Why Raleigh keys pile up

Census Bureau estimates put renters at close to half of households in Raleigh, Charlotte, Greensboro and Durham, 46.9 to 50.4 percent, against 33.2 percent across North Carolina. Where rentals are that common, keys move around as tenants leave, roommates split and rented houses sell, until nobody can say how many copies exist.

Rekeying fixes that while the hardware still works. The pins inside the cylinder are changed to fit a new key, so earlier keys stop turning it; the lock body, trim and door stay. For a landlord between tenants or a buyer after closing, that retires unknown keys without new hardware. It also suits owners in Boylan Heights or Mordecai, inside the Beltline, who would rather keep a house's original locks. A lock that sticks or is damaged may call for lock replacement instead.

Townhomes and keys you do not control

Single-family attached homes make up 13.8 percent of Raleigh housing. If your townhome has a homeowners association, ask which gate, pool or mailbox keys it controls; rekeying your own doors leaves those locks unchanged. One key for every exterior door works only if the locks share a keyway, so a mix of brands may mean swapping a lock or two.

Lock changes under G.S. 42-42.3

A tenant may tell the landlord, orally or in writing, that a protected tenant is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking, and ask for the locks to be changed. When the perpetrator is not a tenant of the unit, the landlord has 48 hours to change them or let the tenant do it. When the perpetrator is a co-tenant, the tenant first supplies a court order directing that person to stay away, and the landlord has 72 hours. The protected tenant pays. If the landlord misses the deadline, the tenant may change the locks and must give the landlord a new key within 48 hours. This is general information, not legal advice.

Details that help with a rekey

how many exterior doors there are, and the lock on each
the brand on the lock face or key head, if readable
how many new keys you need
whether you own, manage or rent the home

The Raleigh page covers the districts named above.

At the door

What lock rekeying covers

Changing the pins inside your existing locks so old keys stop working, without replacing the hardware.

An inspection of each lock to confirm it can be rekeyed
Re-pinning each cylinder to work with a new key
New keys cut for the rekeyed locks

ID and proof you may access the property are checked before any work.

Lock Rekeying in North Carolina

Sources

Public records and references this page draws on. They are outside USA Locksmith Pros and open in a new tab.

Lock Rekeying in Raleigh, NC