OUTRAGEOUS. UNPROFESSIONAL. DISGUSTING. This sums up my recent experience with the vendor. I took a day to simmer down before posting this review (or even deciding to post one). After all, it is someone's livelihood. Looking at their many 5-star Google reviews, maybe I was just unlucky. However, what happened did happen, and they are free to sue me if I misrepresent my encounter in any way. I just want others to be sufficiently warned of the erratic behaviour of this locksmith couple.
To summarize, I recently contacted the vendor to replace a faulty storeroom door lock and a main door lock (the keys were missing). This was on behalf of my father-in-law, in his 80s, who lives in an HDB flat. The vendor first asked if my door was locked. I assumed they were trying to determine the urgency of the case, so I said no. The deal was later confirmed.
They arrived at my in-law's place yesterday. Halfway through, they texted me, claiming they had to charge $30 more because they found the door lock to be locked after all. I found this hard to process. First, it was a storeroom — who locks a storeroom door? More importantly, the deal involves the removal and replacement of a faulty lock. So, whether it was "locked" or not shouldn't matter, right? Further, the lock was jammed — I couldn't lock or unlock it even if I wanted to! Lastly, there was no prior communication about additional charges, so it seemed unfair to suddenly ask for extra payment. To avoid any misunderstanding over text, I called the vendor and explained this — politely and patiently.
Things quickly took a turn I did not expect, even in my wildest dreams. The vendor went into defensive mode and walked away from the job! Even after I apologised for simply trying to seek clarification (yes, I even said sorry!) and offered to pay the $30, they refused to resume work. Before leaving, they even dismantled the new main door lock they had just replaced. My father-in-law — remember, he's in his 80s — tried to appease them by repeatedly apologising and even following them to the lift, pleading for them to return, with money in his trembling hand. Yet they remained unmoved. Imagine if that were your own parent. Their behaviour was outrageous, their work ethic utterly unprofessional, and their actions nothing short of disgusting.
Ultimately, true character is revealed not in good times but in how one handles difficult situations. Sadly, the antics I witnessed from this vendor speak volumes, and I hope my experience can help others make an informed choice.
