Rental Property Owner's Responsibilities for Locks.

[Raccoon]

I'm presently looking for laws which are binding to rental property owners (landlords) in regards to property lock standards and re-keying between tenants.

I've found a few good articles, including one of a 2002 lawsuit about the death of a tenant who had her keys stolen and was later murdered after the landlord failed to change her locks on urgent request.

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/ ... i_n9088955

Another I found that outlines the laws specific to Texas and the city of Austin Texas. These are VERY GOOD laws in my opinion, and I am hoping to find more information on how these laws apply to other states and localities.

http://www.housing-rights.org/locks_and ... vices.html

The one law in specific that I favor the most, and which I am most interested in learning about, happens to be the first law mentioned at the above site.

1. A landlord, at the landlord’s expense, is required to change or re-key locks within seven days of a new tenant moving in.

In this town of Socorro, New Mexico, most landlords never have the keys changed. The tenant turnover rate is so high that they can't seem to justify the costs in rekeying locks every 3 to 6 months. However, it is this very reason why the locks should be changed the most! College students bounce from apartment to apartment, and roommates come and go so frequently, that it takes little effort for a single student to acquire a dozen keys before they graduate and leave this town. And even though they are college students, this doesn't automatically mean they are honest. In fact, 25% of this town are college students, and our Walmart has one of the highest rates of theft in the state. In addition, just last week one student shot and killed another student after breaking into his apartment. Granted, he didn't have a key, but I only mention this as a general reference of character that not ALL students are saints. Given the opportunity, those with access to old keys may find it very tempting to rip off somebody's stuff at their "old place" so they can pay for rent. Students are hurting for money.

I'm doing this research so I can explain the letter of the law to my potential clients (landlords). They don't seem to believe that they may be liable for theft and damages, or even alleged theft or damages, should a tenant claim that "it must have been an old tenant" when there is no sign of break-in. Tenants could easily claim they lost a thousand dollar plasma TV they had never owned, and the landlord would have to buy them a new one. If a tenant should be raped or murdered by a previous tenant, the landlord may face criminal charges and time in prison.

I'd like some information to support these statements.

[CVScam]

About 10 years ago I rented a building and a month later a guy next door walked up and told me he still had a key to my front door. I then went and installed a new schlage deadbolt on the door. The next time I went to go pay my rent the landlord was asking me why I had changed the locks. I told him I didn't want any of the last people who rented the place to walk in on me he then asked me for a copy of the new key. I then asked him how he knew I had changed the lock since the new schlage looked the same as the old one. He then said it was stated in the lease that he was to have a copy of the key, I then said it was also stated he would only enter the building for an emergency, or with a 24 hour notice for maintenance or repairs.

[raimundo]

Landlords walk into tenants homes all the time, and if caught, they will have a story, but also they expect average tenants to not know their rights or the law. if you had just moved in, and he had already tried his key and found the lock was changed, he was probably wanting to be exploring through your stuff to see if he could find clues to your personality, he might have been more interested in your papers than your stuff, that would reveal your financial position.
Where laws are made about locks, they usually just state 'deadbolt lock' and never cover the issues of lock replacement, or weakening the lock with unnecessary badly executed masterkeying, (here in minneapolis, all the hardware stores will masterkey any lock you bring them, and do a cheap job of it with a filed down plug if necesary to make it work) They avoid all specialist technicians and have a do everything guy who knows how to paint and is making it up as he goes along on every plumbing, electrical and door job that comes along. Because these are guys who work cheap, they are not so experienced or capable. They do shoddy work for landlords where only the appearance is considered.
On the plus side, deadbolt lock, by code now needs an inch throw bolt, not the old 5/8ths inch throw. I do not believe building or rental codes have any directions on masterkeying.

[milemarker22]

Whenever I move into a new place I always just repin the exhisting lock if it is a Kwikset which 99% of the time it is. Keeping the exact same lock the landlord never knows unless they try to go in.

[milemarker22]

Also, I won't accept a rental that is master keyed considering any intelligent person that lives there can take the lock on their own place apart and make the master key.

[linty]

i'm having trouble convincing the place i'm moving into let me get rid of their master-keyed weiser and put in an abloy protec (double-sided or with a lockable thumbturn because the door has a sidelight). i will give out keys to the people in charge who claim to need copies (4 of them...which is 3 more than what i'd consider reasonable).
My reasoning is the same, who knows how many master keys there are out there, chances are they are using the same system they were 10 years ago. it's fairly likely they even just switch locks around instead of rekey them. and i could make my own master key with a file in 15 minutes if i took my lock apart.
since they know i'm a locksmith rekeying it myself is out of the question, i'll just get in trouble.

i wonder if there is any way they could be held liable for not letting me upgrade my security?

[Raccoon]

Please fill in your profile information, including City,State,Country.

Personally, I would write a formal letter to your landlord, and carbon copy to your local housing authority, or the company who owns the rental, or hell even the local police department. Stating that you want the locks changed in writing sets a potentially legal obligation against your land lord. Some laws or leases require the landlord to comply within a specified period of time. Some laws or leases give the tenant the right to opt for high security locks at the tenant's expense. Some laws or leases require the landlord to comply to such a request regardless of how frequently the request is made, but often at the tenant's expense.

