Non-destructive entry first, always - and we re-key Schlage, Kwikset, and Baldwin locks on the spot while you watch
You get a price before we start. It does not change when we arrive. No surprises.
Someone Moved Out and Still Has a Key
What’s Happening
When someone moves out and keeps a key – an ex-partner, a former roommate, a previous tenant – your locks no longer protect only the people you trust. Rekeying or replacing the lock is the direct fix, and it can usually be done the same day you call.
This situation comes up constantly, and it’s worth understanding what it actually means for your security. A key that’s out there isn’t just a physical object – it’s access. Even if you trust the person who moved out, you can’t control who they lend it to, who might find it, or whether your relationship with them stays the way it is today. The lock on your door was designed to let in the people you choose. Right now, that choice has slipped out of your hands. A locksmith can put it back.
Why It Happens
The Previous Occupant Has a Key You Never Got Back
This is the most straightforward version of the problem. A roommate moves out, a tenant turns in some keys but not all of them, or an ex takes a spare that was sitting in a junk drawer. You may not even know how many copies exist. The lock itself is fine – the problem is entirely about who holds a working key.
A Property Manager or Landlord Gave Out Copies You Didn’t Know About
If you’re renting or recently purchased a home, there may be keys floating around that were cut before you moved in – for contractors, previous tenants, or the prior owner’s family. A home purchase in particular should always include rekeying the locks before your first night there, because the chain of custody on those keys is genuinely unknown.
Keys Were Cut Without Your Knowledge
Most keys can be duplicated at any hardware store in under five minutes, with no ID required. If someone had your key for even a short window – a repair visit, an overnight stay, a borrowed car with the house key on the ring – they may have had a copy made. You won’t see evidence of this; it leaves no mark on the lock.
The Situation Changed After Keys Were Issued
Sometimes the person who moved out was welcome to have a key at the time – a partner, a caregiver, a friend helping out. Circumstances change. The lock doesn’t know that. What felt like a sensible arrangement six months ago may feel very different today, and the hardware on your door hasn’t kept up with that shift.
What to Do Right Now
- Stop lending out your current key. Until the lock is rekeyed or replaced, every copy in circulation is a vulnerability. Don’t cut any new copies while the old ones are unaccounted for.
- Count your keys. Walk through your home and gather every key for the affected lock – the ones on your ring, spares in drawers, backups you’ve given to neighbors. Knowing how many you have helps the technician understand what you’re working with.
- Note which doors are affected. Front door, back door, garage entry, basement – write down every entry point where the departed person had access. A locksmith can rekey multiple locks to the same new key in a single visit, which is far more convenient than doing them one at a time later.
- Don’t change the locks yourself. Pre-packaged lock sets from a hardware store won’t solve the copy problem unless you also account for every existing key, and a poorly installed lock can create new vulnerabilities. A trained technician will do it correctly and stand behind the work in writing.
- Call before you assume it can wait. If the person who moved out left on difficult terms, don’t give this days to sit. Call your local Dunmore Locksmith team to talk through options – the call is free, and a live person picks up around the clock.
How We Fix It
When one of our technicians arrives, the first thing they do is assess every entry point you want secured. For most situations like this, rekeying is the right answer – the locksmith disassembles the cylinder, replaces the internal pins, and cuts a new key. Your existing hardware stays; the old keys simply stop working. It’s faster and less expensive than a full lock replacement, and for a lock that’s otherwise in good shape, it’s exactly the right call.
If the lock itself is worn, damaged, or if you want to upgrade the hardware at the same time, a change door locks service replaces the entire unit. We work with Schlage, Kwikset, Medeco, Baldwin, Yale, Mul-T-Lock, Sargent, and Abloy – whatever suits your door and your security needs.
Before any work starts, you’ll have the price in writing. That’s the number on the invoice when we’re done – not an estimate that grows. The job is also covered by our 365-Day Done Right Promise: a written guarantee stamped on every repair. If anything fails within that year, we come back at no charge. Most rekeying jobs are completed in under an hour.
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on why the person moved out. If the departure was amicable and you’re confident the person poses no risk, you have some flexibility – but waiting still carries real uncertainty, because you can’t control who that key passes to. If the move-out was contentious, don’t wait. An uncontrolled key is an open question about who can walk through your door, and that question deserves a fast answer. Call (910) 714-4287 and we’ll help you figure out how urgent your specific situation is.
In most cases, yes. Your local Dunmore Locksmith team handles rekeying and lock changes as standard calls, and our phones are answered by a live person 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Call (910) 714-4287 and we’ll tell you exactly when a technician can be there.
Yes, for most homes and most situations. Rekeying changes the internal pin configuration of the cylinder so the old keys are completely inoperable – any copy of the old key, however many were made, stops working the moment the job is done. If the existing lock is worn, low-quality, or you want upgraded hardware, a full replacement makes sense, and your technician will give you an honest assessment on arrival.
Before your technician is dispatched, you’ll receive their name and photo. When they arrive, they carry a photo ID badge and show it at the door. They arrive in a clean, marked uniform – so you know exactly who to expect before you turn the handle. That’s the Threshold Standard, and it applies to every single visit. If anyone arrives who you were not told to expect, that visit is on us.
Get It Fixed
Your local Dunmore Locksmith team handles rekeying and lock changes every day – and a live person is on the phone right now. Call (910) 714-4287 to get a free written price for your specific job, or book online. Old keys stop working the same day.
Written by Perry Osgood, Owner & Lead Technician at Dunmore Locksmith, part of the Threshold Group family of independent local locksmith businesses since 2007.
What Our Customers Say
"Good work installing a keypad lock on our back office. Showed up fifteen minutes late, but he called first. Programming codes took a while, but he made sure I understood it."
- Mitchell K."Deadbolt on the front door was sticking and wouldn't throw all the way. He cleaned it, adjusted the strike plate, and it works smoothly now. Charged very little."
- Victor S."The fact that he was background checked and carried ID made me comfortable letting him into the home. Changed out two worn deadbolts for new grade 1 ones."
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