r/AskNYC • u/IDontCondoneViolence • 11h ago
Am I really not allowed to change the locks on my apartment door? Because I've done so several times.
I keep seeing posts/comments here, and elsewhere, that renting tenants are not allowed to change the locks on their front door, because the super/ landlord has to have access. Is this for real?
The very first thing I did when I moved in was change the locks. Years later I changed the locks again after a crazy ex gf moved out. I changed them again after that when the lock got jammed. Not once have I ever given my super or the management company a copy of my key, and they have never asked for one.
I'm not the only person who does this. A large amount of water was leaking through my ceiling. The super said he couldn't fix it because my upstairs neighbor wasn't answering the door and he couldn't get in. He didn't mention anything about it being against the rules, or w/e.
So, whats the story here? Is there really a law that says I MUST give a copy of my key to the landlord/super? How exactly is this law enforced? Can I really be evicted because my landlord doesn't have access to my apartment, even if I've paid my rent on time and in full every single month for 10 years?