As a Buford rental property owner, you Are probably aware that your residents often have serious concerns about their personal safety. When new residents move into a rental home, they may bring up questions about changing the locks to ensure that former residents or other individuals with keys to the property will no longer be able to access the residence. In a couple of places, local laws do not require a landlord to change the locks between residents, and some property owners might feel that such an expense is unnecessary.
If the resident asks, do you need to change or re-key the locks?
The straightforward answer is no, you are most likely not required to change the locks upon request. But, it is important to think about the potential consequences of not doing so.
As the property owner, you are responsible for giving your Buford residents the means to secure the home. After your residents have signed a lease, you provide them with keys, garage door openers, or passcodes to give them access to the property as well as to give them 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 a stranger gets illicit access to the residence, you could be hit with a lawsuit and be deemed liable for damages. Especially in issues of domestic abuse, divorce, or family problems, or even if a past roommate is a concern, changing the locks between residents is a necessary step in preventing legal liability.
Of course, the locks are only one element of a rental home’s system. Garage door openers, keypads, and other access devices are also possible risks. Residents might have given entry codes to babysitters, repairmen, or others who require access to the home when they are not there. Meticulous management of passcodes, remote controls, and so on should be incorporated in your property management strategy, including changing codes or replacing remote controls when needed so as to ensure your residents’ safety.
At Real Property Management Executives Greater Atlanta, we want to make certain that the only individuals who can access your rental properties are your residents. That is why we consider lock changes between residents an important element of our property management services. Our approach is intended to safeguard you and your properties with the best practices in the industry. To find out more, contact us online or give us a call at 678-765-8383 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.
