The changeover rekey
The steadiest locksmith job on a rent roll happens on the day nobody lives in the property. When a tenant moves out, the agency counts the keys back in against the entry condition report, and if any are missing the owner has to decide whether to rekey before the next tenant moves in. Queensland's RTA says a tenant who doesn't return every key, including copies they had cut, may be invoiced for replacing them and for changing the locks, so a missing key often turns into a rekey the outgoing tenant pays for. Where every key comes back, a rekey is usually the owner's choice, and many owners still ask for one because they can't know how many copies were made over a long lease.
For the manager, the useful part is the paperwork that comes with it. Send an invoice that shows which locks were rekeyed (front door, back door, sliding door, garage and letterbox), how many keys were cut and handed to the agency, and whether the tenant or the owner is paying, so it can be matched to the bond claim or the owner's ledger. Rekeying the cylinder rather than replacing the lock is usually the cheaper option, and saying so on the quote is the kind of thing that makes an owner approve without a phone call.
What each state says about locks
Each state puts a minimum level of security on rentals, and that is where repair and upgrade work comes from, because a property that falls short can't be let until it's fixed.
| State | The minimum on locks | Changing a lock during a tenancy |
|---|---|---|
| Queensland (RTA) | Functioning locks or latches on all external doors and windows that can be reached without a ladder, and screens or grilles don't replace them | Only by agreement, in an emergency or by QCAT order, apart from domestic and family violence |
| NSW (NSW Government) | Locks and security devices that keep the property reasonably secure, with a key or device for every tenant on the agreement | With the other party's consent or reasonable grounds, and a key to the other party within 7 days |
| Victoria (Consumer Affairs) | External entry doors (other than screen doors) need a working deadlock or a lock opened by a key from outside and without a key from inside, and opening windows need working latches | The renter needs consent, which can't be unreasonably withheld, and pays for the change |
Victoria's standard matters most for a locksmith writing to agencies, because a rental has to meet it before it is advertised and a new renter can't move in until it does. An older house with a single key-in-knob lock on the back door or windows that don't latch is a job for the manager to fix between tenancies, and offering a quick check against the locks standard while you're there for a rekey is a small, useful thing to put in a first email. Victoria also has a rule starting on 1 June 2027 that rental providers and agents must not unreasonably refuse a renter's request for an extra key or fob, and switching off a key or fob without a lawful reason becomes an offence, so agencies with fobbed apartment buildings will want a locksmith who can program and record them.
Family violence lock changes
This is the most sensitive work a property manager will send you, and all three states now let a tenant change the locks without the owner's consent when they're experiencing family violence. The details differ, and the manager has to follow them exactly.
- In Queensland, the tenant can change locks or access codes without consent if it's needed for their safety, but the work must be done by a qualified locksmith or tradesperson and must follow any body corporate by-laws. The tenant gives the manager a copy of the new key unless they agree otherwise or QCAT orders it, and the manager must not give that key to anyone without the tenant's consent or a reasonable excuse.
- In NSW, the tenant can change a lock without consent where the other person is barred by an order or the tenant reasonably believes it's needed to prevent violence. A locksmith or other qualified person should do it, and keys go to co-tenants within 48 hours (never to the barred person) and to the landlord within 7 days.
- In Victoria, a renter protected by an intervention order or safety notice can change external door and window locks without permission, including a lock in a master key system. Once the rental provider has a copy of the order they can't give the excluded renter a key.
In practice this means working quickly, quietly and with the paperwork right. Ask who is paying before you go, keep the tenant's details out of anything you send beyond the manager, and hand the new keys only to the people the manager names. The master key point is the one that catches people out in apartment buildings, because changing a unit's front door cylinder can take it off the building's system, so check with the manager whether the owners corporation needs to be told and record what you changed.
Lockouts and the agency's key register
Most agencies hold a set of keys for every property in a key safe and sign them out to tradies against a register, so a lockout after hours is often a call to you rather than to the agency. Agree in writing who you invoice when a tenant locks themselves out (usually the tenant, since they lost or locked in the keys) and whether the agency wants a call before you open the door. Sign every key you collect in and out with the time, and return them the same day, because a missing agency key is a rekey the manager has to explain to an owner. The property managers page covers how agencies choose and keep their tradies, and the locksmiths page covers strata, builders and the other buyers worth writing to. If you'd rather not send the first emails yourself, Curlew writes to agencies near you in your business name.
A first email you could send
Hi Sam, I’m a licensed locksmith in Footscray and a good share of our work is rentals around the inner west. We do changeover rekeys with an itemised invoice showing each lock and key, check the doors and windows against the locks standard while we’re there, and handle family violence lock changes quietly with keys only to the people you name. If you ever need a backup for after-hours lockouts, I’m happy to send our licence and rates. Would a rekey on your next vacate be worth a try? Tom If this isn’t for you, just let me know and I’ll leave it there.
An example only. The business is made up.
For a version with every line explained, see email to a property manager.