A fellow tenant in my 40+ unit Seattle apartment has a master key.

August 14, 2012 10:22 AM

A fellow tenant in my 40+ unit Seattle apartment has a master key. It opens my door. What is the appropriate action for me to take?

I discovered that a fellow tenant in my apartment building was issued a master key at the beginning of their lease. The manager did this on accident and doesn't know this tenant has a master key. I am not worried that this particular tenant would enter my apartment, but I wonder how many other tenants were inadvertently issued master keys as well and I am extremely uncomfortable now. I am not aware of any crime at all having occurred in the building in the last few years I've been here, but locking the door certainly feels different now.

My goal is to ensure my own safety, security and peace of mind. I would prefer not to involve the other tenant at all. The tenant sort of confided this fact to me to illustrate their lack of faith in management, and I would prefer they not get attention from management. However, I think it's obvious that the tenant should have notified management as soon as this fact came to light.

I see a few options:

1. Change the lock on my door at my own expense and provide management with a copy of the key. I would do this to avoid revealing my knowledge of master key(s) in the wild, but I'm sure this approach would invite unwarranted suspicion of me if I refused to provide an explanation.

2. Approach management and let them know what I know. Demand that they check and re-issue the scores of keys that they have issued. This would reveal my knowledge and put the tenant under fire for having knowingly held onto a master key. I would also have to brace myself for escalation if they refused.

3. Demand the tenant find a way to reveal this fact to management and demand a key overhaul. However I would be reliant on the tenant and would have to involve myself if the tenant was unwilling or unable to get all the keys reissued.

Is there any city or state law or code that explicitly addresses this issue (Seattle, WA)? I searched through the Revised Code of Washington and came up short. If I outed the other tenant and demanded management address the issue and they refused, what would be my next line of recourse?

posted by anonymous to law & government (43 answers total)

4. Approach management and let them know what you know. Ask to have locks changed for your apartment.

Let them figure out how to go about reversing the master key issue. Make this about you and your door and your safety.
posted by royalsong at 10:26 AM on August 14, 2012 [39 favorites]

I would call the landlord immediately and say, "I know that at least one tenant was issued a master key in error, and I'm concerned that others may have been as well. I don't feel safe. Please have my apartment re-keyed before the sun sets." See what the landlord says. Follow up with an email, so you have it in writing that you notified the landlord.

What possible use could your master key weilding neighbor have for his Master Key? Why would he want to keep it? Why is this a secret?

The potential liability is HUGE! Get an exact time whent he locksmith will arrive. If it's not done by that time, get your own.

Your safety is nothing to fool around with.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 10:29 AM on August 14, 2012 [13 favorites]

Option 1 is a bad idea and will probably get you in hot water. Have you actually seen evidence that this guy has a master key (i.e., have you seen him open the door)? How would he know he had one, short of having tried to open other tenants' doors? I'd talk to management. They might tell you there's no such thing as a master key and that your neighbor is full of shit. If necessary, ask them to change your locks.
posted by eugenen at 10:29 AM on August 14, 2012 [2 favorites]

#3 is a bad idea. You're not the sheriff.
#4 is the best idea.
In general, tone down the drama. You don't need make this all MI-5. You don't need to demand, confront, reveal or out anyone.
posted by Ideefixe at 10:29 AM on August 14, 2012 [11 favorites]

...but I'm sure this approach would invite unwarranted suspicion of me if I refused to provide an explanation.

I don't know what your management is like, but I'd just go ahead and change the lock. If they need an explanation, "sorry, I lost my keys. I just changed the lock to be on the safe side."
posted by griphus at 10:30 AM on August 14, 2012 [10 favorites]

Go with number two, only more diplomatically. Just explain to the super that you believe one of your neighbors has a master key, and you feel uncomfortable with anyone but the you or the building management having a key. If the super presses on who, you gotta give them up.

On the one hand, it might feel like an abuse of trust to turn in your neighbor. On the other hand, it's pretty creepy he hung onto it. I was in a similar situation, and I turned that thing in the second I figured it out. I would not trust someone who kept a master key to their neighbors' apartments.
posted by Slap*Happy at 10:30 AM on August 14, 2012

Er, I'd just go ahead and change the lock myself. God knows if they change the lock for you, they'll just hand out the master to that one as well.
posted by griphus at 10:30 AM on August 14, 2012 [7 favorites]

Master keys and locks that use them are a *bad* idea for your home. They are easily recreated by anyone with basic lock knowledge and worse, are prone to errors due to tolerances in locks. Your neighbor might not have the master key, it might just be "close enough" to work in certain locks.

