| By :
Eva Judge
Landlords and tenants have certain responsibilities under law when it comes to rental property locks and keys. These regulations outline procedures for installing new locks, issuing keys to tenants and related issues. All parties involved should have a solid knowledge of these rules and what their part in the process is. This makes it easier to manage the property and ensure the safety of all involved. Without the proper knowledge, confusion and disputes can arise as to how things are handled. Your local real estate company can also inform you of your rights and responsibilities regarding locks and keys. When a rental property has to be secured, proper procedures with keys and locks are critical. There are legal requirements for their use, which determines the responsibilities for both the landlord and the tenant. Each party should know the rules so that obligations are met and problems are avoided. These rules include instructions on who has to be provided with keys and how to handle the changing out of locks. By keeping to these rules, landlords and tenants can smoothly ensure the safety of those living in the rental property. How Locks are Handled - In accordance to the guidelines, a property manager will handle the handling of the rental property locks and keys on behalf of the landlord. The landlord of the property has to provide a safe dwelling, and must provide working locks to secure the premises. Tenants must be given a key to each door that has a lock and to any lock boxes that may be present in the dwelling. If there is more than one tenant, then each person must be given a key to the front door. The landlord is under no obligation to provide a double set of keys for all locks. The landlord must also provide keys to any building entrance doors or gates that come onto the property. This ensures that all tenants can access their rental unit or home. If a tenant feels that another lock is needed to secure the property, he or she can request it. When locks need to be changed, the landlord and the tenants must both agree to do so. If new ones are installed, then new keys must be provided. If one party doesn't want new ones installed, they must provide a reasonable explanation. These rules help real estate property management to be operated securely and smoothly at all times. . Knowing Your Responsibilities - Both tenants and landlords can educate themselves on these regulations by contacting their local real estate agents. Property managers can also advise clients as to the law and their specific responsibilities. Without this knowledge, disputes and problems can arise when parties don't know the boundaries that they can work within. Tenants also should inform their landlord if locks are not functioning properly. This way they can be replaced and new keys issued. In the event a dispute amongst the tenants arises and one party requests that locks are changed, then a tribunal may need to be engaged to make a decision regarding the switch in order to settle the issue.
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