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Best Key Service

Providing Professional Locksmiths Service for over 25 years

Texas State Law requires re-keying of Rental Properties to be completed by a licensed Locksmith.

Texas Law also requires that the smoke alarms be physically checked before tenants move in. I do this while I am at the property thereby saving you the cost of a handyman coming out to check them.

 

I make sure your property is up to code with the Texas Security Devices Statute which all rental-housing owners in Texas need to be in compliance with.

The statute applies to owners of apartments, houses, duplexes, triplexes, condominium units, townhouses, cooperatives, mobile homes, rooms in private dormitories and rooming houses, garage apartments, public housing projects, and all other types of dwellings that are rented.

The only exceptions are for hotels, motels and dormitories owned or operated by certain kinds of educational institutions.

The safety and security of your residents and their families are at stake - as well as your own potential liability and exposure to multi-million dollar lawsuits.

If you fail to follow the lock laws, it gives your tenant a free way to cancel the lease agreement. It also places you in a position of greater liability in case of a break in.

Upon change of tenants, you have 7 days of your new tenant moving in to rekey the locks. This expense cannot be passed on to the tenant, even if the tenant agrees.

It is illegal to charge tenants for re-keying locks in Texas.

I give Liberty Management’ owners preferred pricing and I re-key the properties using a very efficient key system which assures there is always a key available when needed.

The following is a list of what needs to be done when converting a property into a rental home.

  • Keyless deadbolts - All exterior doors in your rental property must have a Keyless deadbolt installed, including the door leading from the inside of your home into the garage.

  • Door-viewer - All exterior doors in your rental property must have a Doorviewer (peep hole) installed; even if there is a clear glass panel or window.

  • Next to the Door - including if the door opens from the dwelling into the garage, the door is at the rear of the dwelling, or on the second or third story of the dwelling.

  • Pin locks - All sliding glass doors must have a Pin locks AND either a locking handle or a Charlie bar installed.

  • Double Cylinder Deadbolts – These locks require a key to open the deadbolt from the inside to exit and can create a fire trap.
    Replacing these locks is not required by state code, but it would be prudent for you to consider the possible liability of a tenant or children trapped inside your dwelling during a fire.
    Liberty Management requires all Double Cylinder Deadbolts to be replaced with Single Cylinder Deadbolts.

  • French doors - All French doors must have a threshold bolt and upper door jamb bolt (with a 3/4" throw) on one door, and the other door must have a keyless deadbolt and either a keyed deadbolt or keyed doorknob lock.

  • Window latches - You must have a window latch on each window. It can be the original latch or an after-market type.

 

The information here should not be considered conclusive or a substitute for legal advice. Anyone needing legal assistance should contact an attorney.

If you have any questions, please contact me at 210-341-5219 or Liberty Management at 210-681-8080.

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