Landlord Wants Key

I recently rented a place in Hong Kong - have been here for many years and have rented before. Thus, I am pretty familiar with the ins and outs. However, the new landlord is making a request I have not heard before.


Short of it is - she told me it was a good idea to change the locks as many agents have the key my new place. Fair enough - and I was planning to do so anyway. However, she also said to give her a copy of the new key. This is where I feel a bit uncomfortable. I´ve looked at the tenancy agreement and have not seen my giving consent to this. Nor have a I heard of such a request before. As we are just beginning the landlord / tenant relationship, I don´t want to get off to a poor start. However, I also feel a bit uneasy with this request.


Anyone heard of this kind of request before - and is the landlord within their rights to such a request - and must I consent?


Any advice is greatly appreciated.


Thanks.

I think there's a way to keep your place secure and keep the peace with your new landlord. Obviously Plan A would be to stand your ground as per Harliquin's advice above. If she digs her heels in, you may want to consider an alternative approach to keep the peace.


Give her a spare key, but first use a small file to alter the key. The key will still fit in the lock, but it won't turn.


If your landlord is on the level, she'll never attempt to use the key - so no problem. If she ever questions you as to why the key doesn't work then you have grounds to break the lease if you so choose as shes obviously tried to gain entry without your permission.However if you really want to stay after such an occurrence, you can always blame the locksmith for the poorly cut key.

Do not give the key to anyone.

Very rude in asking, you might be having trouble with this landlord if this is how they start.

Thanks, All.


From the responses here - I am happy to see I am not alone in seeing this request a bit out of the ordinary - and, as Bob the Builder says, just downright rude. I will need to think on how best to respond - but handing over the new key is not gonna happen!

Years ago when I rented my place and was there cleaning the floor and washing windows before we moved in, a property agent with a prospective client started opening my door with a spare key the owner had provided to them. Apparently the place had been put for rent thru several agencies all of which had a spare key, and the owner had not bothered to inform them the place had already been rented out. I had had the signed rent contract for over a week already at that point.


- Luckily I had not given in to the temptation to strip naked while cleaning, as it was summer but the aircons had not yet been fixed. That would have been something, me standing in my birthsuit with a mop in hand, and the travel agent opens the door and sails in with a client!


So definitely do change the locks, but do not give a key to the landlord. If she insists, mail her a key that won't fit the new lock. And as Mr Bigglesworth writes, if she ever questions you why the key does not fit, you should question her what was she doing there trying to gain entry without your knowledge and permission. Or if she is worried that you will ruin the apartment and wants occasional access to see that everything is okay, offer to invite her over later after you've lived in there for a while. You will open the door for her, offer a cup of tea and chat, and she can see that you have not drilled holes thru the walls or ripped open the expensive flooring.