Do you give keys to your handyman??

Question

Kind of a silly question, I know. I assume the answer is 'yes'.

I was just wondering if they keep the keys if only for 'every so often' repairs or very infrequent calls about the property (a duplex).

Thoughts?

Account Closed · Answer

@Mark DouglasIf your handyman has brains and a bit of experience, he might refuse the keys and work hard with you on an alternative solution.The obvious convenience solution exposes your handyman to questions and suspicions about whether he has ever entered an occupied property on the sly and either stolen something valuable or done unspeakable things there.I'm a renovation contractor and I do most of the work on my own properties. I guess you could call my main helper a handyman. Over the years, I've put my safety and my property in his hands literally dozens of times. He has keys and unrestricted access to all unoccupied properties. He has keys to my house. I have keys to his. But he does not have keys to our occupied rentals. It has nothing to do with mutual trust. It's about protecting him.

Rocky V. · Answer

If it's tenant occupied, NO. That's a problem waiting to happen. He should be scheduling maintenance calls with tenant. We handle several maintenance calls a year and someone must be home. You don't want tenant blaming you for something that is missing. If it's during rehab/renovation, Yes.

Johann Jells · Answer

I do all the maintenance on occupied rentals, so that's not an issue. When I have a vacancy being worked on I change the Kwikset smartkey locks to a "work key" for their access and change it to a tenant key after. For building access, I've got different plans. My biggest building has a intercom entry system that I can program in entry codes. UPS has one so they can drop packages. So I'll program them a code. Another has a basement door with Smartkey, and I'll give them that, so if there's a problem with the contractor I can change it way more easily than the main entry with 3 cylinders to rekey and many keys to distribute. Even the lockbox method requires faith in the contractor, they could easily copy it. What happens way more often in my experience giving them keys is they lose it.

Deanna McCormick · Answer

I see no issue to giving a regular maintenance tech access to key,, but he doesn't keep the key. Put the key in a lock box in a area of the house he can access, inside, not hanging on a outside door.. or maybe just inside of a door frame , (some can be boxes can be screwed on frame so it's not hanging).what's also important is communication that your having the unit serviced and letting tenant know the maintenance guy is expected..For emergency service this is just plain awesome.. and you can always change the code if you feel it necessary. My electrician, plumber, and painter guy all had access when I scheduled work with them, they were all licensed and bonded so they were covered and so was I.

Rocky V. · Answer

@Mark Douglas Yup!! I receive maintenance request and send to appropriate tech who schedules with tenant. They must be home unless given permission by tenant to enter premises.

Geoff Andrist · Answer

If you're married to them, then I'd say it's a safe bet. Otherwise.... I'd put a lockbox on the property as needed.

Helen Zhang · Answer

I can't seems to understand how is "give key to your handyman" different from "put key into a lockbox". If your handyman is not honest, then you may give him lock pin number and he could still take your key and make a duplicate copy. If you really want to make it right, get one of those locks with a keypad. As soon as your handyman leaves, change the pin on your lock.

Dustin Beam · Answer

Exactly this for me. If it's unoccupied then I change locks for renovation (so old tenant couldn't access the property) and give the contractors a key. Once it's complete I change the locks for the tenant.If it's occupied, I call the contractor/maintenance person and give them the number of the tenant. They schedule when they can be let in. Just like you, I don't want a call saying their grandmother's engagement ring was stolen from the plumber when they fixed a faucet when nobody was there.

Mark Douglas · Answer

@Rocky V. So the maintenance team doesn't get inside unless the person is home? That might be the easiest solution.

Mark Douglas · Answer

@Geoff Andrist Right. I'm leaning towards giving him a spare. I've been working with him for almost two years with no issues so far. This is a rental with a tenant in it, so I shouldn't need a lockbox, just don't want to have to meet him in town and pass off the key every time something needs attention lol