Landlord’s Guide To Lock Security Between Tenants

Every tenant change is a security moment, whether landlords treat it that way or not. Every previous occupant, tradesperson, cleaner, or real estate representative who’s had a key cut during the last tenancy is a potential access point to your property once that tenancy ends – and most of them aren’t handed back when the lease does. Getting lock security right between tenancies is one of the simplest ways to protect a rental property, and one of the most commonly skipped.

Why “The Tenant Handed Back Their Keys” Isn’t Enough

It’s a reasonable assumption that once a tenant returns their keys at the end of a lease, the property is secure again. In practice, that assumption doesn’t account for:

Keys cut for family members, partners, or house-sitters during the tenancy that were never disclosed or returned
Copies made by tradespeople, cleaners, or pet-sitters engaged directly by the tenant
A previous tenant who simply didn’t return every copy, whether by oversight or otherwise

None of this requires any bad intent on the previous tenant’s part. It’s simply the reality of how many hands a set of keys passes through over a standard 12-month lease. The only way to genuinely reset access is to change what the existing keys can open.

Rekeying vs Replacing: What Actually Makes Sense Between Tenancies

This is one of the most common questions we get from landlords and property managers, and we’ve covered the decision in detail in our guide to rekeying vs replacing locks. In short:

Rekeying changes the internal pins of the existing lock so old keys no longer work, without replacing the lock hardware itself. This is faster and more cost-effective, and is generally the right choice between tenancies where the locks themselves are in good condition.
Replacing the lock entirely makes sense where the hardware is worn, damaged, outdated, or where you’re taking the opportunity to upgrade to a higher security standard as part of a broader property refresh.

For most standard tenancy turnovers, rekeying is the more practical and economical option, and can typically be completed quickly between a tenant vacating and the next tenant’s move-in date.

When to Consider Upgrading Instead of Just Rekeying

A tenant changeover is also a natural point to reconsider whether your current locks are actually fit for purpose, particularly if:

The property has had multiple tenancies without ever upgrading the original locks
You’ve experienced a break-in or attempted break-in at the property previously
You’re managing the property remotely and want a restricted key system to control who can have copies made
You want to move to a keyless or smart lock system to simplify access management between tenants going forward

Restricted Key Systems for Landlords and Property Managers

For landlords managing multiple properties, or those who want tighter control over who can duplicate keys, a restricted key system prevents keys from being copied at a standard hardware store or key-cutting kiosk without proper authorisation. This effectively closes the loophole of undisclosed key copies being made during a tenancy, since any copy has to go through an authorised locksmith with your approval. A.Abbott Locksmiths supplies and installs a range of restricted key systems suited to residential rental portfolios of any size.

Building Lock Security Into Your Standard Turnover Process

The most effective approach is to treat lock security as a standard line item in every tenancy changeover checklist, alongside cleaning, repairs, and condition reports – not as something only considered after a problem occurs. A simple, repeatable process might look like:

Schedule rekeying (or replacement, where warranted) as soon as a vacate date is confirmed
Complete the work before the new tenant’s move-in inspection, not after
Keep a record of exactly how many keys were issued to the new tenant, and require all copies to be accounted for at the end of their lease
Reassess whether an upgrade to restricted keys or a smart lock system makes sense every few tenancies, particularly for higher-turnover properties

This is a service we regularly provide as part of our work with strata and property managers across Sydney, where consistency across a portfolio of properties matters just as much as the security of any single unit.

Contact A.Abbott Locksmiths

If you manage rental properties and want a straightforward, repeatable process for lock security between tenants, our team can help – from a single rekey to a full restricted key rollout across a portfolio. Call 1300 655 787 to discuss your properties, or get in touch via our contact page.