Lock Rekeying in Columbus, OH

Turnover in a renting city

Renters live in 54.1 percent of occupied Columbus homes, a majority, by 2024 Census Bureau estimates, so keys change hands at every lease turnover. Rekeying changes the pins inside a lock so it takes a new key: every earlier copy stops working, and the knob, lever or deadbolt stays on the door.

The University District covers about 2.8 square miles between the Short North and Clintonville, with rental and student housing east of High Street between 11th and 17th Avenues. In a converted house there, the shared front door serves every household, so rekeying it means handing each one a new key, while a unit door touches only one tenant. Decide door by door what to rekey and who keeps a copy.

What the lease and Ohio law say

No section of Ohio's landlord-tenant chapter, Revised Code Chapter 5321, deals specifically with locks, so the lease is the first place to look for who may change them. Section 5321.04(A)(8) says that, except in an emergency or where impracticable, a landlord must give reasonable notice before entering and enter only at reasonable times. Before rekeying a rented unit, check whether the lease requires you to give the landlord a key. This is general information, not legal advice.

Why owners and landlords rekey

A house that has just sold may have keys with former owners, relatives, contractors and cleaners, and no one can say how many exist. Rekeying on moving day settles that without new hardware. Landlords rekey between tenants for the same reason.

Standard knob and deadbolt sets use pin-tumbler cylinders that rekey readily, and the older mortise locks found on some pre-war doors can often be rekeyed as well. If the hardware is worn out, lock replacement is the better fix.

What helps a request

• how many exterior doors you have, including garage and basement doors
• which shared doors, if any, are yours to change
• whether every lock should work on one key, and the brand if it is printed on the lock
• whether your lease requires the landlord to hold a key

The statewide lock rekeying page describes the service in general terms.