Lost All Your Car Keys in Rednal, Birmingham?

Lost All Your Car Keys? What to Do First

Work through the list below in order, before you call. It takes only a few minutes, and it can save a visit when a key turns up in a place you had not checked. If the keys were stolen rather than lost, move straight to the next section.

• Check the obvious places first: coat pockets, bags, drawers, kitchen surfaces, and the car itself. Retrace the last journey you made with the car, step by step.
• Ask anyone who was with you, and check with places you visited, such as a shop or a workplace lost property desk.
• If the keys were stolen, tell the police and note the crime reference number, then tell your insurer.
• Gather your V5C logbook and photo ID, then call 07367 634032 and tell us your make and model, where the car is, and what has happened.

If Your Keys Were Stolen

A stolen key is a security problem as well as a lost key, because the person holding it may know where the car is parked. Report the theft to the police straight away and note the crime reference number, then contact your insurer, because a stolen key can affect a claim. Your insurer may ask for the crime reference number, so keep it safe.

Once the theft is reported, call us on 07367 634032. We can make a fresh key for your car and take the stolen key out of the car memory, so the old key stops working. Action Fraud is the national reporting centre for fraud, and it can also take reports where a theft is linked to a scam. Citizens Advice has plain guidance on what to do after a theft and how to deal with an insurer.

How a New Key Is Made Without the Original

A new key is built from the code held for your vehicle, not from a copy of the old key. The steps below show the order of the work, in plain language. We explain each step on the call before we start, and you stay with the car throughout.

The work takes longer than copying a spare, because there is no original key to work from, and the car must be taught to accept a new key from scratch. The key type matters too: a plain key with a chip is a shorter job than a smart key, which must be coded for locking, unlocking and starting. For more detail on how the coding works, see our page on car key programming in Rednal, Birmingham.

• We check your proof of ownership first, so have your V5C logbook and photo ID ready when we arrive.
• We find the key code for your vehicle, using the details you give us on the call, including the make, model and year.
• We cut a new key blade to match the code, at your car.
• We programme the new key to your car, so the chip is recognised and the engine starts.
• We check the finished key together. It must lock and unlock the doors and start the engine before we go.

Proof of Ownership: What You Need

A replacement key made after every key is lost needs proof of ownership first. The check is not a formality: it is the step that makes sure a key is made only for the person the car belongs to. Without it, anyone could order a key for a car parked on any street, and that would put every car owner at risk.

We ask to see your V5C logbook with photo ID. The V5C names the registered keeper of the car, and the photo ID shows that you are that person. Together they confirm the car is yours. The GOV.UK pages on vehicle registration explain how the V5C log book is issued and how to apply for a replacement.

When the papers are not to hand, ring us before we set off and ask what else counts. Another way to confirm ownership may be open, and we will go over the choices on the call. Our proof of ownership page sets out the full policy, including what to do when the V5C is held by a finance company or a lease company.

What Affects the Cost When All Keys Are Lost

Losing every key costs more than making a spare, because the new key must be built from scratch and the old keys should be taken out of the car memory. The key type is the biggest factor: a plain key with a chip costs less than a remote key, and a smart key costs more again, because it must be coded for locking, unlocking and starting.

Make and model shape the price as well, since the way codes are held varies by car, and some cars call for more stages than others. A night visit, a weekend call or a bank holiday job can also cost more than one in the middle of the day. A plain price comes before any work starts, setting out the call-out and the job together. Our page on car key replacement cost factors in Rednal, Birmingham explains every factor in turn.

Where We Make a New Key

The work happens at your car, anywhere in Rednal, Birmingham B45 and the nearby areas: Longbridge, Northfield, Rubery, Frankley and Barnt Green. Your car may be parked at home, at work, in a station car park, or on a driveway, and the key is made there. Not sure if your car is inside the area we serve? Call and tell us where it is, or look at our areas we cover page for the full list.

Get a Spare Key Made at the Same Time

Once a new key has been made, a spare key made at the same visit is the simplest way to avoid going through this again. The locksmith is already with your car, the proof of ownership check is already done, and the new key can be copied while the work is under way. A spare kept at home turns a future lost key into a small problem instead of a lockout.

A spare is also useful for a second driver in the household, or for a family member who shares the car. Read our spare car key in Rednal, Birmingham page for the full detail, or ask on the call when we are already with you. If you need a key replaced rather than a spare, our car key replacement in Rednal, Birmingham page covers that job.