As a landlord, you’re responsible for maintaining a safe and livable property for your tenants. However, when an unreliable tenant causes property damage or refuses to pay their rent, it can be tempting to take matters into your own hands. If this ever happens to you, remember that drastic measures such as lockouts are illegal, and that it’s also unlawful to discontinue utilities. If you’re dealing with an unsavory tenant, here’s what you need to know.

Coping With Difficult Tenants

Why Aren’t Lockouts Legal?

In New York, it’s illegal for a landlord to stage a lockout because of difficulties with a tenant. This is considered a form of illegal eviction, which refers to a situation in which a landlord locks out an individual who has paid rent, lived in the property for more than a month, or signed a lease. The only person allowed to remove a tenant is a sheriff or city marshal.

What Is the Alternative?

It’s not illegal to send a letter to a tenant if you have a request or a complaint, but it’s best to handle every step of this process through legal means. If your attempts to reconcile the matter in question aren’t fruitful, your only choice is to abide by a legal eviction process. Doing anything else, such as threatening a lockout or cutting off the tenant’s utilities, could land you in serious trouble.

What About Safety After Eviction?

Landlords may be worried about the security of the property once the tenant is lawfully evicted or leaves on his own. It’s understandable to be concerned, as the person may have copies of the original keys. It’s also possible that the original locks lost their integrity during the previous tenant’s tenure. You can take steps to safeguard the property by hiring a locksmith to replace the locks and provide new sets of keys. Another quicker alternative is to rekey the locks, which replaces the existing pins so that the old key won’t work anymore.

Landlords in New York, NY, trust the experienced locksmiths at ADA NY Locksmith for all of their security needs. Instead of dealing with a potentially frustrating lockout situation, handle the process smoothly and lawfully, and then call on these professional locksmiths for new lock installations, key replacements, or anything else you need. They can also assess the security of your existing system and perform any lock repairs as needed. Visit them online for information or call (212) 689-1803. You can also visit their storefront at 155 E 26th Street.