Managed property turnover

Property management rekeying in Austin

For apartment turnovers and commercial suite changes, we rekey suitable locks and coordinate physical key handoffs with the property manager. List the doors, approver and turnover window.

Call (512) 777-0021 Explore the details
14+ years serving Austin
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A manager hands keys to a worker at a reception desk
01

Map the change

Start with the turnover inventory

Managers of apartment buildings, retail suites and offices often inherit a key list that is older than the current occupants. Begin with the actual transition: a vacated unit, a new commercial tenant, a departing employee or a vendor whose access is ending. Name the property, unit or suite, turnover date and the administrator responsible for the handoff. Individual homeowners can use our separate home lock rekeying page.

Walk the affected doors on paper. A suite entrance, interior storage room, shared corridor door and loading entrance may belong to different key groups and different decision makers. Record known mechanical keys and electronic credentials separately. If records are incomplete, mark the uncertainty; the opening assessment should resolve it before parts are ordered or a new key plan is promised.

Separate the unit from shared access

A change at one tenant-controlled door may be straightforward. A shared lobby, maintenance room or building perimeter can affect many current users. Confirm who owns the hardware and who has authority to change it before scheduling a rekey. The lease, management agreement and property's internal policy determine approvals; this operational checklist does not decide anyone's legal rights.

Use this example access discussion to build the property's own schedule. It separates doors before anyone assumes a role includes access to the whole building.

Example role and opening review
RoleSuite doorShared lobbyService room
New occupantReview and approveReview shared accessNo assumed access
Property managerDocument authorized roleDocument authorized roleReview maintenance need
VendorOnly for approved workTime and escort planOnly for approved work
02

Work and authority

Choose the right change for each opening

A suitable cylinder may be rekeyed while its lock body stays in place. A damaged latch, incompatible cylinder or altered door preparation may call for a replacement part or further hardware work. On a verified interchangeable-core system, a planned core exchange can handle turnover. The BEST Standard Core illustrates an SFIC arrangement, while SARGENT's 6300 is a large-format example. The existing housing and keyway decide which path applies. Interchangeable-core service starts with that fit check.

Ask whether a missing key also operates shared rooms through a master-key hierarchy. A unit key and a high-level key expose different doors. Restricted-key products may add an authorized ordering process, but the words “do not duplicate” on a conventional blank are not a substitute for tracking issuance and returns. The appropriate arrangement depends on the current cylinders, the property's records and who will administer future changes.

Assign approval and key custody

Before work begins, identify an authorized manager who can approve each affected opening and confirm the correct property. Decide how staff, residents or tenants will get in while the change takes place. A building with multiple turnovers can phase work by unit or floor, but shared access needs one coherent plan so an old key is not quietly left valid at an overlooked door.

Keep a simple record of the change: door label, authorized approver, work performed, key or credential group, number of copies issued, recipient and any unresolved fault. Sensitive keying details belong with the designated administrator, not on a public work order. If several Austin-area addresses are involved, group them by location and intended work window; dispatch can discuss travel and technician availability for each address.

Three labeled groups of keys in a wall cabinet

A closer look at your locks.

Tell us which brand you have and what you'd like to change. We can discuss options for your door.

  • Medeco
  • Sargent
  • Schlage
03

Handoff

A credential change is not a mechanical rekey

Some managed properties use electronic credentials at shared or selected suite doors. The Schlage NDE is a managed credential lock example. Its offline, periodic Wi-Fi and networked arrangements do not all update on the same schedule or offer the same administrative functions. Identify the installed system and configuration before setting a turnover deadline.

Ask who controls the software account, how credentials are issued and revoked, when a change reaches each door, and what happens when batteries, network service or an administrator are unavailable. A departing tenant's badge can be removed in the appropriate system, yet a physical key may still operate a mechanical override cylinder. That cylinder requires its own key decision. The reverse is also true: rekeying a mechanical cylinder does not cancel a code or mobile credential. Put both work streams on the turnover list and assign an owner to each. If the system's ownership or configuration is unclear, resolve it before promising a remote or immediate change.

Hand the new plan to the next manager

Test the agreed doors and document who received access after the change. A handoff can be a short, controlled record, but it should let the next administrator answer which keys were issued, which old access was addressed and which openings still need work. Record exceptions plainly, especially a shared door managed by another party or a cylinder that could not be reused.

For planned turnover, call (512) 777-0021 or request service. Provide the property type, exact address, opening count, turnover window and authorized approver. We serve Austin, the I-35 corridor and communities east toward Bastrop across Travis, Williamson, Hays and Bastrop counties; dispatch can confirm a particular location and schedule. For a single business opening, see commercial lock rekeying. For card and account questions, start with access control.

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Common questions

Answers before you call.

Which doors need a turnover change?

Start with every opening the departing key or credential could operate. Include unit or suite doors and review shared access separately. The key schedule, hardware and property approvals determine the actual work.

What should a property manager prepare?

Bring the property address, unit or suite list, known key groups, shared-door contacts, turnover window and an authorized approver. Note missing keys and any door faults.

Are shared doors treated the same as tenant doors?

Often they are controlled by different parties and serve more users. Confirm ownership and approval before changing a lobby, corridor, service or perimeter door.

Does removing a badge settle a missing physical key?

No. A credential change addresses the configured electronic system. Any mechanical override cylinder needs a separate key assessment, and update timing depends on the installed system.

Mobile service

Across Austin. Along I-35.

We serve Travis, Williamson, Hays and Bastrop counties. Call with your exact address so dispatch can discuss current availability.

512 Locksmith dispatch

Call with the turnover list and approval contact.

Tell us where you are and what needs attention. We can discuss current availability and the appropriate next step.

Call (512) 777-0021Explore commercial locksmith services