I'm in college and I live with 4 of my friends from highschool, but one of them has been a huge pain to live with and none of us like him, as he's a really messy and just generally shady guy. He knows we don't like him and we get in arguments a lot, and I really don't trust him. Our bedroom doors have locks but they are extremely cheap, I locked myself out by accident once and opened my door with a credit card in literally 2 seconds (I had never picked a lock before and didn't even know how to do it, I just jammed the card in and it popped open). I also tested this a few more times to make sure it actually was the lock at fault and it is.
I'd like to change the lock on my bedroom door to something better or maybe even a keypad or something, but I've heard that you're not allowed to do this at apartments without the landlord's permission, does anyone know if that's true? If it is, what would be the best way to persuade the landlord to let me change the locks? Thanks.
How to change the locks at an apartment?
You can change the lock on your door with permission from the landlord. The landlord must have a copy of the key for in case of emergency to get into your room.
Go to a locksmith store or Home Depot and you can change the combination without replacing the lock. All you have to do is buy a kit for this purpose. The locksmith will take your key and cut a new key to fix the old key pattern, and when you get home all you have to do is put the slog in the lock opening and the new key will work.
How to change the locks at an apartment?
The best way would be to contact the landlord and tell him you would like to get a better lock...perhaps you can split the cost of the locks You will also need to give him a key.
Have a locksmith change the lock on front door and leave a spare key with landlord with understanding that the shady guy is not to go in no matter what.
Don't change locks without the landlords permission. If you explain why he may approve, but he may ask you to pay for it.
Just give the landlord a copy of the key.
You can replace the lock/s on inside doors of the apartment without landlord's permission and then send copy of new key to him. You could conveniently break the doorknob justifying the need for a new lock.
You can not replace the locks on outside entrance doors without landlord permission. Landlord needs to be able to access his property with advanced notice to tenant at any reasonable time.
You can get new lock (doorknob, tumbler, etc.) at any hardware store. I would make sure the doorframe is properly intact first so not to defeat the purpose of a new lock.
generally the landlord cares about the main lock- if you change the lock that gets you into the apartment you'd have to give him a key. i doubt anyone would have an issue with you changing bedroom door locks as long as you can pass a key on when you move out.
one thing though- sometimes it is the quality of the door frame that lets you in, not the quality of the lock. i put a pretty good new lock on my main door and could still jimmy in with a credit card if the deadbolt wasn't locked, cause the door frame was a p.o.s.!
