A lock change work order sounds like one of the simplest jobs in property preservation. You show up, you change the lock, you leave.
But after spending years in this industry, I can tell you that lock change work orders are one of the most commonly processed incorrectly. Not because the physical work is hard. It is not. The mistakes happen with the key codes, the lockbox setup, the documentation, and the portal submission afterward.
Get those things wrong, and a job that took you thirty minutes in the field turns into a disputed completion, a rejected invoice, or a chargeback. None of those are worth it on a work order this straightforward.
This guide covers everything you need to know to get lock change work orders right every single time.
Key Takeaways: The “Big Three” Mistakes
Before you head to the field, remember that most rejected lock change invoices come down to these three avoidable errors:
The Wrong Key Code: Never guess. Always match the code specified in your specific work order, or you guarantee an access failure.
Missing the “Open” Photo: You must include a photo of the lockbox open with the keys clearly visible inside. It is the #1 reason for rejected completions.
Timing Matters: A delay in submission creates a “timeline gap.” Always process and submit your completions on the same day you perform the work.
What a Lock Change Work Order Is
When a property becomes vacant or is confirmed as abandoned, one of the very first things that needs to happen is securing it. The previous occupant had a key. You do not know who else had a copy. The property needs to be locked with a new set of keys that only your client and their authorized people can access.
That is what a lock change work order is. You remove the existing lock, install a new one with a specific key code assigned by your client, place a lockbox on the property with a working key inside, and document all of it with photos.
Simple in theory. But there are rules at every step, and those rules vary depending on who your client is.
What Is a Key Code and Why Does It Matter?
A key code is a pre-set code that determines how a lock is configured. When a lock is cut to a specific key code, only keys with that same code will open it.
In property preservation, key codes exist so that authorized parties, like inspectors, other vendors, and client representatives, can access a property using a master key that matches the code, without needing a unique key for every single property.
Here is the most important thing to understand about key codes: the key code for every lock change is specified in your work order. You do not choose it. Your client tells you which code to use, and you use exactly that code and no other.
Using the wrong key code is one of the most common errors on lock change work orders. It means nobody with the authorized master key can get into the property. That creates an access problem, which then becomes a call to you, which then becomes a disputed completion. Do not let this happen. Read your work order before you buy or cut a single key.
HUD FHA Lock Change Requirements
For properties with FHA-insured mortgages, HUD has specific guidelines on what type of lockset is acceptable.
The pre-approved locksets under HUD guidelines are the Kwikset No. 400T, the Kwikset No. 400P, and the Kwikset No. 400V, or their equivalent. Each lock installed at a property must have identical key codes. If the main entry door has a deadbolt, you are required to disable the deadbolt and replace the handle set with the approved Kwikset lock or equivalent. All entry points that give access to the living area, attached outbuildings, garages, and basements should be secured.
One important note on HUD key codes specifically: HUD has historically used master key codes across their property portfolio. These codes are not publicly classified, but they are sensitive. Always confirm the current required key code directly from your client or work order before purchasing or cutting keys. Do not assume the code is the same as your last HUD job. Codes can and do change, and using an outdated code creates an access failure at the property.
Fannie Mae Lock Change Requirements
Fannie Mae has its own specific rules for lock changes that differ from HUD in a few important ways.
Under Fannie Mae guidelines, the servicer is required to rekey or change locks on an exterior rear or a secondary door for access on the main dwelling of vacant properties. Only one lock is to be changed on main dwellings for access. The main entrance should only be rekeyed or have the lock changed when it is the only option for gaining access.
Read that carefully. Fannie Mae wants the lock changed on a secondary door when possible, not the front door. The reason is that a realtor lockbox may need to be placed on the front door later in the process, and having the preservation vendor’s lockbox competing with the realtor’s lockbox on the same door creates access problems.
For garages, Fannie Mae requires that existing locks remain in place when possible. Only add a padlock if the existing lock is inoperable or missing. The same rule applies to outbuildings and detached structures.
