The end of a tenancy is a busy moment for any landlord — inventory, deposit, cleaning, repairs — and security is easy to leave until last or skip entirely. But the changeover is exactly when a property is most exposed, and a few minutes of lock-and-security checks protect both the property and the incoming tenant. This is a practical end-of-tenancy lock and security checklist for landlords and letting agents.
Lock changes happen once the property is empty — never on a tenant still in occupation. If you are recovering a property through the possession process, the locks come last, after the property is lawfully vacant. See can a tenant change the locks.
The headline job. Once the previous tenant has gone, change or re-key every external door lock so no old key works. On most uPVC and composite doors a cylinder swap is all you need; on timber doors a BS3621 mortice may need replacing if it’s below standard. This is the moment to lock out every key the outgoing tenant ever cut, lent or lost. Our guide to changing locks between tenancies covers the re-key-versus-replace choice.
While you’re changing locks anyway, confirm they meet your policy — typically TS007 3-star anti-snap cylinders on uPVC/composite doors and BS3621 on timber. The changeover is the cheapest, easiest time to upgrade any door that falls short, and it keeps your cover valid for the next tenancy. See the lock standards your insurer expects.
Work round every window: does it lock, and is the key present? Accessible windows — ground floor and anything reachable from a roof or drainpipe — should have working key-operated locks, both for security and because many policies require them. Replace missing keys and fix any handle or lock that doesn’t fasten properly.
Tally the keys. How many sets existed, and are they all back? If any are unaccounted for, the lock change above has already solved it — which is precisely why changing the locks is the safe default rather than relying on returned keys. Cut the right number of fresh sets for the incoming tenant (and the managing agent, if used), and start a clean key record for the new tenancy.
A returned key proves nothing about copies. Changing or re-keying the locks is the only way to be certain old keys are dead — which is why it’s the default.
Security isn’t just the front door. Check side and back gates lock, sheds and garages are secure (a Sold Secure padlock where it matters), and any outbuilding the tenant used can be properly locked. These are common weak points and easy to overlook.
If the property shares a communal entrance, make sure the shared-door security still works and that the outgoing tenant’s access — key, fob or code — is revoked. With access-control or coded systems, removing or reissuing a code is quick; with a keyed communal door, the room re-key handles it. See HMO locks and fire-door compliance.
In an HMO, confirm fire doors still self-close and self-latch, closers work, bedroom locks release from inside with a thumbturn, and the final exit opens without a key. A tenancy changeover is a natural point to catch a closer that’s been disconnected or a fire door that’s been wedged.
Note the locks changed and fitted, the standard, and the date — for your insurance file and your own records. If you ever need to claim, or to show the property was handed over secure, that record is what protects you.
A named, vetted master locksmith covers your area — no call-out fee.
We handle the lot in one visit — lock changes to your insurer’s standard, window locks, outbuildings, communal access and HMO fire-safety checks — with a fixed price, no call-out fee, and a written record for your file. For agents and portfolios we work to a schedule. See our landlord locksmith services, or find your local locksmith to book a changeover.
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