As a landlord, what would be your first priority? 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 ever the locks were switched with new ones on account of roommate difficulties, domestic abuse, divorce, etc., you’ll want to do away with any risk of liability. This will not only let you avoid lawsuits but also put you as a dependable landlord who can be easily reached for tenants in hot water.
If you find that your tenant has changed the locks by themselves, speak to each other before making conjectures. Maybe biding one’s time for a locksmith just might put them in jeopardy to further incidents of domestic violence. Bank on the idea that your renters would only replace the property locks to secure themselves and their belongings from theft, vandalism, and other dangerous behaviors.
In order to be on the right side of the law, guarantee open communication with your tenants. At the start, specify in your lease terms whether they are able 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.
You should also emphasize the gravity that your renters ought to give you a current set of keys so that, without exception, you’re able to enter the premises of your property in Buford. Unfettered access will be needed to perform emergency repairs that could be harmful to the resident, their belongings, and your property.
What is the bottom line? Your role as the landlord is to equip working locks and keys as a tenant moves in. After that, they run the show. This shows they are accountable for the replacement costs of keys and locks. You won’t suffer the loss of anything from your tenant’s effort to safeguard themselves and their possessions, so as long as they comply with the procedures outlined in your lease or you follow up to remind them to do so. 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 acknowledge at the first opportunity. Documented communication must indicate whether the tenant means to issue copies of the new keys or if they opt to restore the locks to their original condition when they vacate your property. If your tenant fails to make a plan or to cooperate after an ample grace period, be confident in your position and communicate that you will deduct the replacement costs from their security deposit.
One method to discourage tenants from changing locks on their own is by changing them between every tenant. Former tenants ought to never have the possibility of re-entry after vacancy even if you find them trustworthy. It is significantly important to be aware of who has access to your property to avert being sued for a future resident’s monetary losses. In any event, when the keys are returned, you can never confirm how many copies were made, who they were turned over to, or where they currently reside.
You can depend on Real Property Management Executives Greater Atlanta to replace the locks before a new resident moves in. We also attend to all of the tenant communication to verify that your Buford property is protected from harm. Call 678-504-8580 today to consider all our property management services and how you can reap the benefits.
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