Suppose you issued a certain number of keys to your tenant when renting out your property, and you received the same amount back. Is it safe to assume that your new tenant can use these keys without you needing to rekey the locks on your property?
It is best to perform due diligence and rekey the locks, even if your old tenant returns all the keys you issued.
A trusted local locksmith can take care of all your door and lock needs on any property.
In Michigan there are no legal obligations for landlords to rekey locks. But some states do require a landlord to rekey a security device at their own expense within seven days after each tenant’s turnover date. And some states have severe legal penalties for not adhering to this, for good reason.
Does this mean that, as a landlord in Michigan, you can skip the rekeying process after a tenant moves out?
This wouldn’t be a wise decision and could be a breach of “duty of care,” resulting in stiff penalties, particularly if your negligence harms your new tenant. Here’s a locksmith’s take on why rekeying or replacing locks should be and is worth considering.
Reasons to Rekey Locks
While it may be tempting to avoid rekeying locks to save money in the short term, it is well worth the $50 to $150 per lock to change them between tenants. Here are some reasons why this is a worthy investment.
Ensuring New Tenant Safety
Even if your previous tenant was a model citizen, you can’t be too sure that danger couldn’t transpire if you don’t change the locks. To ensure your new tenants’ valuables and lives are safe, it is a good idea to rekey the locks after each old tenant leaves the premises, even if you experience high turnover.
Besides, the previous tenant may have given a copy of the key to someone else who could access the premises. So, even if the tenant returns all copies of the key you issued, it’s in your best interest to change the locks.
Minimize Landlord Liability
You shouldn’t only be concerned about your tenant’s peace of mind when rekeying the locks. As a landlord, it is also critical for you to have peace of mind knowing that your new tenant is safe.
Although landlords in Michigan aren’t legally required to perform this activity between tenant move-outs, performing this task allows you to ensure basic safety standards for your new tenant.
You can be sued for negligence if you fail to change locks. This is a minor task easily performed by a locksmith professional that will help prevent your legal liability.
Prevent Property Damage
Even if you and your previous tenant ended on equitable terms, you should still rekey the locks on your property. Failing to do so may allow the last tenant to regain unauthorized entry into the property.
This may allow them to have access to the new tenant’s property and could result in theft or damage to the new tenant’s possessions. Alternatively, this unauthorized access may give the tenant the ability to occupy your property, thereby preventing you from renting it out to another paying tenant.
In essence, the possibility of former tenants squatting on the property is much higher when you don’t change the locks.
Overall Benefits of Rekeying Locks
Rekeying your locks may seem like a costly nuisance. However, it is an essential part of ensuring the safety of your new tenants and the property itself. Believe it or not, changing your property’s locks between tenants is a more cost-effective option than avoiding it altogether, considering the massive legal and financial risks that come with doing so.
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