Best K Locksmith fields a wave of student rental security calls every September, when thousands of students move into houses and apartments around uOttawa, Carleton, and Algonquin College. Sandy Hill, Old Ottawa South, the Glebe, Centretown, and the streets near Baseline fill up within a week. New tenants find keys that fit three previous households, bedroom doors with no lock, and back doors that never latched. This guide covers what tenants should check on move-in day, what landlords should do between tenancies, and the Ontario rules that govern who can change a lock.
Why Student Houses Are a Security Weak Spot
Student rental security is hard because these houses combine every risk factor a locksmith watches for. Turnover is annual, so keys accumulate. Four to eight people share a house, and each hands a key to a friend or partner. Doors are left unlocked because someone is always home, until nobody is. And many of these houses are older, with hardware that predates the current owner.
By industry estimates, shared student houses are among the most frequently targeted homes for opportunistic break-ins in university neighbourhoods. Laptops, bikes, and phones are easy to carry, and a house with six residents has six sets of them.
Move-In Day: A Tenant's Student Rental Security Checklist
Do this in the first week, before the semester takes over.
- Count the keys. You should have one key per tenant for the main door. Ask the landlord whether a locksmith rekeyed the locks after the last tenants left.
- Test every exterior door. Front, back, side, and any basement walkout. Each should latch on its own and lock with a deadbolt, not just a knob.
- Check the windows. Ground-floor and basement windows need working latches. A sliding window with no lock is an open invitation.
- Look at the bedroom doors. A keyed lock on your bedroom door protects your belongings from housemates' guests, not from housemates.
- Photograph everything. Doors, locks, and any damage. It protects your deposit and documents the state of the hardware.
- Ask about lockouts. Find out whether the landlord provides after-hours help or whether you will need a locksmith.
If the landlord has not rekeyed and will not, ask in writing. Ontario rules generally require the landlord's consent for a tenant to change a lock, so a written request is the right first step.
Between Tenancies: The Landlord's Student Rental Security Job
Student houses turn over on a fixed calendar, usually September 1 or May 1. That predictability makes it easy to build a security routine into the changeover.
Rekey every exterior lock
Rekeying changes the pins so old keys no longer work. Because nobody knows how many copies eight departing students made, this is the single most effective step. Our lock rekeying service can do a whole house in one visit, timed for the gap between tenants.
Consider a master key system
Many student landlords own several houses. A master key system lets the landlord carry one key that opens every property, while each house has its own tenant key. The same system can include bedroom locks. Our property management lock service is built for exactly this pattern.
Upgrade weak hardware
A builder-grade knob lock on a back door is not enough for a house with eight laptops in it. A Grade 2 deadbolt on every exterior door, a reinforced strike plate, and a self-closing hinge on the most-used door make the house noticeably harder to enter.
Give tenants a lockout plan
Students lock themselves out constantly. A keypad deadbolt on the main entrance, with fresh codes each September, cuts lockout calls dramatically and removes the temptation to hide a key under the mat.
Ontario Rules: Who Can Change a Lock?
The Residential Tenancies Act sets the ground rules. The Ontario government's renter's rights page summarises them in plain language. The key points for student houses:
| Situation | Who can act | What is allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Tenant wants to change the entry lock | Tenant, with landlord consent | Landlord must be given a key to the new lock |
| Landlord wants to change the entry lock | Landlord | Must give the tenant a key at the same time |
| Landlord changes the lock to keep a tenant out | Not permitted | Locking out a tenant is an offence |
| Tenant wants a lock on their own bedroom | Usually permitted with consent | Landlord should retain a key for emergencies |
| Tenant lost a key | Either, by agreement | Rekeying is normally arranged through the landlord |
If you are a tenant and your landlord refuses to rekey after the previous tenants, you can still ask for consent to change the lock yourself and provide them with a key. If you are a landlord, remember that every lock change comes with a key for the tenant. We wrote a fuller guide to landlord and tenant lock rules in Ontario for the details.
Bedroom Locks in Shared Houses
This is the most common request from students themselves. A keyed or keypad lock on a bedroom door does two things. It protects belongings when the room is empty and the house is full of guests, and it gives each tenant a private space.
A few points to get right:
- Use a privacy or entry lockset that opens from outside with a key in an emergency, never a barrel bolt alone.
- Keep the door on a key the landlord holds, so a medical or fire emergency does not mean breaking the door.
- Match bedroom locks across the house so the landlord's master opens all of them.
- Do not fit a lock that requires a key to exit from inside. It is a fire hazard.
Lockouts in Student Neighbourhoods
September and exam season are the peak months for student lockouts in Ottawa. A friend has the only key and is in Kingston for the weekend. The keypad battery died. A housemate locked the back door from inside, then left through the front.
Best K Locksmith responds to residential lockouts across the city at any hour. Bring photo ID showing the address, or a lease, so we can confirm you belong there. If you cannot reach the landlord, we can still open the door for a verified tenant and secure it afterward. We give an honest quote after assessment, before any work starts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my landlord refuse to rekey between tenants?
There is no rule that forces a rekey, but a tenant can request consent to change the lock and provide a key to the landlord. Many landlords rekey as a matter of course because it protects them from liability if an old key turns up.
Can I put a lock on my bedroom door in a student house?
Usually yes, with the landlord's consent. Choose a lock that opens from outside with a key the landlord holds for emergencies, and never one that needs a key to exit from inside.
What should I do if a housemate loses the house key?
Tell the landlord right away. If the key was on a ring with anything showing the address, ask for a rekey. If it was a bare key lost across town, the risk is lower, but the landlord makes the call.
Is a keypad lock a good idea for a student rental?
Yes. You can change codes each September, give each tenant their own code, and nobody hides a key outside. Keep the mechanical key override working and the batteries fresh.
Contact Best K Locksmith for Student Rental Security
Best K Locksmith serves Ottawa and the surrounding communities, including the student neighbourhoods around every campus.
- Phone: (613) 707-4884 (emergency calls answered 24/7)
- Address: 3835 McBean St, Ottawa ON K0A 2Z0
- Hours: Mon–Thu 8 AM–8 PM, Friday 8 AM–5 PM, Saturday closed, Sunday 8 AM–8 PM
Landlords can book a between-tenant rekey in advance. Tenants can call any time a lockout happens or the doors worry them.