Even without the knowledge that your neighbor has a key that opens your lock, knowing there is a master key in your building should be enough to make you change (or add) a lock.

Kwikset Smartkey locks are a great option for landlords and are not expensive.
posted by bensherman at 10:35 AM on August 14, 2012 [3 favorites]

Based on my own long-distant past history as a tenant, it may violate your lease for you to change the locks on your own. Double-check that.
posted by not that girl at 10:35 AM on August 14, 2012 [1 favorite]

Am I crazy if I think, just *ask* the tenant to return it to the super, telling him/her you're not comfortable with them having the master key. Then check with the super to make sure they got it back. You can do more with the super, demanding lock changes etc, if they don't. (Maybe there are concerns of some kind of "revenge" but it would take a highly improbable degree of stupidity for them to go into your place right after a conversation about having a master key.)
posted by spbmp at 10:37 AM on August 14, 2012

Yeah, this was a huge issue in my building too, which I only found out by googling the management company's name before moving in (which hi, people should do always, fyi). I changed both the locks at my own expense and informed management after the fact. They were initially upset about it until they realized that I had no intention of asking for any sort of reimbursement.
posted by elizardbits at 10:37 AM on August 14, 2012 [2 favorites]

If it were me:

1. Change the lock, today.

2. Inform management.

3. Be fairly loose-lipped with other tenants about the situation.
posted by Cosine at 10:43 AM on August 14, 2012

Change your locks yourself. If they get mad, be like "oops LOL sorry". Fin. I've lived in buildings where the landlords were so fucking sketchy that I changed the locks and never gave them the keys OR notified them and nothing horrible ever happened to me. This is in NYC, though, where tenants have a lot of rights.
posted by the young rope-rider at 10:44 AM on August 14, 2012 [8 favorites]

Why would the guy want to hang onto a master key if he's on the up-and-up? I would have zero qualms about turning him in if he doesn't give it to the landlord himself. I'd also demand that your lock be changed regardless, since you don't know who else has the keys.

My approach:

"Dude, it's not cool that you kept the key. If they're handing out master keys by mistake, they need to know about this. You're at risk too, you know."

Upon a defensive or dismissive response: "I'm sure you're cool, but I don't feel safe if there are other master keys floating around. They really need to know that they're doing this. I'm going to ask for my lock to be changed."

Either he says "I understand, I'll let them know about their mistake" or he gets defensive again, in which case, screw him.
posted by desjardins at 10:45 AM on August 14, 2012 [4 favorites]

If he's reluctant to reveal to management that he's had it all this time, he can make like he's just discovered it. "I came home late, I was tired, and whoops I opened the wrong door. Clearly I am not supposed to have this key."

I still wonder how he actually found out, though.
posted by desjardins at 10:48 AM on August 14, 2012 [12 favorites]

Oh, just one last thing: an ill-gotten master key is like incriminating photos. You can be 100% sure that anyone who gets their hands on them will make copies and hide them.
posted by griphus at 10:49 AM on August 14, 2012 [15 favorites]

Yeah, I feel like this dude is maybe a little sketchy for finding out and not immediately being like TAKE THIS POTENTIAL LIABILITY AWAY FROM ME. And maybe a little stupid for not wanting his own locks changed.
posted by elizardbits at 10:50 AM on August 14, 2012 [1 favorite]

Even the utter crap-show of a management company at my previous apartment reacted quickly when - twice! - their maintenance staff lost the key to my place. Each time they initially said I needed to supply them with a new copy of the key, and each time I told them Absolutely Not, that due to the security problem their staff had created they needed to change the locks on my door immediately.

So it's possible that even atrocious apartment management companies might sometimes take locks seriously. Call yours up, tell them what you know (withholding your neighbor's name if you like), and insist they change your locks today. See what happens - it's free to try, at least.
posted by DingoMutt at 11:04 AM on August 14, 2012 [1 favorite]

When I read this, I was expecting there to be some actual catch preventing you from going to building management, like "Oh by the way the guy with the master key is a huge terrifying coked-up Hell's Angel and he's threatened to kick my ass if anyone finds out about it."

