Any tenant could potentially cut multiple sets of keys to give partners or family. The risk of this occurring, is why landlords regularly face this difficult decision.
When it comes to rental properties, the occupants of the property can change hands quite often. This makes it difficult to have absolute control over the security of your investment property over time.
Property owners have a responsibility to the occupants of the home to ensure the property is also secure and safe. A good property manager will recommend to change the locks of the property in a few different events occur. Our property managers make the recommendation of change the door locks if you have just recently purchased the property, and the ownership has changed hands. We would recommend that you arrange the locks to all exterior doors immediately after the property has been settled and you have collected the keys.
If the property has been newly built or if you have been living in the property, then changing the locks would obviously not be required.
It is now required under the residential tenancies act, that all exterior doors much have working locks. If any of the external door cannot be locked or if the lock is damaged, then property owners must ensure the locks are replaced.
We make a suggestion to property owners to change locks if we had a bad tenancy, where there was severe damaged caused to the property or if the renter defaulted on their rental payments and refused cooperation. All of these potential factors must be taken into account, to ensure the on-going safety for the future occupants of your property.