Keep copies of every written request made. If you learn anything of your local or state laws addressing this issue, please post them here.

[CaptB]

I think landlord`s are great i`ve picked up at least 40% of my business from skin flint landlords who won`t change,repair locks. Two examples in the last 6
months :-
Last Saturday 1am.
Called out to a tennant who literally had ownly just arrived, unpacked thought i`ll go to the pub for a break after driving up all day.
Came back lock wouldn`t open with the key. Called me out, checked all the levers none would move. Managed to open the door with no damage, took the lock apart to find that it had literally fell apart inside the case. Why don`t landlords change the lock like for like when they tidy the place up for renting again takes around 5mins and a tennant has a new key and piece of mind. Landlord hasn`t just been stung for a callout for an emergency call at 1am Saturday?

Get a call from a student sunday afternoon. Has been locked out of her flat since Friday. Can`t get the door open. Yale cylinder with a nightlatch. Snib on latch was worn from age and slipped the deadlock on, the landlord a couple of days earlier when it had happend then. Decided to tie it up with a piece of thread rather than replace (even though he had forced the back doors that day!). Ended up with a sunday callout charge plus fitting a new case and cylinder (always fit completely new unless requested otherwise).

My landlords don`t have keys to my house. They should have but I changed the front door and locks. I never see them, theyre suppose to visit every 3 months. But when the realised that I replaced the tatty doors and carpets with new doors and wood flooring. They stopped coming round admitting the property is in better condition than when they bought it.

[raimundo]

I lived in an apt once, the lock was masterkeyed, and the individualy key was so badly set up that you could pull the key out of the lock without turning it to topdeadcenter. One day I came home and the cylinder was picked or at least looked like it, but it was turned in the locking direction, not the unlock, when this happened again, I realized that I was leaving with much on my mind, and simply pulled the key out as I turned away from the door, when I got back, this looked like the lock was picked. Well the landlord wouldn't care about the security issue, I knew him well and he was all about getting money and not spending a dime, so I took my lock apart and set it to open on the master only then I made a master key. later, years later, I saved the building from a fire with this master key when an apartment on the third floor was on fire with no one home.

[Raccoon]

I wonder if they can charge you for breaking & entering when there's a fire. Sounds like something the police would do.

[I Pik U]

About 12 years ago I got a call from a Woman who had the upstairs apartment above her landlord. The landlord was a drunk and very aggressive, and was accessing her apt. She phoned the Police, who recomemded our company to rekey the lock.
That day I met my future wife, and 12 years later were still together.

Whats your thoughts on superintenants who rotate locks (when a tenant moves out, they will switch the lock, using the previous lock on another apt. later)? I guess that's better than doing nothing, but still doesn't seem right to me.

[Squelchtone]

The one law in specific that I favor the most, and which I am most interested in learning about, happens to be the first law mentioned at the above site.

1. A landlord, at the landlord’s expense, is required to change or re-key locks within seven days of a new tenant moving in.

Yeah, it's a good law, until I moved into my apt and my landlord put Defiant deadbolt and knob in my door.

After he left I installed a $50 double keyed (key on the inside too) Schlage deadbolt with fancy antique brass finish. Nice solid lock.. with 3 inch screws into the door frame for good measure. And 3 inch screws to replace the 3/4 inch door hinge screws, all 12 of them! I also shimmed and aligned the door frame properly so now the door shuts like a Mosler bank vault door.

I think only in apartment buildings on a master keyed system with something like a Russwin or Medeco would they repin a lock, in a house like mine, whatever is on sale at Home Depot or WalMart gets installed.

Squelchtone

[Raccoon]

You are correct about apt. landlords simply rotating locks instead of repinning them. I've been called out to two different complexes in town and they were both using some cheap knob with a plastic locking cylinder that easily pops out.

I think the cylinder treats the 5th pin as a reverse-retaining pin, so if you cut a key with only 4 bittings, and the 5th bitting cut as a 9, then turn the key left about 15°, the entire lock falls out of the knob. If the 5th pin is lifted at all, the plug won't rotate left at all, and the lock can't be removed. I'm pretty sure that's how these locks worked, but I can't tell. All I know is that I raked them a couple strokes and the cylinder FELL OUT INTO MY HAND. I then stuck a screwdriver into the knob and turned to unlock.

I'm willing to bet the entire lockset including deadbolt cost the landlord short of $3.00 retail. PLASTIC CYLINDER!

[Spossum]

I am a landlord, just a couple of rental houses. I must admit I am guilty of rotating locks. I have a small collection of deadbolts and entryway doorknobs
that all have different keys and when a tenant moves out I usually only change one or the other. I even rotate them with the locks on my own door at home. I always change one lock as soon as the old tenant moves out. I always tell the new tenant that I only changed one of the locks but I don't tell them which one, and that they should always lock both of them. I also have never had a tenant that knew where the other rental house was, as far as I know. But, I always have a lot of keys to keep track of, four different keys for each house, between front and back doors. I am not aware of laws in my state, maybe I should be. I do know that as soon as I learn enough (newbie) I am looking forward to being able to repin locks and hopefully have only one key that works on the deadbolt and doorknob entryway for all the doors in each house, maybe even a masterkey.