What to Do If Your Landlord Won’t Rekey the Locks

You asked, and the answer was no, or you never got a real answer at all. A landlord refusing to rekey between tenants is more common than it should be, and it puts you in an uncomfortable spot: you want to feel secure in your own home, but you do not want to violate your lease either.

Why Landlords Sometimes Refuse

Cost is the most common reason, some landlords simply do not want to pay for it between every tenant. Others assume it is unnecessary if the previous tenant seemed trustworthy, or they are managing multiple units and rekeying just falls through the cracks administratively. None of these reasons make the security concern less real for you.

Can You Rekey Without Permission?

In almost all standard Colorado rental agreements, changing the locks without your landlord’s consent is a lease violation, even if you plan to pay for it yourself and even if your intentions are entirely reasonable. This is true regardless of how justified the concern feels. See our full renter’s guide to locks for the general rules that apply here.

What You Can Actually Do

• Put the request in writing, email or text, so there is a record that you asked
• Offer to cover the cost yourself, this removes the most common objection. See our cost guide for a real number to bring to that conversation
• Propose a compromise: you pay for a rekey and provide the landlord a copy of the new key
• If the property is managed by a company rather than an individual owner, escalate to the management office directly, individual property managers sometimes have more flexibility than an owner assumes

If You Are Genuinely Concerned About Safety

If your concern is not general peace of mind but a specific safety issue, an ex-partner with a key, a previous tenant who has not returned all copies, that is a different situation than routine caution, and it is worth escalating more firmly, in writing, and potentially involving local resources if you feel unsafe. A landlord’s convenience should not outweigh a genuine safety concern.

A Middle-Ground Option: Ask About a Secondary Lock

Some leases allow a tenant to add a secondary, removable lock, like a keyed deadbolt add-on or a door reinforcement device, without technically rekeying the primary lock the landlord controls. This is not a substitute for a real rekey, but it can offer some peace of mind if a landlord is unmovable on the locks themselves. Always confirm this is allowed before installing anything.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get in legal trouble for rekeying without permission?

It can be treated as a lease violation, which could put you at risk of fees or eviction proceedings depending on your specific lease terms, even if your reasoning was safety related. Getting permission first, even informally in writing, avoids this entirely.

Will a locksmith rekey my rental without landlord approval?

We will complete the work if you are an authorized occupant, but we always recommend having your landlord’s permission in writing first to protect you under your lease.

What if my landlord just ignores my request?

Follow up in writing, keep a record of the requests, and consider escalating to a property management company if one exists above the individual owner.

Trying to get a straight answer from your landlord about rekeying? We can quote the cost so you have a real number to bring to that conversation.