Just Moved In? A Locksmith’s New-Home Security Checklist

Moving into a new home comes with a long to-do list: connecting utilities, updating your address, unpacking boxes. Security is easy to push down the list, but the first few weeks are exactly when it matters most. You don’t know who else has a key, which locks actually work, or whether the back windows lock at all. This checklist from Lock, Stock & Barrel Locksmiths covers the steps we recommend to every new owner and renter, in the order we’d tackle them.

1. Find Out Who Might Still Have a Key

When you buy or rent a home, you’re given a set of keys, but you have no way of knowing how many other copies exist. Previous owners, former tenants, real estate agents, tradespeople, cleaners, neighbours who watered the garden and family members may all have held a key at some point. Assume that some of those keys were never returned. That uncertainty is the main reason the next step matters.

2. Re-Key or Replace the Locks

You don’t always need new locks to shut out old keys. Re-keying changes the internal pins of your existing locks so that only newly cut keys work. The hardware and finish on your doors stay the same. It’s usually quicker and more affordable than replacing locks, provided they’re in good condition. If a lock is worn, damaged or simply not secure enough, replacing it is the better option. Our guide on why re-keying is a smart, affordable alternative to new locks explains how to decide.

3. Cut Down the Number of Keys

Many homes end up with a different key for every door, gate and window. While you’re re-keying or replacing locks, it’s the perfect time to have them set up on one key. A keyed-alike system means one key opens the front door, back door and side gate, so there are fewer keys to lose or leave with the wrong person.

4. Decide Who Can Copy Your Keys

A fresh start is a good moment to take control of key copies. With a restricted key system, new keys can only be cut with the authorisation of the registered owner. That means a key you lend to a tradesperson or house-sitter can’t be quietly duplicated.

5. Check Every External Door, Not Just the Front

Walk around the home and try every door that leads outside, including the back door, laundry door, sliding doors and the internal door between the garage and the house. Check that each one closes properly, locks smoothly and has a lock suited to where it is. Sliding doors in particular often rely on a light-duty latch and benefit from a patio bolt. Our guide to the types of door locks explains which lock suits each door.

6. Test the Windows

Windows are often left out of a pre-purchase inspection. Open and close each one, check that it has a working lock, and find the keys for any keyed window locks. If you have young children and live above ground level, pay particular attention to windows that open wide. In NSW, strata buildings are required to have safety devices on certain windows to help prevent children from falling. Our window safety devices guide explains which windows are affected and who is responsible.

7. Reset Codes, Remotes and Digital Access

Keys aren’t the only way into a modern home. If the property has a keypad lock, smart lock or alarm, change the codes and remove any old users. Garage door remotes can be the easiest thing to overlook. Find out how many exist and have the opener recoded so remotes held by previous occupants no longer work. If you’re considering a keypad lock for the front door, our guide to keypad entry systems covers the pros and cons.

8. Secure the Side Gate, Shed and Letterbox

A side gate that doesn’t lock gives easy, out-of-sight access to the back of the house. A shed full of tools and ladders can make a break-in easier. Fit a proper lock to both. Your letterbox matters too. A new home means a flood of mail with your name, address and account details, and a lockable letterbox helps protect you from identity theft.

9. Find a Safe Home for Documents and Valuables

Settlement papers, passports, spare keys and jewellery often end up in a box somewhere during a move. A securely installed wall safe gives them a permanent, protected home from day one. Our guide to choosing the right wall safe covers sizing and placement.

10. Plan Your Way Out in a Fire

Good security shouldn’t trap you inside. If your doors have deadlocks that need a key from the inside, Fire and Rescue NSW advises making sure keys to all locked doors are readily accessible. Agree on where those keys are kept and make sure everyone in the household, including older children, knows.

11. Keep a Simple Key List

Once everything is sorted, write down how many keys you have for each lock and who holds them. It takes five minutes and makes it easy to track down a missing key. It also helps you decide whether a lock needs re-keying the next time a key goes astray.

Renting? Check Before You Change the Locks

Renters should speak to their landlord or agent before changing or adding locks. Under NSW tenancy law, neither a tenant nor a landlord can alter, add or remove a lock without the other’s agreement, except where there’s a reasonable excuse. Whoever changes a lock must give the other a copy of the key within seven days. Landlords are also responsible for providing the locks needed to keep the property reasonably secure. The Tenants’ Union of NSW factsheet on locks and security sets out the details. If you’ve bought an apartment, your front door may be common property, so read our article on changing the lock on your apartment door first.

Settling In on the North Shore?

Lock, Stock & Barrel Locksmiths is a family-owned team of licensed Master Locksmiths based in Turramurra. We regularly help new owners and renters across the North Shore with re-keying, lock upgrades, restricted key systems and window locks. In most cases, we can work through this checklist with you in a single visit. Visit our lock installations and repairs page or call us on 0411 700 072 to book.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I change the locks when I buy a house?

Yes. You can’t know how many copies of the old keys exist, so we recommend re-keying or replacing the locks as soon as you move in. If the existing locks are in good condition, re-keying is usually the quicker and more affordable option.

Is re-keying as secure as replacing the locks?

Re-keying makes every old key useless, which solves the main problem when you move in. If a lock is worn, damaged or low-security, replacing it is the better choice. A locksmith can tell you which applies to each door.

Can a tenant change the locks in NSW?

Generally only with the landlord’s agreement, unless there’s a reasonable excuse. A copy of the new key must be given to the landlord within seven days. The same rules apply to landlords changing locks on tenants.

How long does it take to secure a new home?

For a typical house, re-keying the external locks and checking doors and windows can usually be done in a single visit. The time depends on the number and type of locks involved.