a break-in repair visit or a door contractor

Pricing follows the number of units and cylinders rekeyed or replaced, the hardware grade if locks are changed, any extra securing of sliders, gates and mailboxes, and the number of keys cut. Travel between units on the same route, and sheriff appointments that fall outside business hours under the owner's rate card, are factored in and quoted in writing before the appointment.

The dispatcher gives you a range on the phone, and the technician confirms a written quote before any work starts.

Payment is by Cash, Credit Card, Debit Card, Apple Pay and Google Pay, and you receive an itemized receipt listing what was done.

• Kwikset, Schlage, Weiser and Defiant residential cylinders rekeyed to new keys
• Kwikset SmartKey resets where the property already uses them
• Grade 2 and Grade 1 replacement deadbolts and entry sets for vacant-unit security
• Sliding door loop locks and pin locks, gate locks and padlocks
• Keyed-alike sets and master keyed cylinders where the building already runs a system

The county Sheriff's civil unit schedules the lockout and a deputy completes it; the locksmith does not open the door before that. Once the deputy has finished, the technician rekeys or changes the locks on the owner's instructions and hands the keys to the authorized representative. Have the writ, the scheduled time and the authorized person's contact ready when you call.

We dispatch across greater Los Angeles, Ventura County, Silicon Valley and the Bay Area; see the city pages for local detail. For eviction lockout services, the city pages list ZIP codes, nearby communities and any local access notes.

Greater Los Angeles includes the San Fernando Valley, the Westside, the South Bay, the San Gabriel Valley, the Gateway Cities, the Santa Clarita Valley and the Antelope Valley. Ventura County includes the Conejo Valley and the coastal cities. In the Bay Area we cover Silicon Valley, the Peninsula and the southern East Bay.

For eviction lockout services, tell the dispatcher your address and what is wrong. You get an ETA before anyone is sent, a written quote before any work starts and a receipt when it is done. The line is answered around the clock.

One & Only Locksmith is bonded and insured; a certificate of insurance is available on request.