Question: Can tenants change their locks without permission and refuse to provide a key to the property manager? Sign in here. For the avoidance of doubt, do check your tenancy agreement, just to be sure what it says about changing the locks. From what I’m aware of, no. Report Abuse. However many tenancy agreements now cover this situation and specify that the tenant must not change the locks without the landlords permission. You can unsubscribe at any time. That is problematic in and of itself, whether this renter has a lease that isn't up yet or whether this tenant is renting on a month-to-month basis. As with refusing access, yes, a tenant is within their rights to change the locks of a property - and they're not obliged to give you a key. It prevents landlords from accessing the property in emergencies. Suppose there's no specific term mentioning the locks or specifically about changing the locks. However, a landlord who provides the tenant with the required written notice to enter, may change the locks as … If you don't change locks between tenants, they might be tempted to do so themselves and not give you a key. According to the Residential Tenancies Act , landlords can be fined if they alter, remove, or add any locks without permission or a court order. You probably know that real estate has long been the playground for the rich and well connected, and that according to recently published data it’s also been the best performing investment in modern history. Learn More.Already a member? You might, at some point, have a tenant who changes the locks on your rental property because they don't want you to have access. Changing the locks should be done by a qualified locksmith. Put Real Estate’s “Unfair Advantages” to Work for Your Portfolio. Ideally, there should be a clause about making material … Despite many legal disputes in court, there is no clearly defined precedent covering the law's broad spectrum. You should demand that the tenant give you keys to the new locks. It's usually not a good thing to have a tenant change the locks on you without your permission or without letting you know, and the question remains as to whether tenants can even do this. The landlord has been unresponsive and unsupportive on the issues faced by tenants. You can't just whip out your driver's license for proof, for example. A tenant should not attempt to change the locks themselves. This prevents you from needing to use a locksmith or buy new locks. Whether a tenant can or cannot change the locks on rental property you own is a state-by-state issue. by, Real Estate Investing: 10 Ways to Build Wealth. It depends. Buying a Home in These 7 States Gives You the Most Bang for Your Buck, www.cafemedia.com/publisher-advertising-privacy-policy, Extensively researched articles in the areas of Real Estate Taxes, REITs, CREs, Regulation A and If the tenant does change the locks without permission, then the tenant should keep the original lock fittings. Most landlords could just deduct the cost from the security deposit. Remember, a landlord cannot change the locks without notifying the tenant because the rent is already paid and the tenant has every right to access the property until the end of month. Please explain why you are flagging this content: * This will flag comments for moderators to take action. The costs are deducted from the security deposit of the tenant. The good news is, we can extract some bits of wisdom and can give generic advice. Although the task might seem quite simple, it may cause damage to the door, and in some cases, the property becomes less secure than it was before the new lock change. However, they are different for each state. Something went wrong while submitting the form. “lockouts”). Services Open menu. If there's an emergency situation at your rental property, you'll need to get in immediately. If the landlord has a habit of letting himself into the property while they’re asleep, and didn’t respond to reason, that would probably be considered a good reason for changing the locks. If the tenancy agreement forbids explicitly changing the locks or making changes to the property, the owner is entitled to change the locks again and charge the tenant for the expenses incurred during the process. The point is, if the tenant changes the lock and doesn't give you a key, you are now forced to change the locks, and your tenant would usually need to pay for this cost. But what if the alterations are made by a tenant without the permission of the owner, and the landlord does not like the view? Most likely, the tenants would be at the property to let the landlord know of such issues. As soon as they vacate, you should change the locks so they can no longer enter your property. Although it’s likely a landlord will not be aware that locks have been changed by a tenant if they have not asked for consent, if a tenant changes the locks without the landlords permission, this is seen to be breach of contract.” Some rental properties have an added benefit of a security alarm. Newsflash: changing the locks is considered a major change. A tenant must not change locks on their rental unit without the landlord’s written permission. A tenant can also submit an application for dispute resolution asking for permission to change the locks. As a landlord, make sure you always include all the relevant lease clauses in your lease agreement. Generally, a tenant may not change the locks without the landlord's permission. Oops! Become a diversified real estate investor without ever talking to an agent or swinging a hammer. Please read our Privacy Statement and Terms & Conditions. Unless the lease prohibits the tenant from changing the locks without permission, the tenant is permitted to do so. A landlord can make it evident in the lease if they have allowed the tenant to change locks, to which the tenant can either agree or disagree, hence leaving no room for this issue to come up in rental situations in the future. If they change the locks without asking the landlord for permission, does the landlord have the right to change the locks if there’s nothing about it in the lease? If tenants want extra security, they need to get permission before doing so – and neither party can change locks without the consent of the other. And with a set of unfair advantages that are completely unheard of with other investments, it’s no surprise why. Can a tenant change the locks without the landlord's permission? What recourse does the landlord have if tenant changed locks without permission? To get started, we’ve assembled a comprehensive guide that outlines everything you need to know about investing in real estate - and have made it available for FREE today. Can I hire a lock smith to change them to get a key? The most common reason for a landlord to change locks is after a tenant moves out. Tenants who do that probably won't tell you what they did, and you might not even find out about it until you try to access your unit. ... As a landlord of an assured shorthold tenant you do not have to give a reason if you want to end the tenancy. Millionacres does not cover all offers on the market. The landlord must give each tenant a key to the rental unit (and building, if applicable) at no cost. © 2018 - 2021 The Motley Fool, LLC. Many jurisdictions require the landlord of a decedent’s rented premises to make the premises secure (change the locks) to protect the property left until the decedent’s executor or another authorized person can prove they have a right to access the premises and collect the property. I have language to this affect in my lease agreement, which reads as follows: "Tenant will not, without landlord's prior written consent, alter, rekey, or install any locks to the premises or install or alter any burglar alarm system.