Moving House in the UAE? Can You Take Your Smart Lock With You?

Yes, you can take your smart lock with you when you move. You paid for it, and a good lock lasts years. You’ll need to do three jobs, though. Put the original lock back on the old door. Delete the lock from your app so you can set it up fresh at the new place. And check it fits the new door before you plan around it.

That last job decides everything. A lock that fitted a timber apartment door in JLT may not fit an aluminium villa door in Al Furjan. If the lock body, door thickness or handle side doesn’t match, taking it can cost you more than leaving it.

This post covers the move itself. If you’re thinking of going back to a normal lock for good, read our switching back post. If you rent, our rented apartment post covers permission and the deposit.

Should you take your smart lock or leave it behind?

Look at what you paid, whether it fits the new door, and what the swap will cost. The table covers the common cases.

Our rule of thumb: if the lock cost under AED 500 and the new door needs different parts, a new lock that fits is often cheaper than adapting the old one. Above AED 1,000, it’s usually worth checking whether it can move.

What do you need to do at the old home?

Start with the original lock. In Dubai, Article 21 of Law No. 26 of 2007 says a tenant hands the property back in the condition they received it, apart from normal wear and tear. A missing lock, extra holes or a damaged door can come out of your security deposit. If you kept the developer’s lock, handles and cylinder, refitting them is usually a short job. If the smart lock needed bigger holes, the door may also need cover plates.

Next, delete the lock from your app. On TTLock locks like the Altix R9, the admin does this in the app while standing next to the lock with Bluetooth on. It wipes the codes, fingerprints and cards stored on the lock. Do it just before the lock comes off the door. Skip this step and the lock stays tied to your old account, so it won’t add to a new one without a manual reset.

Then deal with the gateway. Unplug it, delete it from the app and pack it. It’ll need setting up again on your new Wi-Fi anyway.

Put the screws, cover plates and spindle in one bag with the lock. Lost screws are the most common reason a refit takes longer than it should.

Will your smart lock fit the new door?

Answer this before moving day. Measure the new door first. Our door measuring post walks through the five numbers you need.

When you’re moving a lock, these are the ones that decide it.

• Door thickness. Every lock has a range. The EZVIZ DL05, for example, fits doors from 30 to 110 mm.
• Lock body size. Most timber apartment and villa doors here use a mortise lock body, and common sizes include 6068, 5085 and 2585. If the new door has a different body, the smart lock won’t drop into the existing pocket.
• Backset. That’s the distance from the door edge to the centre of the handle. If it doesn’t match, the handles won’t line up with the holes.
• Door material. Timber is the easiest to work with. Aluminium doors often have narrow frames, and steel doors may have a welded pocket. Our aluminium door post explains why narrow frames limit your choice.
• Handle direction. Most locks can be switched between left and right, but some need a part swapped.

Many apartment front doors are fire-rated. Don’t cut or drill one without checking with the building first. Our mortise and fire door post covers why.

How do you set it up at the new home?

Once the lock fits, you set it up like a new one.

1. Fit the lock and check the bolt throws fully into the strike.
2. Put in fresh batteries. A move is a good time to reset the battery clock.
3. Add the lock to your app as a new lock. If you didn’t delete it before, the app will refuse it, and you’ll need to reset it first.
4. Re-enrol fingerprints for everyone in the household.
5. Create new codes. Your old cleaner, driver or building staff may still remember the old ones.
6. Plug the gateway in close to the door and connect it to the new Wi-Fi.
7. Test remote unlock on mobile data, not home Wi-Fi.

If you need a manual reset, the button is usually under the battery cover. On TTLock locks, you hold it until the lock asks for the initialisation code. The exact steps vary by model, so check your manual.

Worked example: moving from a JLT apartment to an Al Furjan townhouse

Here’s how a typical move goes, with an Altix R9 on a timber apartment door.

