Lock change – the key for safety when moving to a new house

It boggles the mind that there are still people who move into a new place and don’t bother to change the locks. You can be 100% sure that there are unaccounted for keys to your new home floating around out there. Most of the time, it will be fairly innocuous, but it only takes your house key getting into the wrong hands one time to cause more trouble in your life than you want.
You may have the false idea that only the previous owners have a set of keys; they seem
like honest and likeable people, and you’re confident that you’re a good judge of character. What you aren’t considering is that they may not remember the history of their keys no matter how likeable they are; they’re only concern is moving on.


For all you know, the owners may have lost a set at one time; maybe their granddaughter’s ex-boyfriend or his friend has a copy. What about subcontractors, cleaning personnel, realtors, home health aids, house sitters or pet sitters? The list is endless really; still think it isn’t a problem?

Home security when renting a house

Your homeowners or renters policy may not cover losses in the event that you are robbed if you didn’t change the locks. The reason they will use to deny your claim is that you didn’t take reasonable precautions to protect your home by changing the locks. That alone should give you pause; why would you take a bigger risk with your safety and security than your insurance company is willing to take?
If you’re a renter, you should be doubly concerned with the whereabouts of previous keys to your house, condo, or apartment. A good 7% of renters never return their key when they move out. Landlords are by law supposed to change the locks between renters, but there is little oversight to see that it happens. You should request the locks be changed or rekeyed by a locksmith in Houston like BH Locksmith when you move in. Almost every apartment complex has master keys for the maintenance crew. Make your request to change the locks, but never change them without asking.
Condo and townhome owners and renters should be aware that changing the locks may be more complicated than just calling a locksmith Houston. New owners and renters need to check with their governing association to see what the guidelines and restrictions are on changing the locks. Many associations regulate the cosmetics of a neighborhood right down to the doorknob. Chances are you’ll more likely need to call a locksmith like the certified BH Locksmith to rekey your locks rather than change them.

can your locks really protect you?

Another thing to consider about changing locks after you move is the condition of the locks. Check each exterior door, including garage doors to the out side and from the garage to the house to make sure they’re in good condition and haven’t been compromised. If a previous tenant was locked out for example, he may have tried to break into his own house and compromised the integrity of the lock.
Any number of scenarios could result in a broke or compromised lock. Also, be sure to see that you have a key to all doors. In the event of an emergency, you want to be able to exit from any door and need to be sure you have a key for each door. Aging locks could also be inadequate and in need of changing.
It’s just good common sense to change the locks when you move into a new place. One certified locksmith Houston TX residents trust and depend on is BH Locksmith. They offer service to Houston and the surrounding area 24 hours a day. Their less than 20 minute emergency lock out response time makes them a favorite among local residents.