"I would prefer they not get attention from management" doesn't really seem to rise to that level. I can't tell if you're worried they'll get in trouble for this (WTF, management gave them the key, right?) or don't want to draw attention to them because they're doing something else illegal-or-against-their-lease or what. But either way it's manageable.

I think the sane thing to do is tell them "Look, I'm really uneasy about you having a master key, because if you have one then who else might, right? [This way you're not calling your friend untrustworthy, just making a general point about humanity.] So we need to tell management all the details of the problem so they can fix it. I'll warn you when I'm about to do it, and you can move your cat / boyfriend / meth lab / whatever elsewhere if you're worried."
posted by nebulawindphone at 11:11 AM on August 14, 2012 [3 favorites]

There are three main factors to consider here.

1) Is your neighbor lying and/or exaggerating about his "master key?"
2) If not, how can you reveal your knowledge of these master keys without getting him in trouble?
3) How can you make your apartment secure and private again?

In your situation, I would ask your neighbor if I could make a copy of the master key, verify for myself (with permission from another neighbot) that it opens other people's apartments, then take it to the management with the explanation "So apparently you've been sending master keys to people instead of regular keys. I got one, and I'm reasonably confident other people did too. I want my lock changed now or legal action will be taken."

(It's ridiculous, by the way, to assume that turning in the master keys will do any good. Anybody could have made a copy. The locks will need to be changed if you wish to feel truly secure.)
posted by wolfdreams01 at 11:18 AM on August 14, 2012 [2 favorites]

You can get a cheap (under $20) coded door alarm from the hardware store and install it today!

Problem solved.

I did this when one of my neighbors had a "bump key" and was stealing from us and others. YouTube video "bump key." You'll feel a lot better about this door lock issue. Essentially, your sense of security via regular locks is a total illusion.

Get the alarm and use it.

It's cheap. It solves the entire issue. You'll never worry again:)
posted by jbenben at 11:24 AM on August 14, 2012

1. Ask the other tenant if you can make a copy of their key.
2. Copy it.
3. Go to management and say you accidentally found out they issued you a master key, and "who else got a master key?!?!?"
4. Tell them to change all the locks.
posted by blue_beetle at 11:27 AM on August 14, 2012 [1 favorite]

I myself had a master key copy for my college for a while, and the waiver that came with getting a legit copy was RIDICULOUS. I eventually didn't want the responsibility. I think the issue of potential liability (on your neighbor's part) is a valid one, and it provides a way to be diplomatic to them as well as to management. I would address this in two manners, ASAP:

1) (Per others' comments) Go to management and explain that you have been told that one or more tenants have received master keys by mistake and that you no longer feel safe - whatever they do about the master keys that are out there, you need your lock changed or permission to do so. Note if pressed that since you didn't see the key in action, and that it was hearsay, you'd rather not point fingers; it's about being safe yourself. This is true and respectful!

2) Note to the person that if they're sure it's a master key, it's a massive liability. If some other person with a master key did any of a number of things, this person could be implicated and have to defend themselves when it inevitably came out that master keys were in the wild. They themselves should turn it in just to get off the hook.

I don't know the legal weight of point 2, but it seems significant. Can anyone with legal knowledge weigh in?
posted by peripatetron errant at 11:30 AM on August 14, 2012

In this situation I changed my own locks, I actually did not inform management of the changed locks, my management gives plenty of notice if they need to enter the apt so someone can be home to let them in and this way I know if they enter without notice or my knowledge.
posted by kanemano at 11:32 AM on August 14, 2012

This is a huge liability for the management company, and that's really all you need to tell them. What if someone with a master does the things you see in movies? Now you know, you tell the management that you know, so that they know that there's someone with a master and another person who knows and told management, so they can't plead ignorance or anything. The person you talk to at the management company could go to prison if something happens after you tell them and before they fix the problem. Feel free to mention this (and have them spell their name for you).
posted by rhizome at 11:34 AM on August 14, 2012

The Seattle Housing and Building Maintenance Code mentions that locks have to be re-keyed between tenancies in many circumstances but doesn't say anything about not giving copies of the keys to arbitrary persons. That said, it still might be something that housing inspectors would look askance at. If you can't convince them to change the locks for liability purposes, you might give the housing inspectors a call.

