Can I Change the Locks on the Home When I Move In?
The language in the lease document is very clear. No additional locks can be installed by tenants and no existing locks can be changed by tenants without the landlord’s prior written consent. We change the locks on all properties immediately after a tenant moves out. This is done even when all known keys are returned. We typically provide two keys to the new tenants when they move in. If they need additional keys, they will be provided at the tenants’ expense. If you are given written permission to change the locks, then it is your responsibility to make sure that we have a copy of the key.
All keys are to be returned by tenants upon termination of the lease or vacating the property. The tenants are responsible for reimbursing the landlord as additional rent for the cost of changing any locks or replacing any keys that are lost or damaged by the Tenants. The charge for a lock change is $150 per door and can be withheld from your security deposit. This is outlined in our Tenant Move-Out Check List.