Double-keyed deadbolts — instant fail, endless debate

A deadbolt that needs a key to exit from inside is an egress problem, and inspectors cite it every time — yet tenants keep installing them and some local codes historically allowed them. The fix is a thumb-turn cylinder swap, but the debate is endless. How do you handle tenant-installed locks at move-in and at turn?

The frustrating part of this one is that the resident usually installs the double-keyed lock out of a real fear — they feel safer with it — and the standard says the opposite: in a fire, that key you cannot find is the whole problem. The swap itself is a fifteen-minute job; the hard part is finding them before the inspector does. Lease language helps, turn checks help more. How do you catch tenant-swapped locks before inspection day — turn checks, annual unit visits, or do you find out when the inspector does?