NYC Landlords: Your Lock Responsibilities, Explained

New York City law is specific about entry-door locks: residential buildings generally must provide locks that meet code requirements, and landlords must maintain them in working order. When a lock breaks, it's the landlord's repair — not the tenant's.

Beyond the legal minimum, smart landlords rekey between every tenancy. It's cheap, it's fast, and it eliminates the single most common post-move-in security complaint. Build it into turnover the way you build in painting.

Key control matters at scale: for multi-unit buildings, a restricted-keyway master system means tenants can't duplicate keys at the corner hardware store, and you always know exactly how many keys exist.

Document everything: which locks were rekeyed, how many keys were issued, and to whom. When a dispute arises — and in New York, disputes arise — records win.

We work with landlords and management companies across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens on scheduled turnovers, bulk rekeying, and emergency response. One call covers the whole portfolio.