Personal safety is one of the most common concerns of your residents in your The Woodlands rental property. It is typical for new residents who recently move into a rental home to ask questions about changing the locks to guarantee that previous residents or other individuals with keys to the property no longer has access to the residence. This does not apply to all places though are there are still some local laws that does not compel the landlord to change the locks between residents. Some property owners may feel like spending for such is an unnecessary cost.
If the resident asks, do you need to change or re-key the locks?
No. You are definitely not required to change the locks upon request. But it would be wise to weight the pros and cons if you deny a resident requesting for such.
It is your obligation as the property owner to present you’re The Woodlands residents with the necessary means to safeguard the home. When residents sign a lease, you provide them with keys, garage door openers, or passcodes to give them access to the property but also to provide them with the means to secure the property, too. Residents have the habit of making multiple copies of their keys for family members or even neighbors, and when they move out of a rental home, they may not always be concerned enough to obtain and properly dispose of these copies.
If you don’t change or re-key the locks, and someone gains unauthorized access to the residence, you could be slapped with a lawsuit and be held accountable for losses. Especially in cases of domestic abuse, divorce, or family matters, or even if a former roommate is a concern, changing the locks between residents is a necessary step in protecting yourself from legal liability.
Of course, the locks are only one piece of a rental home’s system. Garage door openers, keypads, and other access devices are also possible dangers. Residents may share entry codes with babysitters, maintenance specialists, or others who need access to the home when they are not there. Thorough supervision of passcodes, remote controls, and so on should be part of your property management approach, including changing codes or replacing remote controls as required to help warrant the safety of your residents
At Real Property Management Republic, we want to make sure that the only people who have access to your rental properties are your residents. That is why we include lock changes between residents as an important part of our property management services. Our approach is intended to protect you and your properties with the best practices in the industry. To learn more, contact us online or call us at 281-362-5001 today.
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.
