Emergency Auto Locksmith in Reading
Stuck at the roadside, locked out late at night, or a car that won't start? Matt is available 24/7 across Reading and Berkshire, and answers the phone himself.
When It Can't Wait Until Tomorrow
Car key problems have a habit of happening at the worst moment — a supermarket car park at closing time, a work van at 6am, a motorway services on the way home. Matt covers Reading and Berkshire on a 24/7 basis for genuine emergencies, attending in person with the equipment to gain entry, extract a broken key, or cut and program a new one on the spot.
There's no call centre in between. You call 0118 469 3408 and speak to Matt, who tells you honestly how quickly he can actually get to you rather than promising a time to win the booking.
What Matt Can Sort On-Site, Out of Hours
Most emergency call-outs fall into one of these four.
Non-destructive entry when keys are shut inside — see locked keys in car.
A new key created at the vehicle from scratch — see lost car keys.
Extracted without damaging the barrel — see broken key extraction.
Diagnosed on-site — often an ignition or steering lock fault rather than the key.
What "24/7" Honestly Means Here
Plenty of locksmith sites promise a fixed arrival time. Matt won't, because he's a sole operator rather than a dispatch network — and a firm promise from one person covering the whole county would be a promise he might not keep.
What 24/7 actually means: the phone gets answered around the clock, and if Matt can get to you, he'll tell you roughly when. If he's already mid-job the other side of Berkshire, he'll say that too, so you can decide whether to wait or call someone else. That's a less impressive promise than "30 minutes guaranteed," and considerably more useful when you're standing next to a car you can't open.
How an Emergency Call-Out Works
No booking system, no call centre. Describe what's happened and where you are.
Matt tells you when he can realistically get there and what it should cost, before setting off.
Proof of ownership is checked on arrival, at any hour, without exception.
Entry, extraction, a new key or a diagnosis, done there rather than towed anywhere.
When to Call Someone Other Than a Locksmith
A locksmith is the right call for most out-of-hours car trouble. There are a few situations where he genuinely isn't.
A child, vulnerable adult or pet is locked inside the vehicle — particularly in warm weather. Emergency services attend faster and can act immediately.
You've broken down in a live lane on a motorway or dual carriageway. Get to safety behind a barrier and call the emergency services or your breakdown provider — a locksmith attending a live carriageway helps nobody.
The vehicle has been broken into or stolen. Report it to the police first and get a crime reference; Matt can sort the security side afterwards.
What Affects an Emergency Call-Out Price
Emergency work is priced on the job itself, not on how stressed you sound on the phone. The price is agreed before Matt sets off, either way.
There's still no separate call-out fee, even out of hours.
What to Have Ready
In an emergency, the faster Matt understands the situation, the faster he can tell you whether he can help and when.
- Your exact location, ideally a postcode or what3words
- Vehicle registration
- Make, model and approximate year
- What's actually happened
- Whether you're somewhere safe to wait
- Whether anyone is inside the vehicle
- Proof of ownership, ready to show on arrival
One Phone Call, One Person, Straight Answer
Not a dispatcher reading a script who's never seen your car.
A realistic arrival estimate, including "I can't get there quickly" when that's the truth.
No renegotiating on the roadside once you're already committed.
Entry, extraction, keys and diagnostics all handled at the vehicle.
What Reading Drivers Say
Key Genie is rated 5.0 on Google, across all the services Matt provides.
View the full profile on Google →Not an Emergency? These May Fit Better
24/7 Emergency Cover Across Berkshire and Major Vehicle Brands
Areas Covered
All Berkshire areas →Vehicle Brands
View all brands →Emergency Auto Locksmith — FAQs
The phone is answered around the clock, yes. Whether Matt can attend immediately depends on where he already is, and he'll tell you honestly rather than guess.
It varies by location and what he's already working on. Reading and the closer suburbs are usually quickest. Calling gives you a realistic answer straight away.
Genuine out-of-hours work may be priced differently to a standard daytime call-out, but the price is always agreed before Matt sets off, never after he arrives.
No. There's no separate charge just for attending, at any hour.
Call. The form is fine for planned work, but for anything urgent, phoning gets you a straight answer immediately rather than waiting for a callback.
That's a breakdown service rather than a locksmith. If it turns out to be a key, lock or immobiliser fault, Matt can help, otherwise your breakdown provider is the right call.
Report it to the police first and get a crime reference. Matt can then sort the lock, key and security side of it afterwards.
Not on a live carriageway, that's a job for the emergency services. Once the vehicle is somewhere safe, Matt can attend.
In many cases, yes, the equipment is in the van regardless of the hour. Call and describe the vehicle so Matt can confirm before setting off.
Yes, the same 24/7 cover applies to vans as well as cars.
Need help right now?
Don't wait on a form. Matt answers the phone 24/7.