Someone has your keys? What to do next
Lost on a night out, stolen with your bag, or still sitting on an ex's keyring. Here's how to work out how worried to be, what to change, and what it costs to make the old keys useless.
By LockOps AU · 12 October 2026 · 6 min read
The short answer
If someone you don't trust could have a key to your home, rekey the locks. Rekeying changes the inside of the lock so every old key stops working, wherever it is, and you get a new key. It takes about ten minutes per lock and starts from $60 for one lock including the callout.
How fast you need to act depends on who has the key and whether they know where you live. Use the table below to judge it, and if your keys were stolen, report it to the police first.
Rekey today: call 07 3524 8064
How worried should you be?
| Who has the key | Risk | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Keys stolen with your wallet, licence, bag or car | High: they have the key and your address | Report to police, then rekey the same day |
| Keys lost with something showing your address | High | Rekey the same day |
| Keys lost with nothing identifying on them | Lower, but you can't rule it out | Rekey within a few days |
| An ex-partner or ex-flatmate | Depends on how things ended | Rekey; same day if you feel unsafe |
| The previous owner, tenant or builder | Unknown: you can't count the copies | Rekey when you move in |
| A tradie, cleaner or dog walker who's finished | Usually low | Ask for the key back; rekey if it doesn't come back |
One rule covers all of them: a key handed back is not proof that no copy was made. If you'd lose sleep over it, rekeying is the cheap way to stop wondering.
If your keys were stolen
- Report it to the police. Call 000 if a crime is happening now or you're in danger; otherwise use Policelink on 131 444 or report online. Note the report number.
- Tell your insurer if your home or car policy covers lost or stolen keys. Many do, but most want the police report number and an invoice.
- Rekey the external doors the same day, starting with whichever door the stolen key opens. If the thief has your licence, they have your address.
- Deal with the car key if it was on the same ring (see below).
If an ex-partner has a key
If you own the home on your own, you can rekey whenever you like. If the other person is also on the title or the lease, or still legally lives there, changing the locks can become a legal issue, so get advice first. Legal Aid Queensland (1300 65 11 88) is a good place to start.
If you feel unsafe, your safety comes first. Call 000 in an emergency. DVConnect Womensline (1800 811 811) and Mensline (1800 600 636) can help with safety planning, any time of day. Renters experiencing domestic or family violence have specific rights in Queensland to change locks without the lessor's consent; our rekey or replace guide explains the tenancy rules.
Rekey or replace?
Rekey if the locks work well. It's quicker and cheaper, and it fixes the actual problem: old keys in the wrong hands. A locksmith can usually put every door on the same new key while they're there.
Replace a lock if it's worn, damaged or low quality, if the door has no deadbolt, or if you want to stop carrying keys altogether with a smart lock (from from $180 fitted). Our rekey or replace guide goes through how to tell the difference.
What it costs
| Job | LockOps starting price, including callout |
|---|---|
| Rekey one lock (e.g. front door deadbolt) | from $60 |
| Rekey a front door with a deadbolt and a handle lock (2 cylinders) | from $75 |
| Rekey front, back, laundry and garage side door (4 cylinders) | from $105 |
| Replace one lock | from $165 |
All prices are GST inclusive and the same nights, weekends and public holidays. Restricted or high-security key systems cost more, and the technician confirms the exact price at your door before starting. See the full price list or what a Brisbane locksmith should charge. Anything we fit is covered by our 90-day parts and labour warranty.
Don't forget the other keys on the ring
- Garage remote. Most openers let you clear all paired remotes and re-pair the ones you still have. Check the opener's manual or the installer.
- Smart lock codes and app users. Delete any code or account the other person had. It's free and takes a minute.
- Screen doors, side gates, sliding doors and window locks. They're easy to overlook; count them in when you book the rekey.
- Unit building keys and fobs. Common-area keys and fobs belong to the body corporate, so tell the building manager and ask them to cancel a lost fob.
- Work keys. Tell your employer straight away. Their locks are their decision.
What about the car key?
A lost or stolen car key is a risk to the car, and to the house if your garage remote lives in the car. When a mobile auto locksmith programs a replacement key, the missing key can usually be removed from the car's memory so it can no longer start the engine. Whether that's possible depends on the make and model, and we'll tell you on the call.
| Situation | LockOps starting price |
|---|---|
| New key, you still have one | from from $120 |
| New key, all keys lost | from from $180 |
| Smart or proximity key, you still have one | from from $160 |
| Smart or proximity key, all lost | from from $220 |
Plus a $45 callout, and we cut and program the key at your car, so there's no tow to the dealer. More on our car locksmith page.
How a same-day rekey works with LockOps
- Call 07 3524 8064 and tell us how many locks you want rekeyed. You get the total on the phone.
- We come the same day, any hour, at the same price.
- The technician confirms the price at your door before touching anything.
- Each lock takes about ten minutes. Test your new key in every door before the technician leaves.
- You pay by card when the job's done, never before. Proof that you live there is required, the same as for a lockout.
LockOps holds Queensland Security Provider Licence 4512789. Whoever you call, check their licence before they start.
How to avoid this next time
- Never put your address or name on a keyring tag. A lost key with no address is far less useful to anyone.
- Keep a list of who has a copy, and ask for keys back when a tenancy, a job or a relationship ends.
- Don't hide a spare outside. Under the mat, in a pot plant or in a fake rock are the first places anyone looks.
- Consider a keypad or smart lock for a door lots of people need to use. You can delete a code in seconds; you can't un-copy a key.
Common questions
How soon should I change my locks after losing my keys?+
If anything with your address was with the keys (a licence, a wallet, mail, a car with the garage remote in it), the same day. If the keys were lost somewhere random with nothing identifying, it's lower risk, but you can't know who picked them up, so most people rekey within a few days for peace of mind.
How much does it cost to rekey a lock in Brisbane?+
At LockOps rekeying is from from $15 per cylinder plus a $45 callout, so one front door lock starts from $60 all in, GST inclusive. The callout is charged once per visit, so extra cylinders on the same visit are just from from $15 each. The price is the same any hour, any day.
Is rekeying as safe as replacing the lock?+
For keeping out someone with an old key, yes. Rekeying changes the pins inside the cylinder so every old key stops working. Replacing only adds something if the lock itself is worn, damaged or low quality, or you want an upgrade like a deadbolt or a smart lock.
My ex still has a key. Can I change the locks?+
If you own the home alone, yes. If they're also on the title or the lease, or still legally live there, get advice first: Legal Aid Queensland is on 1300 65 11 88. Renters experiencing domestic or family violence have specific rights in Queensland to change locks without the lessor's consent. If you feel unsafe, call 000.
I'm renting and lost my keys. Who pays?+
Usually the tenant, because the keys were in your care. Tell your property manager straight away and ask in writing to rekey the external doors; in Queensland you need the lessor's agreement to change locks except in an emergency, and you must give them a new key.
Can someone start my car with a lost key?+
They can if the key is still programmed to the car. When we program a new key, the missing key can usually be removed from the car's memory so it won't start the engine any more. It depends on the make and model, and we'll confirm that for your car on the call. A new key is from from $120 if you still have one key, or from $180 if all keys are lost, plus the $45 callout.
Want the old keys to stop working today?
Rekeying from from $15 per cylinder, $45 callout any hour. Tell us how many locks and we'll give you the total on the phone.