Rekeying between tenants: a turnover routine for Manitoba landlords

Why does every turnover need a rekey?

Because you never know how many copies of the old key exist. A tenant who lived in a unit for three years may have cut keys for a partner, a dog walker, a cleaner, a sibling who stayed over Christmas, and a contractor who fixed the dishwasher. Getting two keys back at move-out tells you very little.

A rekey changes the pins inside the lock cylinder so it takes a new key. The hardware stays on the door, the old keys stop working, and the job is quick. If a lock is worn, broken or poor quality, replacing it can make more sense; our guide to rekey vs replace locks covers that choice.

It also matters legally. Manitoba's Residential Tenancies Act, s. 53(1) requires a landlord to "provide and maintain sufficient doors, locks and other devices to make a rental unit reasonably secure." A unit that a stranger can open with an old key is hard to call reasonably secure.

When should I rekey: before or after the old tenant leaves?

After. The right window is:

1. After the tenancy has ended and the old tenant has moved out.
2. After the key return, so you know what came back and what didn't.
3. Before the new tenant gets keys, ideally before move-in day itself.

While a tenancy is running, changing the locks needs the tenant's consent under s. 53(2) of the Act. Our post can a landlord or tenant change the locks in Manitoba explains that rule. If a tenant has left without returning keys or without clearly ending the tenancy, check with the Residential Tenancies Branch before treating the unit as vacant.

In Winnipeg, the busy moving dates bunch up at month-end, and so do turnover rekeys. If you have several units turning over on the same day, book early so the work is done between the move-out and the move-in.

How should I count, label and log keys?

A key log is a single sheet or spreadsheet per unit. It's the difference between knowing and guessing at the next turnover.

Practical tips:

• Label keys with a code, not the address. A tag that says "Unit 3, 123 Main St" turns a lost key into an open door.
• Store spare keys locked away, not on a hook by the office door.
• Don't forget the small locks. Mailbox, storage cage and shed keys go missing more than unit keys, and they lead to tenant complaints all winter.

What about master keys for several units?

If you manage a building or several properties, a master key system lets each tenant's key open only their unit while your key opens all of them. Restricted keyways go further, limiting who can cut copies. That's a bigger conversation than this post, but it's worth having if you're carrying a ring of thirty keys around a building in January.

What about garage remotes and keypad codes?

They're keys too. At every turnover:

• Collect every garage remote you issued, and clear the opener's memory, then reprogram the remotes you're keeping. Remotes that went missing stop working once the memory is cleared.
• Change the garage keypad code. A former tenant who knows the code can still open the garage, and often the door into the house from there.
• Remove old users from any smart lock or app, and reset codes.
• Deactivate building fobs that weren't returned, if your entry system allows it.

What should the new tenant get on move-in day?

A counted, signed-for set, and a plan for when things go wrong.

1. One key per adult on the lease for each lock they need. Fewer keys in circulation make the next turnover easier.
2. Their signature on the key log, listing every key, fob and remote.
3. A reminder of the consent rule: lock changes need the landlord's agreement, and the landlord's need theirs.
4. Who to call for a lockout at 2am in February, so they don't search online and call whoever comes up first.

That last point saves landlords a lot of trouble. A tenant who knows who to call is less likely to end up with a damaged door and an argument about who pays for it.

Can one locksmith handle turnovers for me?

Yes. If you'd rather book turnover rekeys, tenant lockouts and lock repairs in one place, with the paperwork done the way you like it, see our page for landlords and property managers. Commercial landlords with storefronts may also find our guide to commercial door lock types useful.

The short version

• Rekey every unit after the tenancy ends and before the new tenant gets keys.
• Keep a key log per unit, with signatures.
• Collect and reset garage remotes, keypad codes and smart lock users.
• Give a counted set and tell tenants who to call when they're locked out.