House Lockout in Dallas, TX

Two kinds of Dallas front door

Census Bureau estimates for 2024 put 23.7 percent of Dallas homes in buildings of 50 or more units, and 57.8 percent of the city's occupied homes are rented. Outside a large complex, a lockout can involve any of several locks: the unit door, a lobby or building entry, a garage gate. Say which one you are standing at, since each may be managed by a different person and fitted with different hardware.

At the other end are the one-story frame bungalows and two-story Four Square houses of Winnetka Heights, the Oak Cliff historic district platted in 1908. A house like that can have front, side and back doors, each with its own lock. List every exterior door and note whether it has a deadbolt, a knob lock or both. In rented housing, Texas Property Code section 92.151 counts the door between a living area and a garage as an exterior door, so include it.

What to have ready

Whoever opens a home door will want some sign that you live there.

• Photo ID, ideally showing the address you are locked out of.
• A lease or deed if the ID shows a different address.
• The name of the landlord or property manager for a rental, since they may hold a spare.

Texas Locksmith Pros takes service requests from homes, businesses and drivers in Dallas.

When a landlord changes the locks

Section 92.0081 of the Texas Property Code allows a landlord to change a tenant's locks only if the lease permits it, rent is delinquent and advance written notice was given. The landlord must then provide a new key at any hour, whether or not the rent is paid. This is general information, not legal advice.

If someone is inside

If a child, a pet or a person who needs help is inside the home, call 911 first. On a hot Dallas afternoon, wait in shade or at a neighbor's door rather than in a closed car.

See the house lockout service page, lock rekeying if keys are missing, or the Dallas page.