What type of locks do you use for external doors on your rentals?

Dallas, TX · Member since 2014 · 650 posts · 53 votes

Texas law has certain requirements, as I'd assume most all states do.

Do you have any links to the type of locks you have used for the front door, back door and door leading to the garage?

Do you typically pay someone to install? I'm thinking of doing this myself and trying to determine what this is going to cost me.

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Julie Thevenow

Investor · Madison, IN · Member since 2016 · 110 posts · 89 votes

Landlord Locks

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David Hines
Property Manager · Allen, TX · Member since 2015 · 190 posts · 160 votes
9y
While they aren't the cheapest when you first buy them, Kwikset has locks that are easy to rekey without installing a new set of locks. I've put them in all my properties and I'm very happy with them so far.
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Levi T.Pro Member
Rental Property Investor · Tucson AZ / Nice FR / Washington DC · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
9y
We use the cheapest ones that they provide at Lowe's, our handyman installs. We only provide one key to the tenant and that is the key to the front door, no other doors.
Some tenants will change lock on you. So keep that in mind when using a special lock system.
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Steve S.
OP
Dallas, TX · Member since 2014 · 650 posts · 53 votes
9y
Originally posted by @Levi T.:

We use the cheapest ones that they provide at Lowe's, our handyman installs. We only provide one key to the tenant and that is the key to the front door, no other doors.
Some tenants will change lock on you. So keep that in mind when using a special lock system.
How did you find your handyman? I recently added new properties in a new city and posted a craigslist ad but got no response. I have one for my other rentals through a prior relationship but that's a couple of hours away.
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Kelly Byrd
Rental Property Investor · Los Alamos, CA · Member since 2016 · 114 posts · 62 votes
9y
When I was renting (mostly houses), one of the first things I did when moving in was re-key the locks, then provide the landlord with a copy of the key. I always asked first, and never had a landlord refuse.
It drove me nuts that I had no idea how many copies of the keys to my current front door were floating around in the world. The last time I did this, the landlord was ok but surprised. She said: "We've been using these keys for 10 years."
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Jonathan C.
Real Estate Investor · Nashville TN · Member since 2009 · 287 posts · 171 votes
9y
the electronic keypad locks so don't have to deal with keys but keep in mind batteries need to be changed like once a year
1 Reply
Levi T.Pro Member
Rental Property Investor · Tucson AZ / Nice FR / Washington DC · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
9y
Originally posted by @Steve S.:

Originally posted by @Levi T.:
We use the cheapest ones that they provide at Lowe's, our handyman installs. We only provide one key to the tenant and that is the key to the front door, no other doors.
Some tenants will change lock on you. So keep that in mind when using a special lock system.
How did you find your handyman? I recently added new properties in a new city and posted a craigslist ad but got no response. I have one for my other rentals through a prior relationship but that's a couple of hours away.
That's up to my operatione manager. I focus mainly on buying deals and working with partners for said deals.
We find them all types of ways. I'd say we have found most by word of mouth, CL, or vendor truck advertising. Call up a few PM companies and see if they will tell you who they use. Most companies in a town use the same set of vendors.
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Julie Thevenow
Investor · Madison, IN · Member since 2016 · 110 posts · 89 votes
9y
Landlord Locks
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Sebby Gabre Madhin
Investor · Mount Dora, FL · Member since 2015 · 92 posts · 44 votes
9y
Another vote for landlord locks. We are getting up to our third order soon as we continue to grow rental portfolio. All under the same master key. We just randomly switch out cores between tenants. Yes tenants lose keys (and we can't duplicate them) a bit of a PITA to order more, but well worth it.
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Stephen E.
St Thomas, Ontario · Member since 2013 · 575 posts · 408 votes
9y
Landlordlocks.com is the way to go. The Kwikset Smartkey system is an accident waiting to happen, the stories of them jamming up when you try to reset them are true, it happened to me. Once is too often. You need to be able to change keys in between tenants to maintain access control and the security of your property. Landlord Locks iCore series locks provide this at an affordable price and with commercial level security. I am a satisfied customer. I am changing the locks over on all of my units at each turnover. I had KwikSet Smartkey on all of my units but they are all going. Security is too basic and important an issue for the technology to fail.
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Patrick LiskaPro Member
Investor · Verona, NJ · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 832 votes
9y
i have looked into the Landlord locks as mentioned but have not used them. i have one student rental where i use an electronic lock ( that i can control from anywhere, change codes etc.), but the bedrooms are regular keys, as @Jonathan C. mentioned for the front door, the unit is set up to send me an email when the batteries are low. i also have another student rental ( 8 rooms, 2 entry, 2 units + utility room) one master key and each bedroom has its own key that will get students in the entry, there unit, and there own bedroom. had a locksmith do that one. cost me a few hundred dollars with keying and supplying the locks ( 13 total ). i like both setups but may look into the landlord locks again for my 3rd student rental i just purchased.
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Bart H.
Dallas, TX · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 745 votes
9y
We use the rekeyable kwiksets. Yes you do have to be a little careful when you re-key them. But otherwise we have had good luck with them.
The nice thing about the re-key Kwiksets is you can easily change out the key AND you dont have to worry about stripping the wood by putting in a and changing out a lock.
Plus it takes like 2 seconds to re-key the locks.
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Jay Jasunas
Investor · Littleton, CO · Member since 2017 · 66 posts · 39 votes
9y
I have used the rekeyable kwiksets previously and have had good luck with them. I am however thinking of using an smart electronic lock on my next rental and see how it goes.
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Bettina F.
Investor · Post Falls, ID · Member since 2016 · 606 posts · 699 votes
9y
We have just bought a bunch of HD's brand Defiant. Lock are EASY to change if you just stick with the same brand -- it is a 10 minute job. Even I can do it, and I am generally the most unhandy person on the planet! We rent apartments, so we only have one door/unit with a doorknob and dead bolt. We rotate locks through our rentals, with a period of non-use for each lock. We tell tenants NOT to change their locks, we are happy to do so for them at no charge if they are ever afraid someone might have a key that they do not want to have a key. (Happens with GF/BF break ups.). Each unused lock/deadbolt gets stored in a freezer bag with date and unit the lock was last used on -- so we do not inadvertently place the same lock on the same unit. We have never had a problem.
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Stella Macey
Homeowner · Santa Clarita, CA · Member since 2013 · 1 post · 0 votes
2y
Quote from @Steve S.:

