Last updated: September 6, 2026
Rekeying multiple units same day is a routing problem before it is a lock problem. For property managers, planning access, checking hardware and identifying lock differences before the work begins can help keep a multi-building turnover organized.
- A standard single-cylinder rekey can be appropriate when the existing hardware is sound and old keys need to stop working.
- A commercial keying plan can help a manager organize access across multiple doors.
- Multi-unit turnover work benefits from planning access, hardware and key requirements in advance.
- Some doors use specialized hardware or keyways that may require a hardware assessment.
- Tenant key handover should be included in the turnover plan.
- Skipping a rekey at tenant turnover can leave previous tenants’ keys working.
For multi-unit turnover work, planning lock access and hardware needs can help organize the day.
The Situation
If you are the property manager juggling three buildings, a leasing agent’s phone number, and a cleaning crew that wants access at the same time we do, this walkthrough is for you. It is not for a single homeowner changing one deadbolt. The math, the sequencing and the risk are completely different at 23 doors.
The pressure point is never the lock. It is the elevator, the tenant who works nights, and the fact that a building superintendent’s “master key” often opens 14 of 19 doors and nobody knows which five.
What We Found
On a walkthrough of a two-building, 23-cylinder Mississauga portfolio, the first thing a locksmith counts is not doors: it is keyways. Typically we find a mix, because hardware gets replaced one emergency at a time over fifteen years. Kwikset KW1 on the older suite doors, Schlage SC1 on anything replaced after a break-in, and one or two orphan cylinders nobody can identify without pulling the plug.
Second thing we count: hardware condition. A rekey assumes the cylinder is mechanically sound. Loose deadbolt housings, chewed strike plates, and salt-and-grit wear on lakeside entry doors near Lakeshore and New Toronto all change the plan. Winter road salt tracked into a vestibule does real damage to a latch over a decade. You can hear it before you feel it: the sticky, gravelly drag when the key turns.
Third: restricted keyways. In one Islington Village condo we were called to after a resident lost both keys, the building’s mandatory restricted-key system meant only a registered locksmith could legally cut and issue replacements. We were in and rekeyed in 45 minutes. On a 23-door portfolio, that same restriction can apply to two common-area doors while the suite doors stay standard, and finding that out at 9am instead of 2pm is the difference between finishing and not finishing.
“On a multi-unit rekey, the cylinders take about four minutes each. The survey the day before is what actually saves the day, because the one door we didn’t look at is always the one with a 40-year-old mortise lock and no replacement parts within an hour’s drive.” – Etobicoke Locksmith Team
A multi-building survey can identify rekeyable locks, hardware that may need replacement, and doors that require additional assessment. Getting the count right before work begins helps with same-day planning.
How We Solved It
Rekeying 23 locks across two Mississauga-area buildings in one day is a two-technician job run in a fixed sequence. Here is the order we work in, and why each step exists.
- Pre-day hardware survey. Review both buildings and note the lock type, keyway, cylinder type and door condition for each unit.
- Keying schedule built before work begins. Decide what access hierarchy is needed for common areas and individual suites.
- Hardware and key materials prepared. Have the required parts and key materials ready based on the survey.
- Tenant notice and access window. The manager confirms access times and plans key handover for occupied suites.
- Vacant suites first, in floor order. Rekey each cylinder and test the new key and old key before moving to the next door.
- Failed cylinders assessed for replacement. Hardware that is worn, binding or damaged may need replacement instead of rekeying.
- Consistent keying schedule. Use one written schedule so access is organized across both buildings.
- Key cutting, tagging and handover. Keys can be identified by unit and handed over with a written key record.
Honestly, step 1 is the one we tried skipping early on. We turned up cold to a multi-door commercial job once, hit two cylinders that were not what anyone described, and finished the next morning instead. That callback ate hours nobody billed for. Never again.
The Result
The pattern holds at smaller scale too. The Lakeshore restaurant with 6 cylinders and staff turnover was a single master plus 12 differs, and it was done before the first lunch cover walked in. Same method, fewer doors.
What This Means for Property Managers in Mississauga and Etobicoke
Lesson one: rekeying and replacing are different line items. Rekeying may be appropriate when the hardware stays on the door and old keys need to stop working, while replacement may be needed when the hardware condition calls for it. The exact price is confirmed before any work starts.
