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Can someone renting to own your house legally change the locks without giving the owner a key to the property?

I have a tenant in my home who is on a contract to buy the house, but has decided not to buy it and has fallen short on rent several times during her lease. We have to put the house back on the market, but she will not provide a key to give the realtor, and she has changed the locks!!! What can I do???

Public Comments

1. You can change the locks as owner... but you first have to evict them. Without the eviction, you don't have the right to lock them out of their home
2. Give her an eviction notice, then call a locksmith and have the locks changed.
3. If he/she has informed you that they are not buying the house... 1. Get it in writing....so this before anything else. 2. Change the locks BACK and inform her that if she changes the locks again, you'll be evicting her, plus charging her with all costs involved....you have to give her a key. 3. I sure hope you got a deposit from her. That is how you deal with people like that. PS: Because she is a tenant and showing the property is not an emergency, you have to give her a 24 hour notice for showings and there is nothing in the law that states that she has to keep the place clean.
4. Hi, if she signed a renting contract to you she is not suppose to keep the spare key of the property.
5. Since this woman has violated the terms of your agreement, you can (and should) evict her, and then change the locks again. If you put this house on the market with this woman still occupying the premises, she isn't going to be cooperative with possible buyers either. Count on her to refuse showings, as well as to point out every deficiency she can find with the house. Cut your losses and move on.
6. you can evict her. as the owner, it is your right to have access to the home. Things like changing the locks should be prohibited in the lease agreement (so if they arent- change it).
7. Usually state law requires the landlord to have a key...not having one can get the landlord in trouble if an emergency occurs. Immediately call a locksmith and have the locks changed....you don't need to give notice to do this. Inform your tenant that if she changes the locks again, you will file charges with your states attorney general.