So your roommate packed up and left. Maybe it was planned, maybe it wasn’t — either way, you’re standing in your Sherman Oaks apartment wondering how many copies of your key are floating around out there. One with your ex-roommate, sure. But what about their friends who used to swing by? The dog walker? That one person who “borrowed” a key six months ago?
We get calls like this every week from renters all over Sherman Oaks — from the big complexes near Sepulveda and Ventura to the smaller duplexes tucked behind Moorpark Street. The fix is straightforward: a . It’s faster and cheaper than replacing the whole lock, and every old key becomes useless the moment we’re done.
Here are six things the Locksmith HQ Team wants you to know before you schedule a rekey.
1. Rekeying Is Not the Same as Replacing Your Lock
A lot of people think they need brand-new locks. Usually, they don’t. Rekeying means we change the internal pins inside your existing lock so it works with a new key. The hardware stays the same — the doorknob or deadbolt looks exactly like it did before. You just get fresh keys, and the old ones stop working immediately.
This matters because replacing a lock can cost two or three times more. If your existing hardware is in decent shape — and most locks in Sherman Oaks apartments built in the last 15 years are — rekeying is the smarter move. If we show up and find your lock is damaged or worn out, we’ll tell you honestly. Sometimes a lock repair in Sherman Oaks makes more sense, and we can handle that on the spot too.
2. Do It Soon — Not “Eventually”
We hear this a lot: “I’ll get around to it.” Then three months pass. Look, the first week after a roommate moves out is the window where you’re most motivated and most vulnerable. Your old roommate probably isn’t going to break in and steal your stuff. But you don’t know who else has a key copy, and you don’t know what their life looks like in six months.
Lock rekey in Sherman Oaks takes about 15 to 20 minutes per lock. That’s it. We come to you — whether you’re in one of the apartments off Hazeltine near the Sherman Oaks Galleria or a house up in the hills south of Mulholland. There’s no reason to put it off.
3. Check Your Lease First
Some landlords in Sherman Oaks require you to notify them before making lock changes, and some want a copy of the new key. This is pretty standard for the larger property management companies that handle buildings along Van Nuys Boulevard and Woodman Avenue. A rekey doesn’t alter the lock hardware, so most landlords are fine with it — but give them a heads-up to avoid any drama.
If your landlord is unresponsive (happens more than you’d think), document your request in writing — a text or email works — and proceed. Your safety comes first.
4. Rekey Every Exterior Door, Not Just the Front
People forget about the back door. Or the side gate lock. Or the garage entry. If your roommate had a key that opened any of those, every one of them needs to be rekeyed. We can set all your locks to work with a single new key, which actually simplifies your life. No more fumbling through a keychain trying three different keys to get inside after grabbing dinner at Café Bizou or picking up groceries at the Trader Joe’s on Riverside.
5. Think About Whether You Want a Deadbolt Upgrade
A rekey is a great time to evaluate your overall door security. Many older Sherman Oaks rentals — especially the mid-century buildings between Dickens Street and Magnolia — only have a knob lock with no deadbolt. A knob lock alone can be defeated in seconds. If you’re already having us out to rekey, adding a deadbolt at the same time is efficient and gives you significantly better protection.
We carry standard and high-security deadbolts on our trucks, so there’s no waiting for a second appointment.
6. Get Extra Key Copies Made Right Then
Once we rekey your lock, we’ll hand you new keys on the spot. Think ahead about how many you actually need: one for you, one for a trusted neighbor, maybe one for a family member. Getting copies made during the service call saves you a separate trip to the hardware store. We cut keys on-site, so you’ll walk away with everything you need in one visit.
A Quick Rekey Gives You Real Peace of Mind
The post-roommate transition is already stressful enough — covering the full rent, rearranging the living room, figuring out who keeps the Netflix password. Your lock security shouldn’t be something that lingers on the to-do list. A lock rekey in Sherman Oaks is one of those small, affordable things that immediately makes your place feel like yours again.
The Locksmith HQ Team handles rekeys all across Sherman Oaks and the surrounding LA area, day or night. You can learn more about our full range of Sherman Oaks locksmith services on our site.
Ready to get your locks rekeyed? Give us a call at (818) 398-9391 — we’ll get someone out to you fast.
