New Home Lock Checklist for Day One

Why the first day matters more than the first month

When you take possession of a home, the paperwork says the property is yours or yours to rent, but the keys tell a different story. Sellers, previous tenants, real estate agents, painters, cleaners, pool services, relatives and lockbox users may all have handled a key at some point. Nobody is accusing anyone of anything. The point is simply that you cannot know the number or the names, and the lock cannot tell you either.

That is why the first day is the best time to take stock. Boxes are still stacked in the hallway, the door is open all day anyway, and you are walking through every room with fresh eyes. A person who waits a month often finds that the chance to do this calmly has passed, because by then the garage opener has been lost, the spare is under a flowerpot, and everyone in the family has a slightly different idea of who holds what.

This page is written for the worried but practical owner or tenant. It explains what to look at, what is safe for you to do yourself, and what to leave to a professional. It never gives instructions for getting past a lock, because that knowledge helps the wrong people more than the right ones. A locksmith who works with authorization will always ask you to show that you live at or control the property before changing or opening anything, and that is a feature, not an obstacle.

Before you unpack: the walk-around

Start outside and walk the full perimeter of the property with a notepad or the notes app on your phone. Write down every exterior door, every garage or carport entry, every gate, every sliding door, and every window you can reach from the ground. In South Florida homes this list is often longer than people expect: front door, back patio slider, a side door to the garage, a laundry room door, a pool cage door, and sometimes a gate in a fence or wall.

Now go inside and repeat the walk. Note which doors have a deadbolt, which have only a knob or lever with a button lock, and which have a keyed lock on the inside as well as the outside. A double-cylinder deadbolt that needs a key on both sides is a safety question as much as a security one, because in a fire everyone must be able to leave quickly. If you find one, mention it when you speak with a locksmith.

Take photographs of each lock and each door edge. These photographs become a baseline. If something later seems different, or if a dispute arises with a landlord or seller about the condition of the hardware, you will have dated pictures from the first day.

• List every exterior door, slider, gate, and reachable window.
• Note the type of lock on each: deadbolt, knob, lever, keypad, smart lock, padlock.
• Check whether any lock needs a key on the inside.
• Photograph the hardware and door edges before you move furniture.

Count every key you were handed

Lay out every key you received at closing or at the lease signing and match each one to a lock. Try them in daylight with the door open, so that a stiff lock cannot trap you outside. Mark which key opens which door with a tiny paper tag or a note, but never with the street address on the tag, since a lost bunch of keys with an address attached is an invitation.

Pay attention to keys that open nothing. Orphan keys are a clue that a lock was changed at some point, or that a copy was made for a door that no longer exists. They are also a clue that other copies of the working keys may be out in the world. Ask the seller, agent or landlord how many sets existed and who had them, and write down the answer along with the date.

If a key sticks, grinds, or needs wiggling, do not force it. A worn key made from another worn key (a copy of a copy) is a common cause of trouble. Salt air, humidity and years of use all wear brass. A locksmith can often tell you whether the key or the lock is the weaker part, and a new key cut fresh for a lock is usually smoother than a copy of a copy.

1. Gather all keys, fobs, remotes, gate cards and garage openers.
2. Test each one in daylight with the door standing open.
3. Label what each opens without writing the address.
4. Write down how many sets the previous holder says existed.

Rekey or leave it: how to decide

Rekeying changes the internal pins of a lock so that old keys no longer work and a new key does. The lock hardware stays; only the key relationship changes. It is the common first step for new owners and many tenants, and it is explained in more detail on our page about what rekeying is.

A reasonable rule of thumb: if you bought the home, rekey all exterior locks. If you rent, ask your landlord first, because many leases and local rules put lock changes in the landlord's hands, and some require that you give the landlord a key. Our page on questions a new tenant should ask covers that conversation. If you are an owner of a condo, check with the association before changing any lock that faces a common hallway, since the association may control which hardware is permitted.

Sometimes rekeying is not the right answer. If a lock is loose, worn, rusted or of a type that cannot be rekeyed, replacement makes more sense. The comparison is covered in rekey versus replace. A technician will look at the hardware, tell you what is practical, and explain the options. The price is given only by phone, and complicated jobs need an on-site visit, with the service call charge explained before dispatch.

Doors, frames and strike plates

A strong lock in a weak door frame is only as secure as the frame. Look at the strike plate, the metal plate on the frame where the bolt enters. In many older homes it is held by short screws that reach only the thin jamb wood. Humidity swells and shrinks wood over the seasons, and screws can loosen. A modest fix, such as longer screws into the framing behind the jamb, is a job a handy person can often do, but a locksmith or carpenter can do it faster and check the alignment at the same time.

Check how the door closes. A door that has to be lifted or shoved to latch is a door that will eventually fail to lock, and then a lockout becomes likely. Sagging hinges, swollen frames and settled foundations all cause this in Broward and Palm Beach homes. Our page on hinges and door sag in Florida explains the pattern and when to ask for help.

Look at the door itself. Hollow interior-style doors used on exterior openings, large gaps around the edge, and cracked panels near the lock all deserve a note. Do not attempt anything that involves removing a lock set and leaving the house open overnight. If a lock or door has to be taken apart, plan the work for a time when you can finish it the same day.

