Service Terms

Services

These Service Terms apply to the locksmith work Instant Locksmith TN performs at your vehicle, home or business. They work together with our Terms of Service, Cancellation Policy, Payment & Deposit Policy and Privacy Policy; if they conflict on a point about the work itself, these Service Terms control.

Instant Locksmith TN is a mobile, service-area locksmith business providing automotive, residential and commercial locksmith services in Tennessee, with a primary focus on Middle Tennessee. We have no walk-in storefront; technicians come to your location. See our locksmith services and areas served. Some services — including vehicle key programming, high-security locks and safes — depend on make, model and hardware; we confirm before dispatch when you tell us the year, make and model or describe the hardware.

Instant Locksmith TN is insured, and every technician is background-checked.

Ordering and acceptance

You can order online at /order-a-locksmith (choose a service, enter your location, describe the problem, review the price and the service-call deposit, pay the deposit through Squarespace's checkout and submit) or by phone. Submitting an order is a request for service. It is accepted when we confirm dispatch.

We may decline an order — for example, if the location is outside our service area, the job is outside what we can safely perform, or no technician is available. If we decline or cancel for reasons on our side, the service-call deposit is refunded in full.

Pricing, multipliers and federal holidays

Published starting prices: car lockouts from $55 and house lockouts from $80. All other services are quoted before dispatch. Every visit also carries a flat service call of $15 inside city limits or $25 outside city limits, which is paid at checkout as the deposit for online orders and is charged in addition to the service price.

The time of the call sets a multiplier that applies to the standard service price only. The service call is never multiplied.

• Standard hours (before 8:00 PM, non-holiday): standard price
• After 8:00 PM: 1.5× the standard price
• U.S. federal holidays: 2× the standard price
• U.S. federal holidays after 8:00 PM: 3× the standard price (1.5 × 2)

"Holidays" means U.S. federal holidays: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Washington's Birthday (Presidents Day), Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. When a federal holiday falls on a weekend, holiday pricing applies on [THE OBSERVED WEEKDAY / THE CALENDAR DATE — owner to choose]. The applicable rate is based on [WHEN THE ORDER IS PLACED / WHEN SERVICE BEGINS — owner to choose].

Service-call deposit

The deposit for an online order is the service call: $15 inside city limits or $25 outside city limits. It is a separate fee in addition to the service price and is not credited against the service price. It is refunded in full if you cancel before the technician gets into their vehicle and begins driving to you, and it becomes non-refundable once the technician begins driving to you. Details are in our Cancellation Policy and Payment & Deposit Policy.

Authorization, verification and our right to refuse

We only open, rekey, or make keys for vehicles and property that the customer is authorized to access. Before opening anything, we verify authorization. We do not necessarily require traditional proof of ownership or residence, such as a title or utility bill, but you agree to cooperate with reasonable verification and to provide truthful information.

We have access to investigative verification resources through a direct relationship with a licensed private-investigation agency, which may be used to confirm identity or ownership when needed. See Verification.

We may refuse, stop or decline service at any time, at our discretion, if authorization cannot be verified, if information you gave appears false, if we believe a request is unlawful, or if the site is unsafe. Requests to enter property you are not authorized to access may be reported to law enforcement. If service is declined on site because authorization cannot be verified, the service-call deposit is non-refundable.

Your representations

By ordering, you represent and warrant that: (a) you are the owner of the vehicle or property, or are otherwise legally authorized to access it and to authorize the work; (b) the information you give us, including your identity, location and description of the problem, is true and complete; (c) you are at least 18 years old; and (d) you will be present, or have an authorized adult present, when the technician arrives. If any of these statements is untrue, you are responsible for the resulting losses, as described under Indemnity.

Price changes only with your approval

Your price is confirmed before work begins. It can change only if the job turns out different from what was described — such as a different lock, extra parts, a key broken inside the lock, or high-security hardware. The technician will explain the change and the new price, and no additional work is done or charged without your approval. If you decline, you owe nothing beyond the service call.

Response times are goals, not guarantees

Instant Locksmith TN is open 24/7/365 and generally aims to deploy within about one hour inside city limits when feasible. Any arrival time we give is an estimate and a goal, not a guarantee. Arrival depends on current demand, technician availability, traffic, weather, location and job complexity. We are not liable for delays outside our reasonable control.

Payment

The service-call deposit is paid at checkout when you order online. The service price, and any approved additional work or parts, is due on completion of the work. Online payments are processed by Squarespace's checkout and its connected payment processor; we do not store full card numbers. See the Payment & Deposit Policy.

