WA Tenant Security and Keys

Although I have been a private landlord and have self managed for over 10 years, I was gobsmacked to discover in WA there is no requirement for Property Managers or Landlords to control the issuance of keys for a property being leased.

There is a requirement for deadlocks on doors and security on windows and personally I have always maintained control over keys for the properties I have self managed and had locks rekeyed when in doubt.

I only became aware of this after my son and two female friends each signed a lease for a 3 bedroom property. The Property Manager issued them with one set of seven keys (for doors and windows) and told to get any additional keys cut from these as they required (!)

As there were 3 adults on the lease, IMO they should have been issued with 3 key sets that they should sign for and return on vacating the property.

However my enquiries with DOCEP revealed there is no such obligation. So it is obvious to me that the previous tenant must have been given the same instruction and there must be many "spare" keys to this property out there.

Additionally, the Act does not even allow the new tenants to rekey the locks without get prior permission.

How stupid is that?

 

What's the issue? I didn't quite follow.

 

You have just started living in a house and you don't know how many other people have copies of your front, side and rear door keys .............. and you are not even allowed to do anything about it without getting prior permission!

From a personal safety aspect I certainly wouldn't be happy with that arrangement and I'm not too sure how an insurance claim would go down either if all my newly purchased items were to go missing from the property ...

Where is the duty of care?

 

So you're expecting a landlord to replace each lock and key for each tenancy?

 

No, but I do expect a Property Manager or self managing landlord to control and minimise the number of keys that are floating out there rather than exacerbating the problem by making each new tenant get new sets cut which they are then under no obligation to return.

 

In your example, if the PM gave them three sets, and received back 3 sets, the tenants could have cut & lost or retained another 23 sets? So there'e no security in that system anyway.

(I do understand the concern, no idea why it doesn't seem to worry people? The previous tenants are known if there was a break-in? Maybe people are *generally* honest such that it isn't a problem.)

 

Why shouldn't they , we can get 3 locks rekeyed for $160 , if your changing lease once a year , its certainly not a huge cost especially if you are changing $400 + a week and then cannot even guaranteed that previous tenants and family can just walk into your home at any time.

 

They're an honest lot in WA, you're lucky that there are locks.

 

I'm assuming you're just counting, front/back doors and garage?

Not screens?

I was asking a question, just curious as the original post wasn't really all that informative on the issue.

 

The WA RTA is currently under review and this aspect is not even on the radar. (PS: I have commented on the consultation email)

 

I think thats a legitimate issue. Should definitely have a set of keys per adult on the application / lease. I assumed that was the same in all states.