1. Two weeks before moving out, the family measures the townhouse front door. It’s timber, 50 mm thick, with the same 6068 lock body as the apartment. The R9 will fit.
2. They find the original lock and handles in a box in the storeroom.
3. Moving day, 09:00. The father deletes the R9 from the TTLock app while standing at the door. The lock beeps and resets.
4. 09:15. He takes off the R9 and refits the original lock and handles. The holes match, so no cover plates are needed. He tests the key twice.
5. 09:45. He unplugs the G2 gateway and deletes it from the app.
6. 10:00. Screws, spindle and gateway go in one bag with the lock.
7. Two days later in Al Furjan, our technician fits the R9 to the new door and checks the bolt throws cleanly.
8. The family adds the lock to the app, enrols four fingerprints and creates new codes for the cleaner and the driver.
9. The G2 goes into the socket nearest the front door and joins the new Wi-Fi.
10. The mother tests remote unlock on mobile data. It works.
11. At the apartment handover, the landlord checks the door, finds the original lock and no damage, and returns the deposit in full.

The whole move cost them one fitting visit and a pack of batteries.

What can go wrong?

The most common problem is a missing original lock. People throw it out the week the smart lock goes in. Without it, you’ll need to buy a matching mortise lock and handles to return the door to how you got it, or agree with the landlord to leave the smart lock behind.

Next is a lock that doesn’t fit the new door. A different body, a door outside the thickness range or a narrow aluminium frame will stop you. Measure first, and if it won’t fit, sell it or keep it for another door.

Some people forget to delete the lock before moving. It then won’t add to the app at the new home, and you’ll need the reset button and the initialisation code.

Old codes are a quieter risk. If you only moved the lock without resetting it, anyone with an old code can open your new front door. Always create fresh codes.

The gateway may also refuse to connect. Many smart lock gateways only join 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, and a lot of new routers broadcast one combined network. Ask your provider to split the bands, or connect the gateway to the 2.4 GHz one.

Finally, the old door can be left with holes. If the smart lock needed wider cut-outs, the original handles may not cover them, so plan for cover plates or a small door repair before handover.

What does it cost to move a smart lock?

Here’s a rough budget, using our prices on the day of writing.

If refitting the old lock costs more than half the price of a new lock for the right door, buy the new lock, because one that fits properly will give you fewer problems and last longer.

When shouldn’t you take it with you?

Don’t force a lock onto a door it wasn’t built for. A lock that doesn’t throw its bolt fully isn’t secure.

A lock older than five years, or one that’s started playing up, is better left behind. Our lifespan post covers what wears out.

When you’ve agreed to leave the lock as part of a sale, honour it, and put it in writing so there’s no argument at handover.

Some buildings control the front door lock, for example a fire-rated door on a master key system. Check with the building before you remove anything.

Buy the lock that fits your new door

How can Altix help?

Send us photos of both doors on WhatsApp, the old one and the new one. We’ll tell you whether your lock will fit, what parts you’ll need and what it’ll cost.

We can take the smart lock off, refit your original lock and fit the smart lock at the new home. We cover Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and the rest of the UAE.

FAQ

Can I take my smart lock when I move out of a rented flat in Dubai?

Yes, if you bought it. Put the original lock back so you return the property in the condition you received it.

Will my smart lock fit my new door?

Only if the door thickness, lock body and backset match. Measure the new door before you move.

Do I need to reset my smart lock before moving?

Yes. Delete it from your app before you take it off the door. This wipes the codes and fingerprints and lets you add it to your account again.

What if I threw away the original lock?

You’ll need to buy a matching lock and handles, or agree with the landlord to leave the smart lock in place.

Can I reuse my old codes at the new home?

No. Create new ones. Anyone who knew the old codes could still use them.

How much does it cost to refit a smart lock?

Our mortise installation is AED 450 in Dubai and Sharjah. Removing the smart lock and refitting the original at the old home is quoted from photos.

Does the gateway need setting up again?

Yes. It connects to your Wi-Fi, so it needs setting up on the new network.

Should I leave my smart lock if I’m selling my home?

Agree it with the buyer in writing. Either take it and refit the original, or leave it and include it in the sale.