As a rental property owner in Jasper, you are probably aware that your residents are often seriously concerned about their personal safety. As new residents move into a rental home, they might ask questions about changing the locks. They want to ensure that past residents or other persons with keys to the property will no longer have access to the residence. In certain places, local laws don’t require a landlord to change the locks between residents, and some property owners may think that such a cost is not needed.
If the resident asks, is there a need to change or re-key the locks?
The simple answer is no, you are probably not required to change the locks should it be requested. But, it is important to think about the potential consequences of not doing so.
As the owner of the property, you are responsible for providing your Jasper residents with the means to secure the home. When residents sign a lease, you give them the keys, garage door openers, or passcodes. These are the things needed to access the place as well as give your residents the means to secure the property. Residents tend to produce several copies of their keys for family members or even neighbors, and they are not always careful to collect and properly get rid of these copies once they move out of a rental home.
If you don’t change or re-key the locks, and somebody gains illicit access to the residence, you could be hit with a lawsuit and be considered liable for damages. This is especially true in cases of domestic abuse, divorce, or familial disputes. Even a past roommate is cause for concern. Because of these security risks, changing the locks between residents is a necessary step in avoiding legal liability.
Of course, the locks are just one piece of a rental home’s system. Garage door openers, keypads, and other access devices are risks that also needs to be considered. Residents might share entry codes with babysitters, repairmen, or others who require access to the home when they are not there. Meticulous management of passcodes, remote controls, and so on must be part of your property management strategy. In addition to that, you need to include changing codes or replacing remote controls when needed. All of these things must be done to help ensure the safety of your residents.
At Real Property Management Results, we want to ensure that your residents are the only people who can access your rental properties. That is why we include lock changes between residents as an important component of our property management services. Our approach is intended to safeguard you and your properties with the best practices in the industry. Contact us online or give us a call at 812-461-1676 today to find out more.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
