Who pays to change the locks on a Brooklyn apartment - the tenant or the landlord?

In Brooklyn, the general rule is straightforward: the landlord is responsible for locks and building access when the issue affects habitability or security. But who actually pays depends on what triggered the lock work, who lives there, and what the lease says. Here is how it breaks down for renters, homeowners, landlords, and supers across Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Bushwick, Bed-Stuy, and the rest of the borough.

What is the landlord required to fix or pay for when it comes to locks?

New York City housing law treats working locks as a basic habitability requirement. That means your landlord is on the hook for the following situations:

• Broken lock on an entry door. A broken lock landlord situation - where the lock on a front door, vestibule, or apartment door is damaged or fails - is the landlord's repair to make. This applies to prewar walk-ups in Bed-Stuy, brownstones in Williamsburg, and loft conversions in East Williamsburg alike.
• Rekey after move-in. When a new tenant moves into a Brooklyn apartment, the landlord is responsible for rekeying the unit or providing new keys that the previous tenant cannot use. A landlord who skips this step is cutting corners on basic security.
• Building access systems. A buzzer not working or an intercom repair left ignored is a habitability issue. Tenants have a right to enter their own building. If the landlord ignores a broken intercom, a 311 complaint to HPD creates a formal record and can force action.
• Locks at lease renewal. If a lease is renewed with a new tenant on it, or if the occupancy changes, rekeying is again the landlord's responsibility before the new occupant moves in.

If a super makes entry without proper entry notice, or if there is a dispute about who has keys, the landlord is responsible for managing that access and making sure tenant lock rights are respected.

When does the tenant pay for lock work - and what are the limits?

Tenants are responsible when they cause the problem or request an upgrade. Here are the common cases:

• Lockout caused by tenant. If you lock yourself out of your Williamsburg apartment at midnight, that is your cost to handle. A locksmith visit for an emergency lockout is not a landlord expense.
• Changing locks without permission. If a tenant swaps out a Kwikset deadbolt for a Medeco M3 or an August Smart Lock without written landlord approval, they have violated the lease in most cases. The landlord can require the tenant to restore the original lock or hand over a working key. Costs for unauthorized work fall on the tenant.
• Roommate lock dispute. If roommates fall out and one wants the other locked out, neither of them can change the locks unilaterally. Both names on the lease have equal access rights. A locksmith cannot legally be called to exclude one leaseholder. These situations require a housing court order.
• Upgrade requests. A tenant who wants to add a Fox Police Lock or upgrade to a Schlage B60N for personal peace of mind is generally paying for that themselves - and must get permission and provide a key copy to the landlord per the lease.

The lease lock clause matters a lot here. Read yours before calling anyone. Most standard NYC leases require written permission before any lock change and require the tenant to supply the landlord with a copy of any new key.

What happens when a landlord changes locks illegally or refuses to restore access?

A lockout by landlord is illegal in New York City, full stop. If your landlord changes the locks on your Brooklyn apartment without a court order and without providing a new key, that is self-help eviction. It is prohibited under New York Real Property Law Section 853.

Here is what to do if it happens to you:

1. Call 911. Police can order a landlord to restore access on the spot.
2. File a 311 complaint. This routes to HPD and creates a permanent record.
3. Document everything. Photos, texts, emails - all of it.
4. Contact a tenant attorney or Housing Court. You may be entitled to damages.

On the self-help repair side: in some situations, a tenant can hire a locksmith to restore a broken lock and deduct the cost from rent. This is called repair and deduct. It is legal in New York but has specific requirements - the issue must be a genuine habitability problem, you must notify the landlord in writing first and give them a chance to fix it, and the deduction must be reasonable. Do not do this without understanding the rules first.

Key handover at move-out is another friction point. Tenants must return all keys - including copies they had made - at the end of the tenancy. Failure to do so can result in a lock change charged against the security deposit. Landlords are within their rights to rekey after every tenancy and pass that cost to the departing tenant if keys are not returned.

For landlord lock change situations after a lease ends, the standard practice in Brooklyn is to rekey rather than replace hardware entirely. Rekeying a Kwikset or Schlage cylinder costs less than swapping out the whole lockset and is just as effective. Full replacement makes sense when the hardware is worn, damaged, or being upgraded to a higher-security option like a Mul-T-Lock MT5+ or a Medeco deadbolt.

Whether you are a renter dealing with a landlord who went quiet, a super managing a building in Greenpoint, or a small landlord in Bushwick getting a unit ready for a new tenant, the work itself is the same. It is the question of who authorizes and pays for it that changes.

If you need a rekey, a lock change, or help sorting out an access situation, stop by B & G Locksmith at 210 Roebling St in Williamsburg - or call us at (347) 699-9268. We cut keys while you wait, carry hardware off the shelf, and handle both residential and commercial lock work across all of Brooklyn and the five boroughs.

Frequently asked questions

Can my landlord change my locks without telling me in Brooklyn?

No. A landlord cannot change your locks without notice and without providing a new key. Doing so is considered an illegal lockout under NYC law. If it happens, call 911 and file a complaint with 311. You may also have the right to hire a locksmith and deduct the cost from rent under repair-and-deduct rules.

Can I change the locks in my Williamsburg apartment without asking my landlord?

You can in some situations, but most leases require written permission first. Changing locks without permission is a lease violation and can be grounds for eviction. The safer move is to request a rekey in writing, keep a copy, and give the landlord a key per your lease terms.

Who pays if the building intercom or buzzer isn't working?

The landlord pays. Building access systems including intercoms and buzzers are part of the habitable condition of the property under NYC housing law. A broken buzzer that prevents tenant access is a repair the landlord must handle. If they ignore it, a 311 complaint creates a paper trail and can prompt HPD action.