Steve Welty

Issue# 32

January 2025

Happy Saturday Housing Heroes,

A new law, SB 1051, is bringing important changes to how landlords handle lock changes when a tenant faces domestic violence. It’s important to stay informed and ready to comply with these new rules.

What’s Changing?

If a tenant (or someone in their household) has been a victim of abuse or violence, landlords are now required to change the locks within 24 hours—at their own expense.

If the landlord doesn’t change the locks in time, the tenant can do it themselves. But here’s the catch: the landlord must pay the tenant back within 21 days.

What Tenants Must Do

Tenants must tell the landlord within 24 hours after changing the locks.
They also need to give the landlord a new key for access.

What This Means for You

As a landlord, you need to:

Be ready to act quickly if a tenant reports domestic violence.
Set up a system to track lock change requests and deadlines.
Inform your property management team about these new responsibilities.

Key Steps to Stay Compliant

Update Your Policies: Make sure your lease agreements and internal processes reflect the new law.
Train Your Team: Ensure your staff understands how to handle requests for lock changes properly.
Prepare for Costs: Budget for potential lock changes to avoid delays and compliance issues.

Need more info or strategies on how to manage your property? Schedule a call with my team—we’re here to help!

🎥 Want to learn more? Watch my quick 60-second video where I break down SB 1051 and what it means for you.

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Don’t wait until the last minute—start reviewing your policies and implementing changes now. If you have any questions, please feel free to reply to this email.

Steve Welty

CEO @ Good Life Property Management

DRE #01744610

5252 Balboa Ave #704, San Diego, California 92117
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