Also, get renter's insurance.
posted by grouse at 11:43 AM on August 14, 2012 [2 favorites]

I have a master key to a building that I do not own, but sometimes work in. The owners know that I have the key. I am responsible for whatever occurs to the parts of the building that I unlock. This is not to be taken lightly.
For the management of your building to have given a master to someone who is not accountable is incredibly slipshod. Tell them. Have your lock changed even if you pay for it yourself.
posted by Cranberry at 11:45 AM on August 14, 2012

Just for informations' sake, a few questions:
1. does this other tenant know that they have a master key?
2. has this other tenant ever used (or have they said they've used) the master key on any doors other than their own?
3. how do you know that this other tenant does in fact have a master key? and do you have proof that they have an actual master key, or are they possibly bluffing/bragging to sound more important?

As for a solution, I personally would just go ahead and re-key (or have a locksmith re-key) my own door lock; if management notices, act innocent --- as someone above suggested, "oh sorry, I did it because I lost my keys!" is good cover.
posted by easily confused at 11:46 AM on August 14, 2012

From the OP:

A few people have asked how I know the other tenant actually has a master key: I tried it in my own door and it worked.

posted by mathowie at 12:03 PM on August 14, 2012

Based on the update:

"Hey Manager, so-and-so's key opens my door. What are you going to do about this?"

You don't have to jump to the conclusion that it's a master key.
posted by odinsdream at 12:13 PM on August 14, 2012 [6 favorites]

Change your lock, subtract the expense from the rent payment. Any lock that the landlord installs is still going to open for the master key; he will have to either confiscate all keys (basically an impossible task if the keys can be copied) or re-key all the apartments.

This is a large but not impossibly large task, one that can start with you. Rekeying 40 unit doors plus, let's say, 4-8 interior security doors and exit doors to fit the new keycode would take a period of perhaps 2 weeks if the super's only semi-dedicated to the task, but if the current keyscheme is anything over, say, 4 years old, it's probably time to do this anyway. The best part about rekeying is that some of it can be done in the shop on some spare lock cylinders, and then just swap the cylinders when it comes time to do a door.

When I say change your lock, I mean get your existing lock re-keyed- it'll be outside the building's master system, but can be brought back in with a later cylinder swap. Worst case scenario, the building won't pay for your locksmith, so be prepared to eat that cost, unless it's large enough to fight over-- you'll still have a secure door until the building re-keys your door.

Odinsdream has a good point.. there are master keys, and there are keys that open multiple locks, but not all, and then there's your key.
posted by Sunburnt at 12:25 PM on August 14, 2012

Change your lock, subtract the expense from the rent payment.

Don't do this.

Read your lease if you are considering changing the lock yourself especially if you want compensation for it. Many many leases have statements to the effect of having to get approval before something like this and the follow up that if you deduct the amount from the rent payment they can/will consider it late payment or add fees.
posted by Feantari at 12:42 PM on August 14, 2012

What possible use could your master key weilding neighbor have for his Master Key? Why would he want to keep it? Why is this a secret?

Exactly. Why are you protecting this situation?

Go to your landlord, say you're aware there's at least one tenant who has a key that will open your door and that you now don't feel remotely safe. The law in Washington says that the landlord is obligated, among other duties, to "Provide reasonably adequate locks."

Locks that let in other tenants are not reasonably adequate. I think that is beyond dispute, yes? Ask for new locks. If they won't do this to your satisfaction then contact an appropriate advocate.
posted by phearlez at 12:52 PM on August 14, 2012 [3 favorites]

Locks that let in other tenants are not reasonably adequate.

Given these circumstances, I think I'd have to agree with that.
posted by grouse at 12:56 PM on August 14, 2012

Going through the tenant is a silly way to go about this. Are you trying to punish the wrongdoer or are you trying to secure your apartment? Go through management. If the other person doesn't care, he doesn't care.

Go through management only.
posted by spaltavian at 1:54 PM on August 14, 2012

In college, my brother- and sister-in-law lived across the courtyard from us in school apartments. Through random happenstance, we discovered that the key to our apartment would open their front door, but their key would *not* open ours.

Curious, I tried my key in a few other front doors and it didn't open any of them either.

Apparently, my key was cut in juuuuust the right shape to allow it to jiggle open their lock. They didn't care and I never told anyone, and I've never felt guilty about it.

