If you’re a landlord dealing with a difficult tenant, rent arrears, a dispute or a notice that’s gone unanswered, changing the locks can feel like the quickest solution. In most cases, it isn’t a lawful one.
The short answer is no: a landlord cannot simply change the locks to shut a tenant out while a residential tenancy is still active.
Doing so may amount to an illegal eviction and a criminal offence under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977. In most cases, a landlord must follow the proper possession process and obtain the necessary court order and warrant for possession before a tenant can lawfully be evicted.
It doesn’t matter how justified changing the locks may feel: where the tenancy is still in force, locking the tenant out can have serious legal consequences.
That said, “a landlord can never change the locks” isn’t the full picture. There are circumstances in which changing the locks is both lawful and sensible. Here’s how they break down.
During an Active Tenancy: Illegal
While a tenancy is live, the locks stay as they are, full stop. A landlord cannot lock a tenant out over rent arrears, an ongoing dispute, or even after serving a notice to quit or a Section 8 notice under the Renters’ Rights Act.
The only route to regaining possession is the proper legal eviction process through the courts: serve the correct notice under the Renters’ Rights Act, then follow the formal process that follows if the tenant doesn’t leave voluntarily. There’s no shortcut, and changing the locks unilaterally is not one.
When a Tenant Vacates Mid-Tenancy: Proceed with Caution
If a tenant leaves during the tenancy, either by serving notice or by confirming in writing that they’ve vacated, a landlord can then change the locks.
The key word is ‘confirming’. Before touching the locks, make sure the tenant has genuinely left and that this is documented in writing. If there’s any doubt at all, don’t change the locks. Acting on an assumption is exactly how landlords end up on the wrong side of an illegal eviction claim.
Between Tenancies: Recommended
Once a tenant has legally moved out, the locks are fair game, and we’d actively recommend changing them. It’s good practice for security, safety, and insurance purposes, regardless of whether the outgoing tenant has returned their keys.
Emergencies or Repairs: Allowed, with Proper Coordination
Locks can also be changed for genuine emergencies or repair access, but this is not a loophole for a permanent lockout, and it needs to be handled carefully.
A typical example: a tenant goes on holiday and leaves a downstairs window open that can’t be secured from outside. A neighbour flags it to the landlord, who contacts the tenant. The tenant confirms they’d like the window closed and secured, but the landlord doesn’t have a spare key, or lives too far away to attend. In coordination with the tenant, the landlord arranges a locksmith to gain access, which may mean changing the lock if it can’t simply be picked and re-locked. The moment the tenant returns, they must be given keys immediately.
The common thread across every legitimate emergency case is **communication**: get the tenant’s agreement, document it, and act only within what they’ve agreed to. Fully documented communication is what protects a landlord from a later claim of illegal eviction.
The Cost of Getting It Wrong
Illegal eviction isn’t a technicality — it carries real consequences. Landlords who change the locks unlawfully can face:
– Civil damages claims from the tenant
– In serious cases, a prison sentence
What Tenants Can Do
If you’re a tenant who’s been locked out illegally, you don’t have to sort it out alone. You can contact your local council’s housing department, the police, or a solicitor for help.
The Takeaway
Changing the locks is straightforward when a tenancy has properly ended or a tenant has clearly agreed to it, and it’s a serious legal risk when it hasn’t. When in doubt, don’t change the locks; get advice first.
Have a question about evictions or tenancy law? Get in touch with our team, we’re here to help landlords and tenants navigate this the right way.
