End-of-Lease Security Checklist for Landlords

Most end-of-lease checklists focus on cleaning. Grout, oven interiors, ceiling fans, and carpets get detailed attention, and rightly so, since cleaning disputes are the leading cause of bond deductions across all Australian states. But security deserves equal attention, and it rarely receives it.

Between one tenancy ending and the next beginning, a rental property is at its most vulnerable. Former tenants may have copies of keys. Access codes may still be active. Alarm PINs may not have been changed. Security cameras may still be recording to a previous tenant’s account. Addressing these gaps is not optional; it’s a basic duty of care to the incoming tenant and a legal obligation in most jurisdictions.

This checklist covers the security steps landlords and property managers should complete at every lease transition.

Step 1: Confirm All Keys Have Been Returned

Request the return of every key issued during the tenancy, including original keys, any copies the landlord authorised, and any keys that were cut without permission. Count them against the record kept at the start of the tenancy.

Even when all keys are returned, you cannot be certain that copies weren’t made. This is why changing the locks, not just collecting the keys, is a non-negotiable step. Receiving keys back is a courtesy record, not a security measure.

Document: Note the date and time keys were returned, the name of the person returning them, and a count of each key type. Retain this record in case of any later dispute.

Step 2: Change All Locks on External Doors

Every external entry point requires fresh lock cylinders at the end of a tenancy. This includes the front door, rear door, garage access door, and any secondary entry points like a self-contained studio or granny flat attached to the property.

In most Australian states, landlords are legally required to ensure the rental property has functional locks on all external doors and that the incoming tenant has exclusive access. Re-using the existing lock cylinder without rekeying it doesn’t meet this standard if there’s any possibility that copies exist.

Rekeying vs. Replacing

Rekeying a lock cylinder is typically cheaper than full replacement and achieves the same security outcome. A licensed locksmith adjusts the pin configuration inside the existing cylinder so that the old key no longer works and new keys are cut. This costs $50 to $150 per lock depending on the cylinder type, compared to $100 to $300 for full replacement.

Full replacement makes sense when the existing hardware is worn, damaged, or outdated. Locks older than 10 years may not meet current Australian Standards for residential security and are worth upgrading regardless of tenancy turnover. Look for deadbolts with a 5-pin cylinder as a minimum; better quality locks use 6-pin cylinders that resist picking and bump attacks more effectively.

Smart Locks and Digital Access

If the property has a smart lock or a keypad entry system, resetting the device to factory settings is the equivalent of changing the locks. This removes all stored access codes, Bluetooth pairings, and app authorisations that belonged to the previous tenant.

Before handing access to a new tenant, confirm that your own administrator account on the smart lock’s platform is active and that you can issue and revoke access codes independently. Never rely on a tenant’s account as the primary administrative access for a smart lock installed on your property.

Step 3: Inspect Every Window Latch and Lock

Windows are one of the most commonly overlooked security points during lease transitions. After months or years of regular use, window latches wear, warp, or break. A tenant may have reported a broken latch during the tenancy, or they may not have. Either way, the inspection is your responsibility.

Test every openable window in the property. Check that each latch engages firmly and that the window cannot be pushed open from outside when latched. For sliding windows and doors, check that the anti-lift device (a secondary mechanism that prevents the panel from being lifted out of its track) is in place and functional.

In Victoria, landlords are required under the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 to ensure rental properties have functioning window latches on all windows accessible from the ground floor. Similar obligations exist in all other states.

Step 4: Audit the Alarm System

If the property has a monitored or unmonitored alarm system, the end of a tenancy requires a complete access review:

• Change the user PIN code. Use a code that is meaningfully different from the old one; incrementing by one digit is not sufficient.
• Contact the monitoring company (if applicable) to update the account holder details and emergency contacts for the property.
• Test every sensor zone by walking the perimeter and triggering each detector while the monitoring company is on standby.
• Replace batteries in wireless sensors if they haven’t been changed in the previous 12 months.
• Check that the alarm’s backup battery is holding charge. Most control panels have a self-test function.