Lesson two: when a manager is carrying many keys, it may be time to review the building’s key organization. A clear access hierarchy can simplify how keys are managed during future turnovers.
Lesson three: hardware standardization pays for itself over two or three turnover cycles. When every suite in a building runs the same keyway family, a 23-door day becomes routine. When it is a museum of whatever was on sale that decade, every job is a survey job. Talk to your commercial locksmith about a standardization plan before the next vacancy wave, not during it.
| Approach | Published price | When it genuinely wins |
|---|---|---|
| Standard rekey (single cylinder) | Priced per job | Hardware is sound and you need old keys to stop working. |
| Lock replacement (standard cylinder) | Priced per job | May be considered when a cylinder is worn, binding or damaged. |
| Commercial keying plan | Priced per job | For organizing access across multiple doors. |
| Door hardware assessment | Priced per job | For doors where hardware condition or key control needs review. |
| Smart lock install (smart lock options) | Priced per job | Smart locks can be considered where code-based access is preferred. |
| Emergency commercial lockout | Priced per job | For urgent commercial lockout situations. |
Four Mistakes We See on Turnover Days
Handing over a unit without rekeying at all
Previous tenants’ keys may still work, and the same cylinder can remain in use through multiple turnovers. Rekeying helps address that security gap.
Choosing door hardware without an assessment
Common entries and mechanical rooms may have different access and hardware needs from individual suite doors.
Booking off a flat phone quote
The exact price depends on lock type and the work required. You get the exact price before any work starts.
Discovering the restricted-key requirement on job day
Buildings with mandatory restricted-key systems require a registered locksmith to cut or duplicate keys. We hit exactly that on an Islington Village condo after a resident lost both keys, and because the right credentials were already in place, we were in and rekeyed in 45 minutes. Without them, that call goes nowhere.
A related consideration is vehicle key replacement. Etobicoke Locksmith provides automotive locksmith services, including car keys. Our car key replacement service is priced per job, with the exact price confirmed before any work starts.
Our Take After Years of Multi-Unit Rekeys
Property managers overweigh brand and underweigh key control. We get asked constantly whether Schlage beats Kwikset, or whether a Yale cylinder is worth the upgrade. Fair questions, but on a 23-door portfolio the brand on the deadbolt matters far less than knowing who holds which key and being able to prove it. A cheap cylinder in a documented system beats an expensive cylinder with six untracked copies floating around.
The other thing managers underweigh is timing. Work booked during business hours may be easier to plan than an urgent request made shortly before possession. Emergency commercial lockout service is available when lockout situations arise.
If we were telling a friend who manages buildings in Etobicoke or Long Branch one thing, it would be this: get a keying schedule written down once, keep it with your master key system documentation, and each turnover can be simpler to manage. Smart locks have their place, mostly where codes are preferred over keys, but smart lock installation across every suite may not be necessary for every small building.
FAQ
Can 23 locks across two buildings really be rekeyed in one day?
Rekeying for multi-unit properties is priced per job after the hardware and access requirements are reviewed.
Is it cheaper to rekey 23 units or replace all the locks?
For multi-unit turnovers, a per-door survey can help determine whether rekeying or replacement is appropriate.
Do I have to give tenants new keys when I rekey their unit in Ontario?
Yes. Under Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, a landlord who alters the locking system on a door giving entry to a rental unit or the residential complex must give the tenant replacement keys, and cannot do so without providing them. Practically, that means key handover has to be scheduled into the same day as the rekey, with a signed key register for occupied suites.
What if some doors in my building use a restricted-key system?
Restricted-key systems from Mul-T-Lock, Medeco or ASSA Abloy require a registered locksmith to cut or duplicate keys, so a handyman or a general contractor cannot complete that portion of the work. We handle those doors regularly, including an Islington Village condo where a resident lost both keys and the building’s mandatory restricted-key system applied: in and rekeyed in 45 minutes. Flag restricted doors during the survey, not on the morning of the job.
Sources
- Landlord obligations when altering a rental unit’s locking system, including providing replacement keys – Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (Government of Ontario)
- Ontario landlord and tenant rights and dispute process – Landlord and Tenant Board, Tribunals Ontario
- Restricted keyway and patented key control product information – Mul-T-Lock
- Service scope and published pricing ranges cited throughout – Etobicoke Locksmith
Etobicoke Locksmith
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