Chicago Landlords & Property Managers MUST Change Locks Between Tenants

November 08, 2016 - PRESSADVANTAGE -

Nationwide locksmith Mr. Rekey launches an informative website to educate landlords and property managers about the rental property code requirement to rekey or change locks.

Chicago, IL - After the passing of the Illinois Landlord & Tenant Act, there are lock requirements for rental properties in Cook County with which landlords and property managers must comply.

While the changing of locks between tenants has long been considered a wise, proactive practice by responsible landlords, the act requires a strict timeline for when the lock change or rekey must be performed. Unfortunately, though the Illinois Landlord & Tenant Act became effective at the start of 2012, its provisions are still largely unknown to many landlords and property managers.

Under the statute, it is required that the locks be changed on all rental properties between every tenant on or before the tenant turnover date. Locks may be either replaced or rekeyed to satisfy the law, and the tenant turnover date is the day on which the new tenant begins to occupy the property.

The law also states that the landlord will be held 100% financially liable for any break-ins or damages that occur should they fail to change the locks and an old key is used to gain entry to the property.

The two methods used for changing locks, lock replacement and rekeying, are both considered valid and equally secure under the Illinois Landlord & Tenant Act. However, rekeying offers significant savings of time and cost.

Rekeying is a process by which the pins that make up the inner workings of a lock are reconfigured, so old keys no longer work to unlock it. New keys are cut to match the new configuration, and the lock is just as secure as if it were brand new. The benefit of rekeying is that it does not require the purchase or installation of any new hardware, meaning it is quick and affordable.

Mr. Rekey, America’s Largest Residential LocksmithⓇ, launched their new Illinois Landlord & Tenant Act site after learning about the law as a way to inform property managers and landlords in Cook County about the commonly overlooked rental requirements in order to protect them from financial liability and to encourage a practice that ensures tenant safety. Cook County is currently the only county in which the act is effective due to the specification that a county must have a population of at least 3 million in order for the act to apply.

Mr. Rekey is a full-service locksmith company specializing in rekeying. The company was founded in Texas in 1995 and now services more than 30 major cities across the country, including Cook County and Chicago. http://www.rekey.com/locksmith/chicago

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For more information about Mr. Rekey Locksmith, contact the company here:

Mr. Rekey Locksmith
Miles Anthony Smith
920-538-5833
miles@rekey.com
1421 Wells Branch Parkway Ste. 104
Pflugerville, TX 78660