Changing locks once a tenant moves out is a necessity for a number of explanations, such as property security, new tenants’ rights to privacy and safety, consistency in property management, and lessening the property owner’s liability. This gives a safe and secure living environment for both the property owner and the new tenants, in addition to a new set of keys and a sense of trust. Re-keying your rental property also diminishes the risk of obligation, resulting in a more protected and accountable property management procedure.
Property Security
Whether or not your property is currently resided in, landlords should prioritize security. It’s always possible that former tenants could still have spare keys sitting around after they leave. The only way to make sure that only authorized people can enter your home is to re-keying the property. Even momentarily vacant properties can become subject to criminal mischief and burglary. Controlling who can enter your property and at what times is essential to keep your property secure and deter criminal activities. When a tenant moves out, re-keying your property’s exterior doors is a good idea.
Renter Safety
Unreturned keys become an even bigger problem for your future tenants. Renters need a sense of security in their rental properties. A false sense of safety may exist if previous renters still have a key to the house. If a previous occupant or someone to whom they provide a key breaks in, you may be held liable for any damage or injury that occurs. Also, your renters will lose faith in you, which may result in canceled leases and costly turnover. Re-keying the locks is required to ensure renter safety.
Increased Appeal
Although the cost of re-keying the locks between renters may put you off, you can use it as a selling point for your property. If the prospective renter is concerned about security, you can lessen their worries by confirming that their locks have been re-keyed; thus, they may opt for your property over similar rentals in the area. If you can increase demand for your property in this way, you can charge a slightly higher rent and swiftly recoup the cost of having the locks changed.
Hire a Professional
You might be able to re-key the locks on your rental property on your own, but this will depend on your level of mechanical expertise. It is not hard, but you will need a bit of background information. Furthermore, re-keying the locks is more cost-effective than replacing the entire lock, knob, or deadbolt.
If you want to make sure the job gets done right, though, you might consider hiring a professional to come in and do it for you. If you choose a professional locksmith, you can rest assured that the re-key was done correctly and quickly. There should be no room for error, and you should always have a fresh set of keys ready to provide to your new tenant.
Alternatives to Re-Keying
Today’s landlords are actively exploring alternative safety to safeguard their property and renters. It may be more cost-effective for landlords to install an electronic keypad or smart key solution than re-keying the locks each time a renter moves out. If you have a keyless entry system installed, which uses a code instead of a physical key, you could eliminate the need for re-keying your house again. Even more modern keyless entry systems now necessitate unlocking via a smartphone app. Despite the higher upfront cost, the advantage is that you can quickly replace the key code or smart key tool yourself. A keyless entry system could result in significant savings over time.
Property owners often experience increased stress during renter move-outs. Why not have the experts at Real Property Management Vision manage it for you? Our local property managers are pros at finding you a terrific new tenant and taking care of all the details associated with your move-out. If you have any questions, contact us online or call us at 818-233-8789.
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