Mutxamel is about ten kilometres from the centre of Alicante. For decades there was a tram between the two, from 1889 to 1969, and the link has only grown since: plenty of people who live here work in the city. Which means a common way of being locked out in Mutxamel starts with the keys sitting on a desk in Alicante.
Four questions before you ring anyone
1. Can you still get into the office? If the building is open, or there is a porter, a cleaner or a colleague with a key, going back is often the quickest and cheapest answer, traffic permitting.
2. Does anyone else have a key to the house? A neighbour, a relative, the cleaner, the agency that manages the rental. One message can save the drive both ways.
3. Was the front door locked with the key, or just pulled shut? If it was only pulled to, it is held by the latch, and opening it is quick and leaves no mark. If you turned the key, the bolts are out and the cylinder has to be worked, which takes longer. See why a door that is unlocked may still not open for the difference.
4. What is waiting at home? Children back from school, a dog that needs letting out, medication on the kitchen table. Those decide it on their own.
If the office is shut until tomorrow
Then the choice is between a night elsewhere and having the door opened. If you ring, have ready:
- your exact address, and a location pin if you live in an urbanization or a partida;
- something that shows you live there, or someone who can vouch for you;
- a description or photo of the door and the lock, if you have one on your phone.
You will hear how long the drive is likely to be before anyone sets off, and the price is agreed on the doorstep, before any work starts.
And if it is the office that is locked
If you run the business and it is the premises in Mutxamel that will not open, that is a different job: locks for shops, offices and units. If you live in Valle del Sol or Monnegre, how to give your address helps whoever comes find the right gate.