Do you know what is your first task as a landlord? Your resident’s safety. Always give your tenant the benefit of the doubt should they change your property’s locks without requesting for your authorization beforehand. If the locks were changed as a result of roommate difficulties, domestic abuse, divorce, etc., you’ll want to put an end to any risk of liability. This will not only equip you to avoid lawsuits but also set you as a dependable landlord who is known to be there for your tenants in difficult situations.
Should you discover that your tenant changed the locks on their own, have a talk with them before making speculations. It is possible that patiently waiting for a locksmith can endanger them to increased opportunities for domestic violence. Count on the belief that your renters would only switch the property locks to new ones in order to secure themselves and their belongings from theft, vandalism, and other dangerous behaviors.
Open communication with your tenants will make sure you’re on the right side of the law. From the outset, specify in your lease terms whether they are authorized to change the locks and if/when they must provide you with a new set of keys. Your control concerning these clauses might be regulated by state law. For example, California and New Jersey permit residents to change locks without providing additional keys unless it’s explicitly stated in the lease that they may not do so.
Also, you’ll want to highlight the gravity that your renters need to furnish you with a current set of keys so that you’re able to enter the premises of your property in Rockledge without any obstruction. Unfettered access will be needed to perform emergency repairs that could be harmful to the resident, their belongings, and your property.
What does this mean? Whenever a tenant moves in, your job as the landlord is to supply working locks and keys. That’s when they take over. This denotes that they’re in charge when it comes to the replacement costs of keys and locks. With the result that they stick to the procedures outlined in your lease or you remind them to do so, you won’t find yourself dispossessed of anything from their venture to secure themselves and their personal effects. In the event that you’re unable to perform an emergency repair due to a lock change, negotiate with the tenant as to whether or not you’ll deduct the cost of the repair from their security deposit.
Always document the renter’s request or notification of changing the locks and make a response as quick as you can. Documented communication has to include whether the tenant has plans to give you copies of the new keys or if they decide to restore the locks to their original condition when they vacate your property. If your tenant fails to work together with you or to construct a plan of action after an ample grace period, you are allowed to inform them that you have plans to deduct the replacement costs from their security deposit.
One course of action to discourage tenants from changing locks on their own is by changing them between every tenant. Former residents should never have the possibility of re-entry after vacancy no matter how trustworthy they were. You ought to be constantly aware of who has access to your property so that you may block the slightest chance of being sued for a future resident’s monetary losses. Yet, when keys are returned, you cannot be certain as to how many copies were made, who they were lent to, or where they currently reside.
You can rely on Real Property Management Brevard to swap out the locks before a new resident moves in. We also see to all tenant communication to make sure your Rockledge property is in safe and sound. Call 321-610-8022 today to explore all of our property management services and how you can profit.
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.
