One of the most common landlord-tenant situations that a landlord may face each year is when a tenant changes the locks on the rental property without the permission of the landlord.

When this happens, it comes as a shock to the landlord because they had to enter the property and found that their key didn’t work.

The big question is what should a landlord do when they realize that their key is no longer working?

In this article, we answer this question and offer you tips on how to handle it professionally.

What Do The Laws In Your State Say?

Generally speaking, tenants do not have the right to change the locks on a rental property for any reason, and if they do, they must provide the landlord with an updated key.

Before contacting the tenant about this issue, landlords should verify what the laws in their state say about changed locks.

California – Tenants are allowed to change the locks on their rental properties in California and they don’t have to provide the landlord with a key.

Landlords in California may be able to file an unlawful detainer action against their tenants if this occurs.

Arizona – Unlike California, tenants in Arizona are not allowed to change the locks on their rental properties, so if a lock change is needed, the tenant must get the landlord's permission and they also must cover the cost of the lock.

Nevada – Last of all, in the State of Nevada, there is no current regulation covering if landlords or tenants have the right to change the locks on their rental properties.

Regardless of the state that you live in, every landlord should clearly state in their lease that tenants do not have the right to change locks on the rental property without notifying the landlord and offering them a spare key.

Contact Golden West Management

At Golden West Management, we specialize in local property management for single-family and multifamily rental properties.

Our team has decades of experience managing properties across Southern California, Nevada, and Arizona.

To learn more about the services that we can offer you, contact us today by calling (866) 545-5303 or click here to connect with us online.