As an owner of a property in Burbank, you should know your residents generally have anxieties about their personal safety. Whenever new residents come in, they may ask inquiries about changing the locks to assure that nobody but them can have access to the property at the same time, ensure that former residents and individuals with keys will no longer be able to access the residence. Check with your local laws regarding provisions for the landlords to change the locks between residents as some places do not require them to do so. Which is a good thing because some property owners feel that such an expense not cost-effective.
If the resident asks, do you need to change or re-key the locks?
No. You are not obliged to change the locks per request of a resident, however, it is wise to ponder and study the effects if you fail to do so.
A good landlord is one who is mindful of the residents. You are responsible for providing your Burbank residents with the proper ways to secure the home. Whenever residents sign a lease, you give them keys, garage door openers, or passcodes allowing them to enter the property at the same time, give them the means necessary to secure the property. Residents tend to make multiple copies of their keys for members of their family, and sometimes even neighbors too. The problem is when they move out and may never return you all the keys, or they may not bother collecting and disposing of the copies that they gave out.
If in case you do not change or re-key the locks, and for some reason, your property falls victim to illegal entry to the residence, you will most likely be faced with a lawsuit and be held accountable for damages. Particularly in cases of domestic abuse, divorce, or family issues, or even if a former roommate is a concern, changing the locks between residents is a necessary step in protecting yourself from legal liability.
Without a doubt, the locks are only one piece of a rental home’s system. Garage door openers, keypads, and other access devices are also possible dangers. Residents may share entry codes with babysitters, maintenance specialists, or others who need access to the home when they are not there. Careful management of passcodes, remote controls, and so on should be part of your property management strategy, including changing codes or replacing remote controls as needed to help ensure the safety of your residents.
At Real Property Management East San Gabriel Valley, we want to make sure that the only people who have access to your rental properties are your residents. That is why we include lock changes among residents as an essential part of our property management services. Our procedure is outlined to protect you and your properties with the best methods in the industry. To learn more, contact us online or call us at 626-600-2884 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.