• Look for short, loose or missing strike plate screws.
• Check the gap between door and frame all the way around.
• Watch the latch: it should click without lifting or pushing.
• Note any cracked wood near the lock or hinge.

Sliding doors, windows and the pool area

South Florida homes lean heavily on sliding glass doors, and they are often the weakest point. The built-in latch on many sliders is thin, and the track can collect debris that keeps the door from seating fully. Check that the slider closes completely and that the latch catches without wobble. A security bar or a pin through the track, discussed on sliding door locks and security bars, is a simple addition that many owners choose.

Walk to each window and confirm the latch engages. Windows painted shut or latches that spin loosely should be noted for repair. In homes with hurricane shutters or impact glass, make sure you know how the shutters open from the inside and who has the key or handle for them. That matters in a storm and also on a normal day if the house needs ventilating.

If there is a pool or screen enclosure, check the door that leads to it. Pool safety barriers often have their own latch requirements, and families with young children should treat that door as a safety item first and a security item second. Keep any key or latch tool out of a child's reach and do not prop that door open.

Garage, gate and the doors people forget

The door from the garage into the house is frequently the least secure entry. It may have a basic lock or none, and the garage itself can be reached with a remote that a previous owner kept. Ask the seller or landlord for every opener and keypad, and reset any keypad entry number on the garage door as soon as you move in. Disconnect any remote you cannot account for if the opener allows it, or reprogram the system following the manufacturer's directions.

Gates deserve their own paragraph. A fence gate with a padlock or a gate in a community with a shared system may be partly yours and partly the association's. Find out which parts you control. In a gated community, a lockout at the main gate is a different problem from a lockout at your own door, and our page on lockouts in gated communities describes the difference.

Finally, check the quiet doors: the laundry door, a utility room door, the pool bath door, a shed or a storage closet in a carport. People move in, secure the front and back, and leave the side door on a keypad nobody has changed. Treat every door that leads to a place where valuables or tools are kept as an entry.

Electronic locks, keypads and smart devices

If the home has a keypad lock or a smart lock, assume the previous owner or tenant still knows the entry number or still has the app linked. Most such devices have a way to remove old users and set a new master entry, and the manual or the maker's support page explains how. Do this on day one. Also replace the batteries with fresh ones and note the date, because a dead battery is a common reason people end up outside.

Do not leave a spare key in an obvious place just because the lock is electronic. Most smart locks still have a key cylinder as a backup, and that key is as important as any other. Our overview of smart locks and the page on smart lock access and guest entry go through the pros and cons.

A word about cameras and video doorbells. If the previous occupant installed them, make sure the accounts linked to those devices are removed or reset, so that nobody retains a view of your front porch. Check the manual for a factory reset, and consult the support page of the maker rather than guessing.

Authorization: why a locksmith will ask for proof

On move-in day, a surprising number of calls start with a stuck door, a lost key from the previous owner, or a tenant who cannot get in. A reputable locksmith will ask who you are and how you are connected to the property before doing anything. Expect to be asked for a photo ID and something that connects you to the address: a closing statement, a signed lease, a utility bill, or a message from the landlord or property manager authorizing the work.

This is not an insult. It is the single most important protection against the worst outcome, which is a stranger being let into somebody else's home. It also protects you: the same process keeps a former partner, a former tenant or an opportunistic person from claiming your door as theirs. For details on documents, see our pages on proof of ownership and proof of residency.

If you are renting, the landlord or property manager may need to authorize lock changes. If you own a condo, the association may have a say. Have the documents ready before you call, and the call will go faster.

• Photo ID that matches the name on the paperwork.
• Closing documents, lease, or written approval from the owner or manager.
• The address and a description of the door or lock in question.
• A phone number where the technician can reach the person who authorized the work.

Your day-one summary list and when to call

Here is the whole checklist in a form you can screenshot. Work through it in order, and write the date next to each item. If anything on the list worries you, a quick phone call to a locksmith is a sensible next step. Explain what you found, ask what the technician would check on site, and ask for the quote by phone. Complicated jobs need an on-site visit, and a service call charge applies and is explained before anyone is dispatched.

If at any point you find signs of forced entry, a broken lock, damage to the frame, or evidence that someone has been inside, step outside and call 911 first. Do not touch anything that may matter to a police report. A locksmith can secure the door afterward, as described on our page about when to call 911 instead of a locksmith.

When you are ready to rekey, replace, repair or simply ask questions about a Broward or Palm Beach home, call and explain what you have found. The technician will take the details, tell you what documents to have ready, and explain the next steps before anyone is sent.

1. Walk the outside and inside perimeter and list every opening.
2. Photograph each lock and door edge.
3. Gather and test every key, fob, remote and gate card.
4. Ask who held copies and write down the answer.
5. Decide on rekeying or replacement for exterior locks.
6. Check strike plates, hinges, sliders and window latches.
7. Reset garage keypads, smart lock users and linked accounts.
8. Keep your proof documents together in one folder.
9. Call a locksmith for anything you do not want to try yourself.

Questions people ask

Related pages