Originally posted by @Levi T.:

We use the cheapest ones that they provide at Lowe's, our handyman installs. We only provide one key to the tenant and that is the key to the front door, no other doors.
Some tenants will change lock on you. So keep that in mind when using a special lock system.
How did you find your handyman? I recently added new properties in a new city and posted a craigslist ad but got no response. I have one for my other rentals through a prior relationship but that's a couple of hours away.
I found my handyman through my RE Agent. She has lived in area for years. Her RE Office put together a "Service Referral List".
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Brandon P.
Lakeland, FL · Member since 2018 · 242 posts · 148 votes
2y
Quote from @Steve S.:

Texas law has certain requirements, as I'd assume most all states do.
Do you have any links to the type of locks you have used for the front door, back door and door leading to the garage?
Do you typically pay someone to install? I'm thinking of doing this myself and trying to determine what this is going to cost me.

I use the kwikset digital lock, the app is not so good, but the hardware is perfect!

Is this post even active anymore, 7 years old? LOL

Best,

Brandon
1 Reply
Greg Soon
Member since 2019 · 112 posts · 19 votes
1y
@Brandon P.
I use a mix of things and still struggling to find the best solution.
All the solution requires to have a mechanical lockbox with backup key at location for lockout or contractor. I think this is the key for any system.
Here are some pros and cons:
1. I have been thinking about landlordlocks, not used yet
main advantage is I can have one master key to open all doors, tenants can not make duplicate keys themselves,
I will need to travel to change code of lockbox once it is used.
2. Digital deadbolt.
Advantage is that the tenants do not need keys. I can have multiple one use code for contractors so I can control access without physically going there.
You do not need to carry the key, just need to keep track all codes
Main disadvantage is that the locking requires the door to close properly, otherwise the tenant may not know the door is not licked. Always ask tenants to check to make sure it is locked.
Another disadvantage is that you have to change the batteries regularly.
Another disadvantage is you have to spend quite some time programming the locks and tracking the code
3. Regular lock
Advantage is price is cheap.
Main disadvantage is that you need to have many keys to handle. But using lockbox at each site could help.
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Maranda TuckerPro Member
Property Manager · Charlotte, NC · Member since 2022 · 152 posts · 118 votes
1y
We use Kwickset Smart Locks so that we can quickly re-key the property whenever needed and have access to the property at all times.
We have a lockbox attached to the house with a back up key in it and we charge per door to change locks.
806-685-1818
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Drew SygitBusiness Member
Property Manager · Royal Oak, MI · Member since 2012 · 12k+ posts · 9k+ votes
1y
@Maranda Tucker we have a locksmith as have found it's overall cheaper to just rekey locks versus changing them.
- We can better control what's on our master key system
- EVERY lock at a property is opened with one key (well, maybe not the garage car-door)!
- Yes, it does take more time to schedule this:(
--- Our FieldTechs do have sets of locks our locksmith has pre-keyed, so we can "rekey" a property faster. Still not a perfect system though.

Also, we ONLY install passage doorknobs and keyed deadbolts.
- Logically, there really is no additional security provided with both keyed doorknob & deadbolt, but a deadbolt is more secure than a keyed doorknob.
- Since you need a key to lock a deadbolt when you leave the premises, tenant's can't lock their key(s) in the home and then pester us to come let them back in.
--- Tenants can still lose their keys outside their home:(
[email protected]248-209-6824
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