Changing locks once a tenant leaves is vital for several reasons, including property security, safeguarding new tenants’ privacy and safety, maintaining a professional and dependable property management process, and reducing liability for the property owner. This provides a safe and secure living environment for both the property owner and the new tenants, as well as a new set of keys and a sense of trust. Re-keying your rental property also reduces the liability risk, resulting in a more secure and responsible property management process.
Property Security
Whether or not your property is presently inhabited, landlords should prioritize security. When tenants depart, there is always a chance that they may still have duplicate keys. By re-keying the property, you minimize the danger and guarantee that only authorized personnel have access. Even momentarily vacant properties might become victims of criminal mischief and burglary. To keep your property secure and deter unlawful activity, you must be able to regulate who has authority over it and when. You can make this easy by re-keying your property’s exterior doors after a tenant moves out.
Renter Safety
Unreturned keys become a more serious problem for your future tenants. Renters want to feel secure in their rental properties. However, if previous renters still have a key to the residence, that sense of security could be a dangerous illusion. If a previous occupant or someone they handed a key to sneaks in, you may be held liable for any damage or injury that occurs. You will also lose your renter’s trust, which could end up in canceled leases and costly turnover. Re-keying the locks is required to ensure renter safety.
Increased Appeal
Even though the cost of re-keying the locks between renters may deter you, you can utilize it as a selling feature for your house. If the prospective renter is concerned about security, you can lessen their fears by verifying 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 fashion, you can charge a slightly higher rent and easily recoup the cost of having the locks re-keyed.
Hire a Professional
Based on your level of mechanical abilities, you might be able to re-key the locks on your rental property yourself. Even though it is not hard, it does demand some understanding. In addition, re-keying the locks is cheaper than replacing the reinstalling lock, knob, or deadbolt.
Yet, to ensure that the task gets done correctly, you might consider hiring a professional to come in and do it for you. A professional locksmith will be able to complete the task more swiftly and with more assurance that the re-key was done correctly. The primary concern is that it is done appropriately and that you have a whole fresh set of keys to turn over to your new tenant.
Alternatives to Re-Keying
Landlords today are seeking new ways 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 put an electronic keypad or smart key solution. For example, installing a keyless entry system that utilizes a code rather than an actual key could eliminate the need for re-keying your house entirely. There are even more modern keyless entry systems that must be opened via a smartphone app. While such options are more costly in the beginning, the great thing is that you can rapidly update the key code or smart key tool yourself. A keyless entry system might end up in significant savings over time.
Renter evictions can be a stressful period for property owners. Why not leave it to specialists at Real Property Management Richmond Metro? Our local property managers are skilled at handling 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 804-823-8882.
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