Perhaps your situation is similar. You should check and see if the key is truly a master key or if the other tenant is just assuming it is for some reason.
posted by tacodave at 2:39 PM on August 14, 2012

Move.
posted by colin_l at 2:52 PM on August 14, 2012

Don't ever deduct anything from your rent payment. It puts YOU in violation of the lease.

I would inform management -- there's no reason for you to be protecting this guy and it's a big liability for the management company. Let the management company know that you expect your locks to be changed immediately.
posted by Ostara at 3:15 PM on August 14, 2012

#4 by a long shot. Everything else just makes this way, way, way too complicated. Okay, it's weird and shady that this guy has this key and is not willing to get rid of it, but his "returning" it means nothing since copies could be made, and it's not his fault he was issued it, anyway. Management made a mistake. Management should fix it. As a general rule, you should not pursue any self-repair without notifying management first. If management fails to act, THEN move on to the next step. (But please, consult an attorney or something before withholding any rent. There's a specific way to go about that, generally, and it isn't just writing a smaller check.)

Just tell them. By not telling them the full details, you're protecting someone who doesn't really deserve protecting and potentially putting at risk a ton of other tenants who've done nothing wrong. Whatever happened that allowed this, it is your landlord's responsibility to fix, and withholding information like this from your landlord pretty much always ends poorly. But primarily, changing locks on your own is the sort of thing that can ruin your own relationship with the management company, so don't do that. Let them do their jobs. This is what you pay them for.
posted by gracedissolved at 4:12 PM on August 14, 2012

Landlord here.

Obviously, tell your management. Do not change your lock on your own and don't deduct things from your rent on your own. Either of these alone is almost always grounds for eviction. Also, don't come out of the gate with drama and deadlines. Your lock doesn't need to be changed BY 4:07 PM TODAY. If your management is at all reasonable they'll call their locksmith when they hang up with you and he'll be there when he gets there.

"Hey, I found out today that my neighbor's key opens my lock. I dunno if it's, like, a master key or anything, but I'd feel a lot safer if you guys could get my lock changed."

This is a major problem for them. They'll get on it. No need for histrionics.
posted by cmoj at 4:48 PM on August 14, 2012 [6 favorites]

You have lots of options that don't involve demands. Really, demands? No, you don't need to make any demands. Honestly, I get that you're freaked out, but you seem a little paranoid here. You have lots of options.

a) Change the lock at your own expense and give management a key. When they ask why, just say that for personal reasons, this makes you feel more comfortable in your home.

b) Add an additional deadbolt on the inside of the door at your own expense. Give management a key when you move out.

c) Inform them that you've heard that another tenant was accidentally issued a master key, and ask the landlord to change the locks or reimburse you for doing so. If they decline, go for either option a) or b). If they ask why, just say that you were uncomfortable otherwise.

Also -- you do have renters insurance, don't you? You should. Just on principle. It's not expensive.
posted by desuetude at 10:34 PM on August 14, 2012

Change your lock, subtract the expense from the rent payment.

The above is awful, awful advice. Never do anything like that without talking to the management company/landlord first. As cmoj points out, you are almost certainly setting yourself up - in a completely unnecesary way - for serious trouble if you do something as stupid as change the locks on your apartment door without asking permission first.

Anyway, cmoj's answer is good, but should be just a bit more forceful:

"Hey, I found out today that my neighbor's key opens my lock. I dunno if it's, like, a master key or anything, but I'd feel a lot safer if you guys could get my lock changed we need to talk about when you'll be able to get my lock changed or a new deadbolt put in. I've been told there are serious liability issues here that you'll probably want to deal with quickly."

No need for deadlines, or yelling, or anything like that. Just approach them as if you're certain they're reasonable people who will immediately understand the seriousness of the situation, while letting them know you're thinking about the legal issues involved.
posted by mediareport at 11:07 PM on August 14, 2012 [1 favorite]

A classmate of mine was gruesomely murdered; the man now charged with killing her was her next-door neighbor, who had an illicit master key to their apartments in his possession.

Tell your apartment management about the master key and also change your locks yourself. If you like, say that Lauren's unusual but horrifying story inspired you.
posted by nicebookrack at 5:50 AM on August 15, 2012 [1 favorite]