Hi, me again! The tenants who are moving out, tell me that they have only had keys to the front door and deadbolt, and the front security door and deadbolt, all keyed the same. The interior side dead bolts are the turn type & not the keyed-only dead bolts.

They tenants said they never got the keys to the back door and deadbolt, or to the security backdoor and deadbolt.

Would it be easy/possible to get one key made for the missing back door keys, or should I just replace all 4 of the lock sets for the 2 doors at the back?

Is it possible to re-key ALL the eight locks to the same (but different from the existing key) key?

Thanks in advance for sharing your knowledge & input!

Front doors -- total of 4 locks, keyed the same

Back doors -- total of 4 locks, no keys

Anything is possible. But you HAVE TO RE-KEY the LOCKS for your new tenant. Do not rekey all locks now and then give copies to painters, flooring people, cleaning crew, etc.

What you do the day your tenants move out is Re-Key 1 Dead bolt per door so the old tenants or friends with keys can not get possession. Then when everything is complete, then you have all of the locks rekeyed.

It is harder to re-key a lock when you have no key. You should have kept a copy for yourself for every door. I as a locksmith can remove a lock, pull out the cylinder and replace the pins, put the lock back together and re-install on a door in less than 5 minutes per lock. But if there is no key, I have to rake the lock and using a shim separate the cylinder. This can add 5 minutes to each lock without a key.

Many times when I give tenants their keys, it says in the lease that all tenants locks to their apartment and mailbox have bee either changed or re-keyed.

Weird situation, and this is why I recommend Landlord locks masterkey system. They are well-known to the folks here at Mr. LL, but if you prefer any local locksmith should be able to set up a system like this. Much easier and faster to swap locks with the landlord locks "ICore system". But if needed, I would go ahead and produce copies of extra keys for tenants and have them sign a receipt for keys. Be sure to include a $50+ re-key fee if keys are lost or not returned at end of tenancy. Call a local locksmith and see what they would charge.

I forgot to ask-- when I go to Home Depot or Lowe's to buy locks, is the thickness of the doors standard?

I know for a wooden door, I can measure how thick it is, but for the security screen doors, I'm not sure.

Are all wooden doors a standard thickness and are all metal security doors a standard (but probably different maybe??) thickness as well?

Thanks!

Gal,

It’s time to upgrade your business to commercial grade locks that are easy to replace and master keyed. No breakage like the store locks. No dealing with inept store employees.

Need more locks or keys? Just send them an email. They all work without testing.

One masterkey that gets you into every home and garage.

Call Sean at LandlordLocks.com. Ask about MAISON (lobby) key that also works for their apt door.

Replace the deadbolt and install non-locking passage knob on the door. This will simplify your life. Cheaper than the time lost fiddling with keys.

I am an amateur locksmith. I rekey all my places, or replace the locks, whenever I change tenants. Helps me sleep at night.

I have been master keying all the locks for years. Helps me when I go in because I am lazy and don't want to look for the keys.

Will check into Landlord locks and see what's what. I just use the 5 pin Kwikset locks for rentals. Cheap, easy to swap and re-key.