Safety & security
Locks, keys and security in a rental
The property manager or owner must supply and maintain locks and give the required keys; outside specific exceptions, changing locks normally requires agreement.
Key facts
- Each named tenant needs the keys required to enter
- Accessible external doors and windows need functioning locks or latches
- Lock changes usually require agreement
- Every key, fob and remote should be returned at the end
What should be provided
Each person named on a general tenancy agreement should receive the keys needed to enter the property. A single set should also be supplied for other lockable areas such as gates, sheds, mailboxes or built-in cupboards.
Keys include electronic cards, fobs and remotes. Photograph or list what was issued at the start so there is less room for disagreement at handover.
Changing or adding security
Outside an emergency, QCAT order or domestic and family violence protection, either party wanting to change a lock generally needs the other's agreement, which cannot be unreasonably withheld.
Installing an alarm, camera or other fixture may also require written approval through the fixtures process. Consider neighbours, common property and privacy before proposing a camera.
Urgent safety situations
Special rules allow a tenant experiencing domestic and family violence to change locks without first asking permission when they remain in the property. Safety should come before an ordinary approval workflow.
If this applies, use the RTA's dedicated domestic and family violence information or a specialist support service so the lock, key-sharing and notice steps protect the person at risk.
Count every key and access device at the start
Each person named on a general tenancy agreement must receive the keys needed to enter the premises. The managing party must also provide a set for other lockable parts included in the tenancy, such as gates, sheds, mailboxes, rooms and built-in cupboards. Keys include electronic cards, fobs and remotes, not only metal keys.
Create a dated list when possession is handed over and test each item. Note missing, damaged or intermittent devices on the entry condition report and report them immediately. If a replacement is promised, confirm whether access is safely available in the meantime and keep the collection receipt when the new key or remote is supplied.
Minimum standards apply to accessible doors and windows
The property must have functioning locks or latches on external doors and windows that a person outside can reach without a ladder. A security screen or grille does not remove that requirement. Check ground-level windows, balcony access, side doors and any latch that appears present but does not actually secure the opening.
A failed external lock can also become a minimum-housing-standards repair and therefore follow the emergency-repair process. Explain the immediate security risk when reporting it, contact the nominated repair person and preserve photographs and call records. Do not wait for an ordinary inspection if the premises cannot be secured.
Changing a lock usually needs agreement
Outside the domestic and family violence protections, either side wanting to change a lock generally needs the other's agreement, and consent cannot be unreasonably withheld. Other recognised routes include an emergency or a QCAT order. Put the proposed lock, reason, installer, timing, cost and key arrangements in writing before work begins.
Replacing a barrel after lost keys is different from adding a new fixture or altering a door. A new deadlock, alarm or mounted device may also involve the Form 23 fixtures process. Confirm what is included in the premises and whether body corporate approval is needed before drilling, wiring or changing common-property access.
Domestic and family violence safety rules are different
A tenant experiencing domestic and family violence who remains in the property has a right to change locks without first obtaining the property manager or owner's permission. Rooming-accommodation residents also have specific protections when requesting a lock change or repair for safety. These rules control who may receive a replacement key and protect sensitive information.
Use the RTA's dedicated domestic and family violence guidance rather than following an ordinary maintenance email chain. If there is an immediate danger, call 000. A specialist service can help plan the safest communication and documents; do not copy a person of concern into messages or disclose a new access code merely because the usual tenancy contact list includes them.
Alarms, cameras and electronic systems
Where the premises already include an alarm, camera or electronic access system, ask for operating instructions, codes and the process for reporting a fault. Confirm which cameras are active and whether any device covers common property. A tenant wanting to install a system or alarm needs written permission before attaching or wiring it.
Security does not cancel privacy, body corporate or surveillance laws. Describe the proposed placement and field of view, and avoid recording a neighbour's private area. For a removable device that does not alter the premises, still check the agreement and applicable law rather than assuming every indoor or door-facing camera is unrestricted.
Handover and disputes
At the end of the tenancy, return every original and copied key, fob, card and remote. Record the date, time, method and recipient. A missing device may lead to a claim for replacement or lock changes, so identify a lost item before handover and ask for a supported cost rather than leaving the issue undocumented.
For an ongoing dispute, separate the questions: Was the device part of the premises? Was it supplied and working? Was a change authorised or protected by an exception? Who holds replacement keys? What loss is claimed? A clear chronology, entry report, photographs, messages, invoices and key receipt give the RTA or QCAT something concrete to assess.
Primary source checked
RTA — Locks and security