Tourist flats are where most visitors get caught out. The door is unfamiliar, the key might be on a ring with three others, and the host could be asleep in another time zone. With a bit of order, you'll be back in your room tonight.
If you're standing at the door right now: send your host a message, then call or WhatsApp me on +34 663 48 41 13. I speak English. While we wait for the host, I can already give you a price and an arrival time.
Step one: message the host
Your host or the management company should be your first contact. They may have a spare key nearby, a cleaner who can come, or a code to reset. Write through the booking app, because that message is recorded and timestamped. Keep it short:
- Your name and booking reference.
- What happened: "I pulled the door shut and the keys are inside" or "the key box code isn't working".
- Where you are now (outside the flat, in the street, in a café nearby).
- A clear question: "Do you have a spare key, or can I call a locksmith?"
Give them a reasonable time to reply. If it's late at night and nobody answers, you don't have to sleep on the stairs.
Key boxes, lockboxes and smart locks
Many flats in Madrid and Toledo use self check-in: a small key box with a number code fixed to a wall or railing, or an electronic lock on the door. Common problems are simple ones.
- Wrong code: check your messages and the app again. Hosts sometimes change the code for each guest and send it the day before.
- Box jammed: don't pull at it or hit it. You may break something you'll be asked to pay for.
- Electronic lock with a flat battery: the host can sometimes help remotely or knows where the backup key is.
- Key box opens but the street door doesn't: buildings here have a separate key for the main entrance (the portal). Check you've got both keys on the ring.
If none of that works and the host doesn't respond, it's time for a locksmith.
What I need from you before opening
I won't open a tourist flat for just anyone. That protects you, your belongings and the owner. Before I start, I'll ask for:
- Your passport or ID.
- Your booking confirmation showing the address and dates.
- The host's OK, ideally a message in the app saying you can call a locksmith. If they can't be reached, we'll talk through the options at the door.
Having those three on your phone makes everything faster. If your passport is inside, show me the booking and we check the ID once the door is open.
Who pays the locksmith?
This is between you and your host, so agree it in writing if you can. As a general guide:
- If you locked yourself out or lost the key, the guest usually pays.
- If the lock, key box or electronic lock failed on its own, many hosts cover it or refund you.
- If the host asks for a new cylinder afterwards because a key is missing, that's normally discussed with them.
Whoever pays, I give an invoice (factura) with the address and the work done. Send a photo of it to the host or your travel insurer. The opening itself is €150–250, call-out included, and I tell you the exact amount on the phone before I set off, also at night or on Sundays. A new bombín (the lock cylinder), if needed, starts from €150. See my prices page for the rest.
Tourist flats in Madrid and Toledo
In central Madrid, short lets are spread through the old buildings of Sol, Malasaña, Lavapiés, La Latina and Huertas, often several floors up with a narrow staircase and a heavy street door. In Toledo, many are inside the old town, where cars and vans can't always reach the door. When you call, tell me the floor and door letter, and in Toledo the nearest square or church, so I can find you quickly. See central Madrid or Toledo.
Why call me
I'm Ismael, a self-employed locksmith with bases in Alcorcón, next to Madrid, and Fuensalida, in Toledo. I work 24 hours a day, every day. You speak to me directly in English, there's no call centre, and the price is fixed on the phone before I leave. I don't promise arrival minutes I can't keep: I check the route on Google Maps and tell you the real time.
The WhatsApp button on the site asks to share your location and sends it to me as a Google Maps link, so I know exactly where you are.
Message your host, keep your booking and ID to hand, and call or WhatsApp me on +34 663 48 41 13. I'll tell you the price and when I'll arrive, and you'll be back inside with an invoice for whoever is paying.
Frequently asked questions
What do I do if my Airbnb host doesn't answer and I'm locked out?
Message them through the app so there's a record, wait a reasonable time, then call a locksmith. Keep your booking confirmation and ID ready so the door can be opened safely.
Can a locksmith open an Airbnb without the owner?
I need your ID and booking confirmation, and ideally a message from the host saying it's OK. If the host can't be reached, we look at the options together at the door.
Who pays for a locksmith in a tourist flat in Spain?
It's agreed between guest and host. Usually the guest pays if they locked themselves out, and the host if the lock or key box failed. You always get an invoice to claim it back.
The key box code doesn't work. What should I do?
Check the latest messages from your host, as codes often change for each guest. Don't force the box. If the host doesn't reply, call me and I'll give you a price.