Between tenants, the locks on a rental unit should be settled before the new tenant receives any keys. The question is not whether the lock works but whether anyone outside the new tenancy can still open it. Count the keys and codes that went out and came back, decide whether to keep, rekey, or replace the lock, check the door while the unit is empty, and record exactly what you hand over.
A working lock is not a settled lock
A rental lock that turns smoothly at move-out says nothing about who can still open it. The outgoing tenant may return every key while a former roommate keeps a copy. Running the same steps in the same order at each turnover turns that question into something you check instead of something you assume.
What to know before deciding anything
Gather these facts first, ideally before the old tenant's last day, while you can still ask questions.
- How many keys were issued at the start of the last tenancy, and how many came back.
- Whether copies were possible. A standard key can be copied without your knowledge, so a full return does not rule out copies.
- Every entry point tied to the unit: the main door, any back or side door, and shared entry such as an intercom or fob.
- Any keypad or smart lock codes, including ones the tenant shared with others.
- The condition of the hardware, which you check properly once the unit is empty.
Unaccounted-for keys are the main trigger for what follows. If nobody recorded how many keys went out, the count is unknown, and an unknown count points the same way as a missing key.
Should the lock stay, be rekeyed, or be replaced?
Keep it as is
Leaving the lock alone fits when every issued key came back, copies are unlikely, and the door check below turns up nothing wrong. That is a narrow case, because the copy question rarely has a firm answer.
Rekey it
Rekeying changes which key operates the lock you already have. The lock stays on the door, but the cylinder, the part the key slides into, is set to a new key, so the old keys stop turning it. Missing keys or possible copies point here when the lock itself is sound. If the unit has more than one door, rekeying is also a chance to make them all work from one key.
Replace it
Replacement fits when the hardware is the problem: a worn cylinder, a cracked or loose lock body, or mismatched locks on the same unit. It also fits when you want a different kind of lock on the door, such as a keypad.
Clear codes instead of cutting keys
A keypad or smart lock needs its own reset. Delete each code the last tenant used or shared, not just their main one, and remove them from any app or account linked to the lock.
Checking the door while the unit is empty
An empty unit is the easiest time to look closely at each door that leads in.
- The key turns without jiggling or pulling on the door.
- The latch and deadbolt extend and retract fully. A bolt that only throws when you push or lift the door points to alignment rather than the lock.
- The strike plate, the metal plate on the frame that receives the bolt, sits square, with tight screws and no fresh scrape marks.
- Handles and knobs do not wobble.
- Any buzzer, entry keypad, or fob reader for the unit responds.
Problems found now take less effort to fix, with nobody living there to schedule around. Anything that fails is a door hardware and repair job, and it is worth settling before the lock decision is final, since a dragging bolt can make a new lock feel faulty.
What the new tenant gets, and what you keep on file
The new tenant should get a counted set of working keys. Try each key in each lock before it leaves your hands, and use key copy and duplication if you need more than you have. Give codes, fobs, or intercom credentials in writing, noting which device opens which door.
Then record what went out: how many keys, the date, which doors they open, which codes or fobs were issued, and whether the lock was kept, rekeyed, or replaced. That record becomes the starting count at the next turnover, so the first step is a comparison instead of guesswork.
For rekeying, a new lock, or extra keys before move-in, call Williamsburg Locksmith and Key Copy at (347) 699-9268. As a mobile locksmith, it does the work at the unit itself.
Frequently asked questions
Should I rekey between tenants even if every key was returned?
Rekeying between tenants still makes sense after a full key return when you cannot rule out copies. A returned key shows what came back, not what was copied, and keys from earlier tenancies or contractors may still be out there. If the lock was rekeyed at the last turnover and your record shows a full return since, keeping it is a reasonable call.
How many keys should a new tenant receive?
A simple rule is one key for each adult occupant, for each door they use. Keep any spare under your own control instead of handing over every copy. Whatever number goes out, write it down, because the issued count is what you compare against when that tenant moves out.
What if a tenant says they lost a key before moving out?
A key a tenant reports lost before move-out counts as unaccounted for, the same as one that was never returned. Nobody knows who has it now. That points toward rekeying before the new tenant arrives, and the reason is stronger if the lost key carried a tag or label tying it to the address or unit number.
Can a keypad or smart lock make turnover easier?
A keypad or smart lock can shorten the key side of a turnover, since old codes are deleted and new ones issued without cutting anything. It does not remove the job entirely. Many of these locks also have a backup key cylinder, and that cylinder needs the same key count and rekey decision as a standard lock. Any admin code the last tenant knew should be changed too.