If a tenant has added their own devices to a security system, such as their own cameras or sensors, confirm these have been removed and that no remote access credentials remain active.

Step 5: Review Security Camera Coverage

Security cameras on rental properties are legal in common areas and on exterior-facing surfaces, subject to privacy law requirements. At the end of a tenancy, there are two distinct scenarios:

Landlord-owned cameras: Confirm the cameras are still operating, that footage storage is functioning, and that access credentials haven’t been shared with the outgoing tenant. Change passwords on any cloud storage or local NVR systems.

Tenant-installed cameras: These must be removed by the outgoing tenant. Confirm all tenant-owned cameras have been physically removed and that no associated apps retain remote access to your property’s network.

After the tenancy ends and before a new tenant moves in, review available footage from the departure date to confirm nothing was removed or damaged without reporting.

Step 6: Check Gates, Fences, and External Access Points

Perimeter security is often worse at the end of a tenancy than the beginning. Gates that were in good condition at the lease start may have sagging hinges, broken latches, or compromised locks after years of use. Walk the full boundary of the property.

• Test all gate latches and padlocks. Replace padlocks with keys that were not issued to the tenant.
• Check for damage to fence panels that creates unintended access points.
• If the property has a garage with remote access, reprogram the remote and change any keypad codes.
• Review whether any spare keys were stored externally (under a pot plant, in a letterbox lockbox) that the tenant was aware of. Relocate or replace these.

Step 7: Conduct a Formal Property Condition Report

A condition report completed at the end of a tenancy serves multiple purposes: it records any damage the tenant is responsible for, it establishes the baseline condition for the next tenancy, and it creates a contemporaneous record that protects the landlord in any future dispute.

For security-specific items, document:

• The condition of all locks (functioning, worn, damaged, replaced).
• The state of window latches and whether any required repair.
• The condition of external lights and any security camera equipment.
• Any modifications to the property’s security hardware that the tenant made, and whether they’ve been reversed.

Photograph every external access point with a timestamped image. If you rekey or replace locks, photograph the new hardware and note the date in your records. This level of documentation takes less than an hour and can save considerable time if a dispute arises later.

Step 8: Prepare a Security Briefing for the New Tenant

A common oversight is assuming that new tenants understand how to use the property’s security infrastructure. A short written briefing, either included with the lease documents or provided separately, covers:

• How to operate any alarm system, including how to arm and disarm it and who to contact if the system triggers unexpectedly.
• The location of all keys and their corresponding doors.
• How to use any smart lock or keypad entry system, and how to add or remove users if the landlord allows this.
• Recommended practices for window security, including which windows on ground level are most important to secure when the property is unoccupied.
• Contact details for the property manager and the alarm monitoring company.

A well-prepared tenant is a security asset. Properties where tenants understand and actively use the security infrastructure experience fewer incidents than those where tenants treat security as someone else’s concern.

Compliance: What Australian Law Requires

Security obligations for landlords vary slightly by state, but the core requirements are consistent. Landlords must:

• Provide functioning locks on all external doors at the start of each tenancy.
• Ensure the property is structurally sound, with no gaps or breaches that provide easy external access.
• Respond to maintenance requests relating to security (broken locks, failed latches) within a reasonable timeframe.
• Not retain or give access to duplicate keys without the tenant’s consent during the tenancy period.

In Victoria specifically, the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (as amended) requires landlords to install functioning deadbolts or deadlatches on all external doors and window latches on all windows that can be opened. The definitions of compliance are periodically reviewed; checking the Consumer Affairs Victoria website for current guidance is recommended annually.

A Note on Security Between Tenancies

The gap between one tenant leaving and the next moving in is a period of elevated risk. An unoccupied property is a target, particularly if its vacancy is visible from the street. During extended vacancy periods:

• Ensure timed interior lighting creates the appearance of occupancy.
• Arrange for mail and deliveries to be collected regularly to avoid accumulation that signals nobody is home.
• Notify your property insurer that the property is temporarily unoccupied. Standard landlord insurance policies often include a vacancy condition that requires notification.
• Consider arranging regular inspections during extended vacancy to confirm the property remains secure.