Rekey every exterior lock the day you get keys to a San Diego rental or purchase, ask for one key that opens every door, and consider a keypad deadbolt so a deployed spouse, a sitter or a neighbor can get in without a key. On move-out, return every key, factory-reset any smart lock you leave behind and keep the receipts.
Key takeaways
- Rekey on arrival. You do not know how many keys the last occupants, their landlord or their contractors still hold.
- One key for every door saves a lot of trouble for a family that moves every few years.
- A keypad deadbolt with no app is the best fit for deployments: codes for a spouse, a sitter, a neighbor, no key handoffs.
- Renters need landlord permission for smart locks and should keep the original hardware to reinstall on move-out.
- On move-out, return all keys, reset any smart lock you leave and note it on the checkout paperwork.
Where do military families in San Diego actually live?
San Diego County has one of the largest military populations in the country, spread across Naval Base San Diego on 32nd Street, Naval Air Station North Island on Coronado, Naval Base Point Loma, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Marine Corps Recruit Depot near the airport and Camp Pendleton in the far north of the county.
Off-base housing tends to follow the commute. Families at Pendleton settle in Oceanside, Vista and San Marcos. Naval Base San Diego draws people to Chula Vista, National City and Paradise Hills. North Island means Coronado or Imperial Beach. Miramar families land in Mira Mesa, Tierrasanta and Scripps Ranch, and Point Loma commands pull people to Point Loma and Ocean Beach.
Every one of those moves involves a house that someone else just left. That is where the lock checklist starts.
What should you do in the first week?
Rekey every exterior lock
Rekeying keeps the existing locks and changes which key opens them, so every copy the previous occupants, their landlord, their cleaner or their contractor still has becomes useless. It takes about ten minutes per lock. Our new home rekey service does the whole house in one visit. If you are unsure whether the hardware is worth keeping, the rekey vs change locks guide makes the call simple.
Ask for one key that opens everything
A family that moves every two or three years does not need a ring of six keys. Ask for the locks to be keyed alike so one key opens the front door, back door and garage side door. It works when the locks share a keyway, and mismatched hardware can usually be swapped to match on the same visit.
Count the doors, including the ones people forget
Front door, back slider, garage pedestrian door, the door from the garage into the house, side gates with a cylinder, an ADU or casita if there is one. The door from the garage into the kitchen is the one most often left on the old key.
Check the basics
California requires landlords to provide a deadbolt on main entry doors and working window locks. If your rental is missing either, raise it with the landlord in writing before you move in. If you bought, add a deadbolt anywhere there is only a knob lock.
Renting or buying: what changes?
| Question | Renting | Buying |
|---|---|---|
| Who rekeys | Ask the landlord first; rekey with permission if they will not | You, the day you get keys |
| Smart locks | Written landlord permission, keep original hardware | Your call, subject to any HOA rules |
| Keys at the end | Return every key issued, including copies you made | Buyer rekeys after closing |
| Receipts | Keep them in case rekeying is reimbursable under the lease | Keep them with the house records |
Landlords who manage turnovers well already rekey between tenants; the landlord rekeying guide explains what good practice looks like, and it is a fair thing to ask about before you sign. If you bought, what to do after buying a home in San Diego covers the rest of the closing-week list.
Why a keypad deadbolt suits deployments
When one adult is away for months, the other is managing sitters, family visits, a dog walker, a plumber and a neighbor who waters the plants. Handing out keys to all of them is how you end up needing to rekey again.
A keypad deadbolt with no app fixes that. Each person gets a temporary code. Codes are deleted when they are no longer needed. Nobody meets anyone at the door. Auto-lock covers the times a kid forgets. There is still a physical key for the day the battery dies, and no account, hub or Wi-Fi to manage from a ship.
If you want remote control from anywhere, a Wi-Fi model adds that, but for most families the plain keypad is enough and has nothing to break.
Move-in lock checklist
- Walk the property and list every exterior door and gate with a lock.
- Ask the landlord whether the unit was rekeyed. Get the answer in writing.
- Rekey all exterior locks, keyed alike where the hardware allows.
- Confirm a deadbolt on each main entry door and locks on opening windows.
- Decide who needs regular access and whether a keypad deadbolt makes sense.
- Get landlord approval in writing before installing any smart lock on a rental.
- Bag and label any original hardware you remove.
- Store spare keys with a trusted person, not under a mat or in a lockbox on the door.
- Keep the locksmith receipt with your lease or closing documents.
- Put the garage-to-house door on the same key as everything else.
What should you do on move-out?
Return every key, including copies you had made. If you installed a smart lock on a rental, take it off and reinstall the original hardware unless the landlord asks to keep it. If you leave a smart lock behind, factory-reset it, delete every code and leave the manual on the counter. Note all of it on the checkout paperwork so there is no dispute about keys or hardware after you have left the state.
If you sold, the buyer should rekey after closing. If you rented, the landlord should rekey before the next tenant. Either way, your part is to leave nothing outstanding.
Next step
Book the rekey for the day you get keys, not the week after the boxes arrive. Our new home rekey service covers rentals and purchases anywhere in San Diego County, keyed alike where possible, usually the same day. If a keypad deadbolt for deployments makes sense, we can install it on the same visit.
Want it done instead of DIY?
We rekey and install smart locks across San Diego County, usually same day, with the price agreed before we start.
Frequently asked questions
Should I rekey a rental I just moved into, or is that the landlord's job?
Ask the landlord first. Many rekey between tenants, and some will do it if you ask. If they will not, many leases allow a rekey with the landlord's written permission as long as the landlord gets a copy of the new key. Either way, someone should rekey before you unpack.
Can I put a smart lock on a rental home?
Only with the landlord's written permission. Keep the original deadbolt in a labeled bag so it can go back on at move-out, choose a model that uses the existing holes, and give the landlord a key or code as the lease requires.
What is the best lock setup if one of us deploys?
A keypad deadbolt with a physical key backup. The spouse at home gives temporary codes to sitters, family or neighbors without handing over keys, deletes them when they are no longer needed and never has to meet someone at the door to let them in.
We are in base housing. Does any of this apply?
Base and privatized military housing usually handles locks through the housing office, and residents generally cannot change hardware themselves. Report lock problems to the housing office. This checklist is for off-base rentals and purchases.
What should I do with the locks when we PCS out again?
Return every key you were issued, remove any smart lock you installed and reinstall the original, or factory-reset any lock you leave behind and delete your codes. If you sold the home, the buyer will rekey; if you rented, the landlord should.
Sources
- California Civil Code section 1941.3 (landlords must provide deadbolts on main entry doors and window locks) – California Legislative Information
- Naval Base San Diego housing (privatized family housing partner and the Navy Housing Service Center) – Military OneSource, U.S. Department of Defense
- Naval Base San Diego in-depth overview (main gate on 32nd Street, homeport to more than 60 ships) – Military OneSource, U.S. Department of Defense
- MCRD San Diego in-depth overview (located just north of San Diego International Airport) – Military OneSource, U.S. Department of Defense