Condo Owners in Belleville Told All Units Will Be Re-Keyed and Billed
- Small Town Productions
- Jan 7
- 3 min read
| Small Town News | A Division of Small Town Productions |
Some condominium owners in Belleville say they were surprised this week after receiving an email from Larlyn Property Management Ltd. advising that their unit door locks will be re-keyed later this month.
The email, sent on January 6, 2026, says the re-keying is being done to ensure all unit doors are compatible with the building’s master-key system. It states that a locksmith will attend the property during the week of January 26 and that “the cost of re-keying will be charged back to each individual unit.”
Original Email
The message references a condominium by-law that says residents are not permitted to change their door locks without approval and that management must be able to access all units using a master key for safety and emergency purposes.
How condo rules usually work
Condominium rules typically allow buildings to require master-key access so management and emergency services can enter units when necessary. By-laws also often allow a condo to charge back the cost of correcting a lock change when a resident makes an unauthorized modification.
At the same time, Ontario condominium law generally ties chargebacks to the specific unit that caused a cost. When costs are spread across all owners, that is usually done through a formal decision of the condo board, such as a budget item or special assessment.
The January 6 email does not state whether the building’s board of directors formally approved the re-keying program for each unit or if there is a plan to bill every unit.
Larlyn’s role
Larlyn Property Management is the company hired by the condominium to manage day-to-day operations, including maintenance, notices, and coordination with contractors. While it sends communications and carries out work, financial decisions such as chargebacks and building-wide expenses are typically made by the condo’s elected board.
Because the notice came directly from Larlyn, some owners say they are now hoping to receive more details about how the decision was made and how the costs will be handled.
What owners can do
Owners who have questions about the re-keying or the charge can ask for more information, including:
Whether their own unit was found to be out of compliance
Whether the condo board approved the re-keying and billing
How the cost will be calculated and applied
Owners can also review their condominium’s declaration and by-laws, or seek guidance from the Condominium Authority of Ontario if they need help understanding their rights and obligations.
Residents are now waiting to see how the situation unfolds and whether further clarification will be provided by management or the condo board.
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