For condominiums where you cannot rekey or change the lock because it is a shared building entry, you must contact the condo association and obtain a copy of their key for access. Do not attempt to change a shared building entry lock under any circumstances.
The Lockbox: Rules You Need to Know
A lockbox is a small combination box that you attach to the property. It holds a working key to the lock you just installed. Authorized people can open the lockbox using the correct combination and access the property without needing to call you every time.
Here are the rules that matter most:
Where to place the lockbox. Under Fannie Mae guidelines, the lockbox should be placed on the secondary door, not the front door, so it does not interfere with any realtor lockbox that may be placed there later. This is easy to overlook but important to follow.
One lockbox per property, per loan. Fannie Mae allows only one lockbox to be installed for the life of the loan under the standard allowable. Do not install a second lockbox on a property that already has one.
The lockbox combination. Your client will specify what combination code to use on the lockbox. Some clients use alpha codes, some use numeric codes, and some use a combination of both. Read your work order. Do not set a random combination without instruction. If the work order does not specify, call your client and confirm before you leave the property.
All padlock keys go in the lockbox. If you have added a padlock to a garage, outbuilding, or gate, the key to that padlock needs to go inside the lockbox too. Anyone accessing the property with the lockbox combination needs to be able to reach every secured area.
What to do with the old locksets. Under Fannie Mae guidelines, the previous locksets and deadbolts you remove should be placed in a kitchen drawer. Do not throw them away. Do not take them with you. Leave them inside the property in the kitchen drawer. This protects you from any question about whether hardware was removed from the property.
Slider Locks and Window Locks
Lock change work orders sometimes include more than just the entry door. If slider locks or window locks on the main level are inoperable or missing, they must be repaired or replaced as part of the securing scope.
Check every window and sliding door on the main level during your property walk. If a lock is broken or absent, that is a securing vulnerability and it falls within your scope to address. Document the before condition with photos, install or repair the lock, and document the after condition. These items have their own line items in Fannie Mae’s allowable matrix.
The Photo Requirements: What You Must Capture
This is where a lot of lock change completions get rejected, and it is entirely preventable.
Here is the exact photo set you need for every lock change work order:
Before photo of the existing lock. Taken before you remove it. Shows the condition of the original hardware.
The new lockset installed on the door. A clear photo showing the installed knob lock with the key in place. This confirms the lock was changed and the key code was installed.
The lockbox open with keys visible. Take a photo of the lockbox in the open position with the keys clearly showing inside. This is one of the most commonly missed photos on lock change completions and one of the most important. It proves that a working key is in the lockbox and that the box is functional.
A close-up photo of the lockbox closed showing the combination. After placing the keys inside and closing the lockbox, take a close-up photo showing the combination set to the correct code. This confirms the code matches what was specified in the work order.
A final photo of the lockbox in the scrambled position. After confirming the combination photo, scramble the dials to a random setting and take one more photo. This is your proof that you did not leave the property with the combination visible to anyone walking past.
Photos of all other locks installed. Any padlock added to a garage, outbuilding, gate, or other entry point needs its own before and after photo set.
Exterior photos of the full property. Before and after shots of the front, rear, and both sides of the property. These are required for all initial securing work orders, not just the lock change line item.
All photos must be date-stamped. Under Fannie Mae guidelines, all actual property photos supplied must be date-stamped. A photo without a timestamp is a photo that can be questioned.
What to Do When You Cannot Complete the Lock Change
Sometimes you arrive at a property and the lock change cannot be completed as specified. The door frame is too damaged to hold a new lockset. The door itself is missing. There is a squatter inside and you cannot safely access the property.
Here is what you do in each scenario.
Damaged door or frame. Document the damage thoroughly with photos. Submit a bid for the repair using the Exterior Door or Door Jamb allowable if the cost falls within the allowable, or as an over-allowable bid via HomeTracker if it exceeds the limit. Do not leave the property unsecured if you can address it with available materials. If you genuinely cannot secure it within the current scope, notify your client immediately and document that notification.
