Bolton has a busy industrial area on Highway 50 and around Queen Street, and units change hands regularly. A new tenant inherits an unknown number of keys, and the risks are the same whether the unit is small or large.
Ask what the lease says
Start with the lease. It may say who is responsible for locks, whether the landlord must have a key and what happens to changes. Many landlords are content for a tenant to rekey as long as they receive a copy of the new key. Get any agreement in writing.
List every lock
Walk the unit with a list. Include:
- The man door and any rear door
- Overhead doors and their locks
- Offices, storerooms and cages
- Padlocks on yards and gates
- Mailbox or key-safe locks
Rekey, do not just replace
If the hardware is sound, rekeying is cheaper than replacing and makes all old keys useless. If the locks are worn or cheap, replace them with commercial-grade sets and rekey them to a plan.
Key alike where it helps
A small team does not want a ring of ten keys. Locks that are compatible can be keyed alike, so one key opens a group. Use a master key for the owner. For yards, choose weather-sealed padlocks.
Consider access for the landlord and for emergencies
The landlord or their agent may need access to the unit in an emergency. Agree how: a key held by the landlord, a lockbox with a code, or a keypad. A lockbox or key safe is often the cleanest answer.
Check the doors as well
Older units may have doors that drag, closers that leak and frames that have moved. Fix these while the locksmith is there, so the new locks work. See commercial door repair.
Record what was done
Write down which doors were rekeyed, how many keys were issued and who has them. Keep the record with the lease.
Book it
Apna Locksmith, Unit 12, 8550 Torbram Rd, Brampton, open 7 AM to 11 PM, travels to Bolton and the rest of Caledon. Call (289) 406-1500. See commercial locksmith in Caledon.