Orleans has a fair number of secondary suites and basement rental units alongside standalone rental properties, and landlords managing either kind eventually run into the same practical question once a tenancy wraps up: how do you actually know who still has a key? This page walks through the answer, and the legal context that has to come first.
The Legal Piece You Need to Know
A landlord in Ontario has no legal authority to change a unit's locks in order to force a tenant out. That power rests with the Landlord and Tenant Board, and any physical removal of a tenant is carried out by the Sheriff's office alone. A landlord who changes locks on their own initiative while a tenancy is still legally active takes on real risk in doing so — this is sometimes referred to as a self-help eviction, and it's not a shortcut worth taking.
Everything on this page describes work done after that stage: once a Sheriff has enforced a Board order, or a tenant has genuinely and voluntarily vacated.
What the Service Covers
- A full assessment of every lock connected to the unit, including any secondary or basement entrance
- Rekeying so keys from the previous tenancy no longer function
- Replacement of any hardware that's worn out or been damaged
- A fresh, documented set of keys handed over at the end of the visit
Why It's Worth Doing Regardless of How the Tenancy Ended
Even a straightforward, amicable move-out can leave more keys in circulation than a landlord realizes — a spare cut for a family member, a copy given to a friend who helped with the move. A rekey removes that uncertainty in one appointment.
Common Scenarios
A unit recovered through a completed Board and Sheriff process. A tenant who gave proper notice and moved out on schedule. A unit left behind without any notice at all. Preparing a secondary suite or basement unit for a new tenant.
Before We Book Anything
We need confirmation that the unit is legally vacant, meaning whatever process applied has genuinely concluded. This protects everyone, including you as the landlord. We can't offer legal advice on your specific situation — a paralegal or the Landlord and Tenant Board is the appropriate resource for that.
Why Orleans Landlords Choose Can-Lock Security
Mobile and family-owned, we handle the technical work of securing a rental property properly, once it's legally back in your hands.
Book a Post-Eviction Lock Change in Orleans
Once your Orleans rental unit is legally vacant, Can-Lock Security can help secure it. Reach out to schedule.
Related pages: Residential Lock Replacement | Emergency Lockout Service Orleans | Orleans Residential Lock Rekeying | Residential Locksmith Services