Missing door. A missing door is a bid item. Photograph the opening, document the condition, and submit a bid for door replacement before the property can be secured. Flag your client immediately.
Occupied property. If you arrive at a property and find someone inside, do not attempt to enter or confront them. Leave the property, call your client immediately, and document the occupied condition with exterior photos. An occupied property that was listed as vacant is a significant issue that your client needs to handle through the proper legal process. Your job is to report it, not resolve it.
Processing the Completion in the Portal
The field work is done. Now you need to close the work order correctly in your client’s portal, and this is where a lot of vendors lose time and money.
Every national company has a different portal system. The completion form for a lock change in Safeguard’s portal looks different from MCS’s system, which looks different from Five Brothers’ platform. But the core information you are entering is consistent across all of them. Here is what you need to have ready before you log in:
The key code used, exactly as specified in the work order. The lockbox combination set. The location where the lockbox was placed. Which door received the new lockset. Notes on any other areas secured, including outbuildings and garages. Notes on any conditions found that were outside your scope. Your full photo set organized in chronological order.
Enter the completion notes specifically, not generically. Do not write “lock changed and lockbox installed.” Write something like “Exterior rear door rekeyed to client-specified key code. Lockbox placed on rear door with working key and all padlock keys inside. Lockbox combination set to client-specified code. Previous locksets placed in kitchen drawer. Garage secured with existing lock, functional. No other access points found unsecured.”
That level of detail takes two extra minutes and protects you completely if the completion is ever questioned.
Submit same day. A lock change completion submitted three days after the work was done creates a timeline gap that raises questions. Submit the same day, every time.
The Most Common Errors on Lock Change Work Orders
Let me be direct about what goes wrong most often, because knowing these saves you real money.
Wrong key code. This is number one. It creates an access failure at the property and a disputed completion. Always read the work order for the key code before you buy or cut a single key.
Lockbox placed on the wrong door. Specifically on Fannie Mae properties, placing the lockbox on the front door instead of the secondary door conflicts with realtor lockbox placement. Read the client-specific rules for each investor type you work with.
Missing lockbox open photo. This single missing photo is responsible for more rejected completions on lock change work orders than anything else. Take it every time without exception.
Old hardware discarded. Throwing away the removed locksets instead of leaving them in a kitchen drawer is a compliance error on Fannie Mae properties. Leave the old hardware in the kitchen drawer.
Padlock keys not in the lockbox. If an authorized inspector shows up and cannot get into the garage because the padlock key is not in the lockbox, you have an access failure. Every key to every secured area goes in the lockbox.
Photos not date-stamped. A non-timestamped photo set on a lock change completion is a documentation gap. Make sure your camera or phone date-stamp setting is on before every job.
A Note on Processing Volume
A single lock change work order is quick to process. Thirty minutes in the field, fifteen minutes in the portal, done.
But property preservation vendors do not process one lock change at a time. During a busy period, you might have ten, twenty, or more lock change completions to process alongside winterizations, debris removals, and grass cuts, all in the same week, all with different portals and different client-specific requirements.
When processing volume stacks up like that, the details start slipping. The wrong key code gets entered for one property. A lockbox photo gets uploaded to the wrong work order. A completion note is too vague to pass review. These are not big mistakes individually, but they add up to disputed invoices and rejected completions across your portfolio.
This is exactly the kind of high-volume, detail-oriented processing that AssetSure Processing handles for property preservation vendors. We manage completion submissions, photo uploads, and portal entries for lock change work orders and other service types so that the details stay accurate regardless of how many work orders are in process at the same time.
If your processing is falling behind your field output, or if small errors in your completions are costing you money on otherwise clean jobs, that is a problem with a straightforward solution.
Get in touch with AssetSure Processing to find out how we help vendors process lock change work orders and other service types without errors.