What can a locksmith handle for a condo or rental building?
Building work repeats. A unit turns over, a tenant loses keys, a mailbox lock jams, a garbage room door stops latching. Calling the same locksmith every time means less explaining and fewer surprises.
- Unit turnover rekeys between tenants or after a sale, so the last occupant's keys stop working
- Master key systems so staff carry one key for service rooms while each tenant key opens only their own unit
- Mailbox locks on tenant compartments in the lobby mailbox panel
- Common area doors like garbage, bike, storage, roof and mechanical rooms, including closers and latches
- Key control with restricted keys tenants can't copy at a key kiosk
- Tenant lockouts when management has approved the entry
- After-hours emergencies like an exit door or service room that won't lock at night
Lobby fob systems are usually installed and programmed by the building's access control company, and we don't copy encrypted fobs. We can still service the mechanical side of those doors: the lock, the strike, the closer and the key override.
How much does commercial rekeying cost per lock in Toronto?
No single per-lock number is honest for every building, so we price each job once we know what's involved. Here's what moves the cost of each lock:
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| How many cylinders in one visit | Grouping several turnovers into one visit is more efficient than booking each unit on its own. Ask dispatch to price them together. |
| Standard or restricted keyway | Standard cylinders like Schlage or Weiser are quicker to rekey and parts are easy to get. Restricted and high-security cylinders (Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, ASSA) use controlled key blanks and cost more. |
| Part of a master key system | Each cylinder has to be pinned so the building master still works. If there's no key chart on file, working out the system takes longer. |
| Cylinders per door | A suite door with a deadbolt and a keyed lever is two cylinders, not one. |
| Condition of the lock | A worn or seized cylinder may need replacing instead of rekeying. |
| Keys per unit | Every extra key adds cutting time. |
| Time of day | Overnight and after-hours calls can cost more than booked daytime work. |
Dispatch confirms the price before anyone starts. For a larger job, have the number of units, the lock brands and whether you're on a master system ready when you call.
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Call (647) 367-8113How should a building handle rekeys at tenant turnover?
Rekey every time a unit changes hands, even if the outgoing tenant returns every key. Copies are easy to make and nobody tracks them. Ontario's tenancy rules also say that if a landlord changes the lock on an occupied unit, the tenant has to get a new key, so the gap between tenants is the cleanest time to do it.
- Book the rekey for the day the unit is empty, between move-out and move-in.
- Rekey the suite door cylinders. On a master system, the tenant key changes but your master keeps working.
- Rekey or change the tenant's mailbox lock on the same visit.
- Update your key log with the unit, the date and how many keys were issued.
- Have the new tenant sign for their keys.
If you turn over a lot of units, ask about interchangeable core cylinders. With a control key, your super can swap a core in about a minute, and the old cores get rekeyed in a batch instead of one call per unit.
Who can call you for a tenant lockout in a managed building?
A tenant can call us directly, but we don't open a unit on the caller's word alone. Some buildings want every lockout to go through management first. Tell us your rule and we'll follow it for your building.
- Tenant has photo ID showing the unit address: we can open the door, and let you know afterwards if you've asked us to
- Tenant has no ID on them: management or the super has to confirm the person lives there
- Guest, partner or subtenant not on the lease: we need management approval
Let us know ahead of time whether tenants pay on the spot or the building gets billed. For how a standard residential lockout works, see our home lockout page.
How do restricted keys help with key control in a building?
A restricted key uses a keyway that isn't sold as blank stock at hardware stores or kiosks. Copies go through a locksmith, and only for people on your authorization list. A tenant can't hand out spare keys to friends, and a former super can't keep a working master. See high-security keys for the brands and how authorization works.
Put restricted keys on a master key system and keep a simple key log, and you always know who holds what. When a key does go missing, the log tells you exactly which doors are affected.
Why use one locksmith for all your buildings?
It saves your team time. We cover every part of Toronto, from the condo towers along Yonge Street in North York to low-rise rentals in the west end and older walk-ups in East York. For facility work in North York or anywhere else in the city, it's the same number.
- One point of contact for every property you manage
- Invoices per job or per building, sent to the management company
- 24/7 dispatch for after-hours emergencies
- Price confirmed before any work, every time
What happens when you call?
Tell us about your buildings
Give us the addresses, who can approve work, and whether you want invoices per job or per building.
Call with each job
Give dispatch the unit number, the lock type and whether the door is on a master key system.
Price before work
We confirm the price with you, or with whoever you've named as the approver, before anything starts.
Work, test and invoice
We do the job, test every key, and invoice the management company with the building and unit listed.
Page reviewed October 2026 by the LocksmithGT team.