PLATINUM 24/7 LOCKSMITH · COMMERCIAL KEY CONTROL
Business Key Control After Staff Turnover: Boston Guide
A practical checklist for office managers deciding whether to collect keys, rekey locks or review access arrangements.
Published October 27, 2026
When someone leaves a company, returning a key is only part of physical access control. Duplicate keys may exist, contractors may share an entrance, and a master key may open several spaces. A deliberate review of the affected doors helps businesses choose proportional steps rather than automatically replacing every lock.
1. Start with a door and key inventory
List office entrances, storage rooms, employee-only areas and shared building doors. Record who has authorized access and whether each door uses a physical key, keypad or managed credential.
Identify locks sharing a key, whether a landlord controls a master key, and which doors are part of a required exit route. Keep the inventory secure and limit who can access it.
2. Collect credentials without assuming that ends access
Recover issued keys, building passes and other credentials through the normal offboarding process. Count recorded duplicates and known spare keys, but remember that recovering an original key does not prove that copies were never made.
For keypad or card systems, authorized administrators may need to revoke the departing person’s credentials. Do not reset a shared device without a plan for legitimate users.
3. Decide between rekeying and replacement
A compatible mechanical cylinder can often be rekeyed to reject the previous key, keeping the existing lockset. If hardware is damaged or a different security function is needed, replacement may be appropriate.
A master-key system deserves particular care: a cylinder change must preserve any approved building access, or be coordinated as part of a planned redesign.
4. Communicate changes to the right people
Before work begins, obtain approval from the property controller. Tell affected employees how authorized access will work afterward and who will receive new keys.
For multi-tenant premises, distinguish tenant-controlled doors from landlord-controlled entrances. Never obstruct required exit doors or defeat fire-rated hardware.
5. Prepare a clear locksmith request
Provide the business address, door count, lock type, available photos, whether current keys work, and any existing master-key requirements. Identify whether the doors are internal or external.
Ask the technician to confirm the supported hardware, potential options and job-specific scope. Keep your internal credential inventory private.
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