As a landlord, it's always helpful to plan ahead for certain situations that are sure to arise when you have tenants. One of these situations is having a tenant lock themselves out of their apartment. It can be a real hassle for everyone involved when it happens. Your tenant is left sitting outside, and you have to leave whatever you're doing to go unlock the door. That is, unless you follow these tips for handling lockouts the simple way!

Tip #1: Hire a locksmith.

Look for a lock company in your area. Most will offer lockout services in which they will respond to a caller and come open a locked door for them. Talk to the various companies, and see if one would be willing to work with you as your official lockout service. When a tenant calls you to report that they've been locked out, you can call the locksmith, and they can go let the tenant in.

Many locksmiths already offer 24/7 lockout services, so if you call them late at night or early in the morning for a lockout, you won't be disturbing them. You'll just be utilizing the services they already offer.

Tip #2: Charge tenants for lockouts.

Include a line in your lease that states that tenants will be charged a certain amount any time they have to call you for lockout services. You can use the money you generate from lockouts to pay your locksmith. Charging $50 or even $100 for lockout services is completely reasonable. As an added bonus, the knowledge that they'll have to pay this fee if they get locked out will encourage tenants to be more careful with their keys and lock themselves out less often.

Tip #3: Discourage hiding keys.

It's common for people to hide keys outside their residences so they can get inside if they forget their key. However, since most people choose the same hiding places--like under the doormat or under a landscaping rock--this is really not the safest practice. Someone else could find the key and gain access to the apartment. Discourage tenants from hiding keys outside their home, but let them know it's a good idea to give a trusted friend or family member a spare key to their place. This way, they can call the friend when they get locked out rather than bothering you and the locksmith. 

Just make sure you have the locks changed every time a new tenant moves in. You have no way of knowing whether you really got all copies of the keys back. Companies like The Lock Shop can help you with your lock maintenance needs.

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