Just Moved In This Fall? Rekey Your Locks Before Winter

If you signed a lease this fall near Temple, Drexel, or Rutgers–Camden, you’re not the only one who’s had a key to that door. Past roommates, a previous tenant, a dog-walker, a maintenance worker, maybe a sublet from two tenants ago — nobody loses track of every copy of a key once it’s out in the world. Fall turnover season means a lot of locks changing hands right now, and a lot of those locks never actually change.

Rekey vs. replace — what’s the difference

Rekeying means a locksmith takes apart the existing lock cylinder and sets it to work with a brand-new key, so every old key stops working — without replacing the hardware itself. Replacing means installing a whole new deadbolt or lock. For most move-ins, rekeying gets you the same result (old keys dead, new key only) for less than a full lock swap, as long as the existing hardware is in good shape. If a lock is old, damaged, or you want to upgrade to a smart lock or high-security cylinder, that’s when replacement makes more sense — we can tell you which one your situation actually needs when we look at it.

Check your lease first

Before you change anything, check your lease and talk to your landlord. Some leases spell out who’s responsible for locks and who gets a copy of any new key; others don’t say much at all. A quick heads-up to your landlord or property manager before the work happens avoids any confusion later — and if your building has a master-key system for maintenance access, that’s worth asking about too, since it can change what rekeying should look like for your unit specifically.

Why this fall, specifically

October is when the fall lease tail catches up with people. Leases that started in September are settled in now — furniture’s unpacked, routines are set — and that’s exactly when people realize they never got around to the locks. It’s an easy thing to deprioritize during a move, but it’s a five-minute job once it’s actually scheduled, and it’s a lot easier to handle before the weather turns and evenings get dark early.

What to do right now

If you just moved into a rental this fall:

1. Check your lease for anything about locks or key changes.
2. Let your landlord or property manager know you’re planning to have the locks rekeyed, so there’s no confusion later.
3. Call and we’ll scope it — most residential rekeys are quick, on-site work, and we’ll tell you honestly if your situation calls for a rekey or a full lock replacement.

We serve Philadelphia and South Jersey, 8 AM–8 PM daily. American Best Locksmith has been doing this work since 2007 — licensed in NJ (#34LS00075200), bonded and insured, 5.0★ across 900+ reviews. No key, no pay.

Call 215-330-4900 (Philadelphia) or 856-200-3950 (South Jersey) to get it scheduled before winter.