Does a tenant have the right to change the front-door lock(s) of her apartment?
Answer
The following code provisions are applicable in New York City:
New York City Housing Maintenance Code §27-2008 ("Owner's right of access"): "No tenant shall refuse to permit the owner, or his or her agent or employee, to enter such tenant's dwelling unit or other space under his or her control to make repairs or improvements required by this code or other law or to inspect such apartment or other space to determine compliance with this code or any other provision of law, if the right of entry is exercised at a reasonable time and in a reasonable manner. The [Department of Housing Preservation and Development] may by regulation restrict the time and manner of such inspections." (For those regulations, see Rules of the City of New York §25-101.)
New York City Housing Maintenance Code §27-2009 ("Tenant violations as grounds for eviction"): "Any conviction of a tenant for violation of this code which: ... (3) Consists of an unreasonable refusal to afford access to the dwelling unit to the owner or his or her agent or employee for the purpose of making repairs or improvements required by this code, shall constitute grounds for summary proceedings by the owner to recover possession of such dwelling unit from the tenant."