Guide To Rental Property Keys

Leasing and renting properties involves the services of qualified and skilled property management professionals. There are many factors that need to be addressed in the contract of tenancy. On issue is regarding keys to rental properties. It is a requirement of the law that one set of keys to all locks in the property is given to the tenants. There can, however, be variations to this rule. This may depend on certain factors. For the entire tenancy period, the keys are kept with the tenants and they can only end the tenancy period after returning all keys to the landlords.

There are certain rules pertaining to the provision of keys to rental property. At the start of the tenancy period, the lessor or agent has to provide one complete set of keys for all locks to one tenant. These include keys to all doors for all rooms in the house, keys to the lock on the mailbox, and keys to the door of a tool shed present on the premises. Additional sets may be provided if access to the premises is required by more than one tenant as specified in the contract. According to the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008, minimum requirement is one set of keys but more can be negotiated by the tenant. It is, however, necessary that the names of all those people for whom a set of keys is required, should be in the tenancy contract. Two sets of keys may be given to a married couple, provided that their names both appear in the written contract. In case the other spouse is only listed as approved occupant, only one set of keys will be provided. It is, however, possible for the partners to raise to the landlord their desire to have more than one set of keys. The same rules apply to children as well as any other member of the family residing in the house.

There are certain circumstances when a limited number of keys are issued by a body corporate. In this a negotiation will be necessary. According to the Act it is required that one full set of keys is provided otherwise the lessor or agent will be in a breach of contract. A tenant obligated to pay the rental fees should rightfully have a hold on the keys required to enter the property.

To avoid any complications that might be caused regarded privacy factors of the tenant, it is a good idea to engage services of property managers. They have the right expertise regarding various aspects of tenancy including issues such as keys to rental properties.