Changing locks in a rental property: landlord and tenant rights

A tenant can usually change the locks during a tenancy unless the tenancy agreement says otherwise, provided they keep the original lock and reinstate it at the end. A landlord cannot change the locks to shut a tenant out while the tenancy is live, because doing so is an illegal eviction rather than a way to regain possession. A landlord can only change the locks between tenancies, or after lawfully recovering possession through the courts. This guide sets out both sides, and what a sensible tenancy agreement should say about it.

Can a tenant change the locks?

In most cases, yes. There is no law that stops a tenant changing the locks on the property they rent, and tenants do it for sensible reasons, after losing a key, following a break-in, or to keep out an ex-partner who still has access. What governs it is the tenancy agreement, which often requires the tenant to get the landlord’s consent first, and the tenant’s duty to return the property as they found it. A tenant who changes the locks should keep the original, give the landlord a copy of the new key if the agreement requires access, and refit the original locks at the end of the tenancy. A tenant who changes the locks and does not reinstate them can face a deposit deduction for the cost of putting them back.

Changing the locks does not remove the landlord’s right of access, and it does not entitle the tenant to deny agreed visits. It simply means the tenant controls who holds a working key day to day, which is part of their right to quiet enjoyment of the home.

Can a landlord change the locks?

Not while a tenant is living there. A landlord who changes the locks to keep a tenant out, whether over rent arrears, a dispute, or simply to force them to leave, has committed an illegal eviction under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977, which is a criminal offence and can lead to prosecution and a damages claim by the tenant. Across the landlords using August, the lock question that causes real trouble is exactly this lock-out: changing the locks on a tenant still in situ is not regaining possession, it is breaking the law. The position is the same whether or not notice has been served and whether or not rent is owed, as set out on gov.uk.

To recover a property lawfully, a landlord must follow the possession process, serving the correct notice, obtaining a court possession order, and, if the tenant still does not leave, using court-appointed enforcement. Our guide to evictions and the lawful possession route explains the steps, and our guide to regaining possession covers what recovering the property properly involves.

When can a landlord legally change the locks?

There are clear situations where a landlord can and should change the locks. The most common is between tenancies, when the previous tenant has handed back possession and the property is empty, where changing the locks is good security practice so a former tenant cannot return. A smart lock achieves the same result without a locksmith, because you delete the previous tenant’s code rather than change the cylinder. The second is after possession has been lawfully recovered, once a court order has been enforced and the tenant has left. Genuine abandonment is the grey area. If a landlord believes a tenant has left for good but cannot be certain they have surrendered the tenancy, changing the locks is risky, because if the tenant has not actually given up possession it is still an illegal eviction. In that situation the safe course is the possession process, not the locksmith.

The landlord’s right of access

Even where a tenant has changed the locks, the landlord keeps a right of access. For repairs and inspections the landlord must give at least 24 hours’ written notice and visit at a reasonable time, and the tenant should provide a key or arrange to let them in. What the landlord cannot do is enter without that notice and the tenant’s agreement, except in a genuine emergency such as a fire or a flood, because entering uninvited breaches the tenant’s quiet enjoyment. Keeping the tenancy agreement, the lock clause and a record of who holds keys in one place avoids most disputes, which is part of what document storage is for. Our guide to access for repairs sets out the notice rules in full.

What the tenancy agreement should say

A clear clause prevents most lock disputes. A sensible one allows the tenant to change the locks with the landlord’s consent, requires the tenant to provide a copy of any new key or to keep the original lock for refitting, and requires the original locks to be reinstated at the end of the tenancy. From the landlord’s side, it confirms the landlord’s right of access on notice and, where appropriate, that the landlord holds a key for emergencies. The tenants who change locks without friction are the ones who told the landlord, handed over a key, and put the originals back at the end, and a good clause makes all three the default.

Frequently asked questions

Can a tenant change the locks without permission?

Usually only if the tenancy agreement does not require consent. Even where they can, the tenant must keep the original lock, not obstruct the landlord’s agreed access, and reinstate the original at the end of the tenancy or risk a deposit deduction.

Can a landlord change the locks to evict a tenant?

No. Changing the locks to exclude a tenant who is still living in the property is an illegal eviction under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977, a criminal offence. A landlord must use the court possession process instead.

Can a landlord change the locks without notice?

Only when the property is empty between tenancies or after possession has been lawfully recovered. While a tenant is in occupation, a landlord cannot change the locks at all to exclude them, with or without notice.

Should a landlord change the locks between tenants?

It is good practice, because a previous tenant or their contacts may still hold a working key. You can start for free and keep the agreement and your key and access records against each property.

Disclaimer: This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or professional advice. Landlord and tenant law is subject to change, and the information in this article reflects the position at the time of writing. You should always seek independent legal or professional advice before taking any action in relation to your property or tenancy.