---
title: Returning keys on your move-out date
description: Learn why timely key return is critical on your move-out date, how to avoid rekey fees or holdover charges, and what steps to take if you can’t hand off keys in person.
---
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May 30, 2025
# Returning keys on your move-out date
## When moving out of a rental property, returning the keys on your move-out date is a critical final step. It signifies that you’ve officially vacated the unit and can help protect you from additional rent charges.
Returning keys is a **non-negotiable part** of your move-out process and a fundamental responsibility when leasing a home. It marks the official end of your occupancy and allows us to begin inspection, secure the property, and protect both your deposit and the owner’s asset.
Tenants are required to return **all copies** of keys (including mail, gate, and garage keys or remotes), fobs, and remotes on your lease end date.
### Failing to return the keys on time may result in:
- **Additional rent charges** until the keys are returned.
- **Potential holdover fees**,
- **Lock replacement fees**, especially if keys are lost.
- **Delays in the return of your security deposit**, since landlords may need to verify possession was fully surrendered.
### What You Need to Do:
- **Return all keys, remotes, and access devices** (including mailbox, garage, and gate keys) **ON OR BEFORE your lease end date**.
- Keys must be returned in person to a MoveZen office location or via a pre-approved method that ensures **immediate access**.
- If you choose to leave the key at the property and inform us in writing that you have vacated, this needs to be approved prior to your move out date by your account manager. **If we can’t find it, it doesn’t count.** **If it's not where you say it is, it doesn’t work, or we can’t get in, you’ll be charged for rekeying and access delays.**
Returning your keys properly ensures a smoother transition out of your lease and helps safeguard your deposit.
### Why This Matters:
Owners **require us to act quickly** after move-out. If we can't inspect the home for days because we didn’t receive keys, **owners demand that we bill you for any lost time**. This may include **daily rent and/or holdover fees**, which **we are contractually obligated to charge** in these situations.
This is **not a grey area**. Regardless of your intent, **failure to return keys on time = possession not surrendered = daily charges.** Please don’t put us in a position where we have to pass along owner-imposed fees—we don’t enjoy it either, but it's part of managing the home for someone else.
### Security Warning: Lock All Windows
Before you leave, **lock all windows and doors**. If windows are left open and a break-in occurs, **you will be held responsible**—especially for stolen appliances or damage. This has happened before: neighbors often observe move-outs, and unsecured homes become quick targets.
### Final Reminders (also noted on the Move-Out Checklist):
- Return ALL keys by your lease end date. Keys should be returned in person to a MoveZen office location. If you need to request a different key return method, **it must be pre-approved before your lease end date**.
- **Lock all windows and doors** when leaving the property.
- If you don’t follow the process, you’ll be billed accordingly.
Be sure to review our Move-Out Checklist here: [Move Out Checklist](https://know.movezen360.com/move-out-checklist?hsLang=en-us)
**We want your move-out to be smooth, fair, and fast—for you and for the owner. Getting keys back promptly is what makes that possible!**
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