Changing locks after a tenant moves out is essential for a number of explanations, including property security, safeguarding new tenants’ privacy and safety, sustaining a professional and dependable property management procedure, and minimizing the property owner’s accountability. This gives both the property owner and the new tenants a safe and secure living environment, along with a new set of keys and peace of mind. Re-keying your rental property also lowers the possibility of obligation, leading to a more secure and transparent property management process.
Property Security
Landlords should prioritize security regardless of whether their property is currently occupied. When tenants vacate a property, there is always a chance that they still have their copies of the keys. By re-keying the property, you avoid this danger and ensure that only authorized parties have access. Even temporarily vacant properties are susceptible to criminal mischief and burglary. To keep your property secure and deter illicit activities, you must have the ability to regulate who has access to it and when. As soon as a tenant moves out, you can facilitate this process by re-keying your property’s exterior doors.
Renter Safety
Unreturned keys become an even more severe problem for your future tenants. Renters seek a feeling of security in their rental properties. However, if previous renters still have a key to the house, this sense of being safe could be a dangerous illusion. If a previous occupant or someone to whom they gave a key violates your home, you may be held liable for any damage or injury that occurs. You will also lose your reputation, which may result in canceled leases and costly turnover. Re-keying the locks is required to ensure renter safety.
Increased Appeal
While the cost of re-keying the locks between renters may discourage you, you can use it as an advantage to sell your property. If the prospective renter is concerned about security, you can ease their anxieties by ensuring that their locks have been re-keyed; as a result, they may select your property over similar rentals in the area. If you can increase demand for your property in this manner, you can charge a slightly higher rent and quickly recoup the cost of having the locks re-keyed.
Hire a Professional
Depending on your level of mechanical proficiency, you might be able to re-key the locks on your rental property yourself. Although it is not challenging, it does require some knowledge. In addition, re-keying the locks is less expensive than replacing the entire lock, knob, or deadbolt.
To ensure that the task is completed accurately, however, you might consider hiring a professional to come in and do it for you. A professional locksmith will be able to finish the task more rapidly and with more certainty that the re-key was done correctly. The most crucial thing is that it is done correctly and that you have a whole fresh set of keys to hand over to your new tenant.
Alternatives to Re-Keying
Today’s landlords are on the lookout for more options to safeguard their property and renters. Instead of re-keying the locks each time a renter moves out, some landlords find it more cost-effective to implement an electronic keypad or smart key solution. Having a keyless entry system that employs a password instead of an actual key, for example, could eliminate the need for re-keying your house entirely. Even more modern keyless entry systems require a smartphone app to activate. While such choices are more costly in the beginning, the benefit is that you can instantly change the key code or smart key tool on your own. A keyless entry system could result in significant savings over time.
It can be a stressful time for property owners when renters vacate. Why not let the experts at Real Property Management First Choice take care of it for you? Our local property managers are proficient at dealing with everything the move-out process requires and can find you a great new renter as well! To learn more, contact us online or call us at 479-242-0791.
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