You may ask, what is my first responsibility as a landlord? Your resident’s safety. If it happens that your tenant changes your property’s locks without asking for your approval, give them the benefit of the doubt. Whether the locks were replaced because of roommate difficulties, domestic abuse, divorce, etc., you’ll want to quash any risk of liability. This will not only facilitate the means for you to avoid lawsuits but also put you in a position as a dependable landlord who is present for tenants in dire straits.
In the event your tenant has single-handedly replaced all of the locks, communicate with them before making opinions. It could be that by wasting time waiting for a locksmith, it might make them vulnerable to new occasions of domestic violence. Count on the belief that your renters would only switch the property locks to new ones in order to secure themselves and their belongings from theft, vandalism, and other dangerous behaviors.
So that you’re on the right side of the law, ensure open communication with your tenants. First off, specify in your lease terms whether they can change the locks and if/when they must provide you with a new set of keys. Your sway in relation to these clauses can be controlled by state law. For example, California and New Jersey permit residents to change locks without providing additional keys unless it’s explicitly stated in the lease that they may not do so.
You will want to lay stress on the seriousness that your renters give you a current set of keys so that you’re able to enter the premises of your property in Brentwood without fail. Unfettered access will be needed to perform emergency repairs that could be harmful to the resident, their belongings, and your property.
What’s the gist of it all? Your job as the landlord is to furnish working locks and keys whenever a tenant moves in. Then they call the shots. This shows they are accountable for the replacement costs of keys and locks. You won’t suffer the loss of anything from your tenant’s effort to safeguard themselves and their possessions, so as long as they comply with the procedures outlined in your lease or you follow up to remind them to do so. In the event that you’re unable to perform an emergency repair due to a lock change, negotiate with the tenant as to whether or not you’ll deduct the cost of the repair from their security deposit.
Always document the renter’s request or notification of changing the locks and answer at the earliest. Documented communication must indicate whether the tenant means to issue copies of the new keys or if they opt to restore the locks to their original condition when they vacate your property. If your tenant fails to comply with or to produce a proposition after an ample grace period, you can let them know that you plan to deduct the replacement costs from their security deposit.
One course of action to discourage tenants from changing locks on their own is by changing them between every tenant. Former tenants ought to never have the possibility of re-entry after vacancy even if you find them trustworthy. It is significantly important to be aware of who has access to your property to avert being sued for a future resident’s monetary losses. Although your keys are returned to your safekeeping, you can never be sure how many copies were made, who possesses these copies, or where they currently reside.
You can have every confidence in Real Property Management One to switch locks to new ones before a new resident moves in. We also attend to all of the tenant communication to verify that your Brentwood property is protected from harm. Call 925-794-8339 today to learn about all our property management services and how you can reap the financial reward.
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