What Happens When Staff Or Tenants Leave A Master Key System
When an employee or tenant with a master-system key leaves, only the specific lock they had access to needs rekeying, not the whole system — that is the entire point of a properly set up master key system. It costs far less than replacing every lock, and it is exactly why the setup is worth it for multi-unit or multi-staff situations.
This is the scenario master keying is built for, and the one that makes the upfront setup worth it.
What actually needs to change when someone leaves
| Who left | What gets rekeyed |
|---|---|
| A tenant with their own unit key | Just that unit’s lock, on the individual shear line only |
| A staff member with an office key | Just that office, not the whole building |
| The manager with the master key | This is the exception — rekeying the master shear line across every lock is more involved |
Why losing an individual key is low-risk
Because that key never opened anything except its own assigned door, the exposure from a lost or unreturned key is limited to that one door. Rekey that lock’s individual shear line, issue a new individual key, and the master still works exactly as before across every other door.
Why losing the master key is different
A lost or stolen master key is a bigger event, since it opens everything. This is rare in a well-run system — usually only one or two people hold masters — but if it happens, every lock’s master shear line needs rekeying, which is a larger job than a single-door rekey.
Keeping turnover cheap
- Limit who holds a master key to as few people as practical
- Rekey the individual line promptly when someone with access leaves, rather than letting it wait
- Keep a simple log of who holds which individual key
Booking a rekey on a master system
Tell us which door and whether it is an individual key or the master that needs rekeying. Ranges are on the prices page, full detail on master key systems.