Changing locks after a tenant vacates must be done for several reasons, including property security, securing new tenants’ privacy and safety, upholding a reputable and professional property management system, and minimizing the property owner’s responsibility. In addition to giving the landlord and new tenants a fresh set of keys and peace of mind, this provides a safe and secure living environment. The risk of responsibility is also decreased by re-keying your rental property, making the property management process safer and more responsible.
Property Security
Regardless of whether your property is currently inhabited, landlords should prioritize security. There’s always a chance that a former tenant has a set of keys they didn’t return after they moved out. By re-keying the property, you may prevent this risk and ensure that only people with consent can enter the property. Even temporarily vacant properties can become victims of criminal mischief and burglary. To prevent criminal activity and keep your property secure, you need to control when and who gets access to it. You can simplify this by re-keying your property’s exterior doors as soon as a tenant moves out.
Renter Safety
Unreturned keys become a much greater problem for your future tenants. Renters seek a feeling of security in their rental properties. However, if previous renters still have a key to the property, that feeling of security could be a dangerous illusion. If a previous occupant or someone they gave a key to sneaks in, you may be held liable for any damage or injury that occurs. Additionally, you’ll lose the renter’s trust, which may result in canceled leases and costly turnover. Re-keying the locks is advisable to ensure renter safety.
Increased Appeal
Although the cost of re-keying the locks between renters can be expensive, you can use that fact to your advantage when marketing your property. If prospective renter is concerned about security, you may remove their fears by ensuring that their locks have been re-keyed; due to that, they could choose your property over similar rentals in the area. If you can increase demand for your property in this way, you can charge a slightly higher rent and quickly recoup the cost of having the locks re-keyed.
Hire a Professional
You may or not be able to re-key the locks on your rental property on your own, depending on your level of expertise. Even if it’s not difficult, you’ll still require some knowledge. Re-keying the locks is less pricey than replacing the entire lock, knob, or deadbolt.
However, if you want to ensure the job gets done right, you might consider hiring a professional to come in and complete the work for you. If you choose a professional locksmith, you can rest assured that the re-key was done correctly and quickly. The most important thing is that everything goes smoothly, and you have a whole fresh set of keys to give to your new tenant.
Alternatives to Re-Keying
Landlords nowadays are seeking different approaches to safeguard their property and renters. Some landlords found that installing an electronic keypad or smart key solution is more cost-effective compared to re-keying the locks each time a renter moves out. Installing a keyless entry system that operates with a code rather than a physical key, for instance, could eliminate the need for re-keying your house entirely. Even more modern keyless entry systems necessitate an app on a user’s smartphone. These options may be more expensive in the beginning, but they offer the benefit of allowing you to simply make changes to the password or smart key tool yourself. A keyless entry system could result in significant savings over time.
It may be stressful for landlords when a renter vacates. Why don’t you leave it in the hands of the professionals at Real Property Management Your Home? Our local property managers are pros at taking care of everything the move-out process requires and can help you discover an excellent new renter as well. If you have any questions, contact us online or call us at 423-704-9944.
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