Chargebacks and payment disputes

If you initiate a chargeback or payment dispute with your card issuer, bank or payment processor for services that Instant Locksmith TN provided, you agree to repay the full amount owed for those services plus a $300 fee to cover the logistical and administrative costs the dispute causes, and you authorize Instant Locksmith TN to collect those amounts, including by charging the payment method used for the order or through a collection agency or court. This does not limit your right to dispute a charge for services we did not provide, for an amount you did not approve, or for an unauthorized or fraudulent transaction. Please contact us first at contact@instantlocksmithtn.com; most billing problems can be resolved directly. [COUNSEL: confirm enforceability of the $300 dispute fee under Tennessee law and card-network rules.]

Damage: non-destructive and destructive entry

Non-destructive entry. We use non-destructive entry and service methods whenever practical. Even professional, non-destructive methods can occasionally cause minor cosmetic marks, and some older, worn or previously damaged hardware, weatherstripping, door panels or electronics may fail during normal handling. Except where caused by our negligence, Instant Locksmith TN is not responsible for that kind of incidental wear or for pre-existing defects.

Destructive entry. Some situations — for example, certain high-security locks, seized or damaged cylinders, or some safes — can only be resolved by drilling, cutting or removing hardware. We will not use a destructive method without first explaining why it is needed, the likely result and any added cost, and getting your approval. Once you approve destructive entry, the damage to the lock or hardware that is necessarily caused by that method is your responsibility, and replacement hardware is quoted and billed separately.

Your responsibilities on site

• Be present, or have an authorized adult present, when the technician arrives.
• Provide safe access to the vehicle, door or lock, including gate codes or building access where needed.
• Tell us about anything that could affect the job, such as an alarm system, a damaged door, or a lock that has been tampered with.
• Keep children, pets and bystanders clear of the work area.

Parts and hardware

Parts and hardware we supply are [WARRANTY TERMS — pending owner decision; manufacturer warranties may apply]. Customer-supplied hardware is installed at your request; we are not responsible for defects in customer-supplied parts.

Workmanship concerns

If something isn't right after we leave, contact us within [WORKMANSHIP NOTICE PERIOD] at contact@instantlocksmithtn.com and describe the issue. [WORKMANSHIP TERMS — pending owner decision.]

Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by Tennessee law: (a) Instant Locksmith TN is not liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential or punitive damages, including lost profits, lost business or loss of use, arising from our services or this website; and (b) our total liability for any claim arising from a job is limited to the amount you paid for that job. These limits do not apply to liability that cannot be limited by law, including liability for gross negligence or willful misconduct. [COUNSEL: review and finalize this limitation of liability and damages cap.]

Indemnity

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Instant Locksmith TN, its owners, employees and technicians from claims, losses and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from (a) your misrepresentation of your authority to access a vehicle or property, (b) false information you provided, or (c) your violation of these terms. [COUNSEL: review indemnity scope.]

Insurance and technician screening

Instant Locksmith TN is insured, and every technician is background-checked. Tennessee does not issue a state locksmith license, and we do not claim one.

ILT Lifesaver

ILT Lifesaver provides free emergency entry when a child or pet is trapped in a vehicle or residence and can reasonably be presumed to be in danger. It is governed by the ILT Lifesaver Terms. Always call 911 first when anyone may be in danger; we are not an emergency medical, fire or police service (see the Emergency Service Disclaimer).

Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of the State of Tennessee, without regard to its conflict-of-law rules. Venue for disputes is in [Davidson County — confirm], Tennessee, as described below.

Dispute resolution

If you have a concern about a job or a charge, please contact us first at contact@instantlocksmithtn.com and give us 30 days to try to resolve it informally. Either party may bring an eligible claim in small claims (general sessions) court. Otherwise, any dispute will be brought in the state or federal courts located in [Davidson County — confirm], Tennessee, and you and Instant Locksmith TN consent to that venue. [COUNSEL: consider whether to add arbitration or a class-action waiver.]

Severability

If any part of these terms is found unenforceable, that part will be enforced to the maximum extent permitted, and the rest of these terms remain in effect. Our failure to enforce a provision is not a waiver of it.

Changes to these terms

We may update these terms from time to time. The version posted on this page when you place an order applies to that order. The "last updated" date below shows when the terms last changed.

Contact

Questions about this page can be sent to Instant Locksmith TN at contact@instantlocksmithtn.com.

Effective date: [EFFECTIVE DATE]. Last updated: [LAST UPDATED DATE].