Need advice - changing locks when stbxh leaves

[Balders74]

Hi. Stbxh is due to move out of our jointly owned house soon. He will not be paying anything towards the property. I need to know the legal POV about if can I change the locks when he has left as it is no longer his place of residence?

TIA

If he is still on the mortgage and deeds if you change the locks he can legally break in.

So even if it is it his residence he still has a right to access whenever he wants?

If he is still on the deeds of the property he is legally entitled to a key and to enter it. However.... (and this is what happened in my own experience) a court will not look unkindly towards a lone woman adding an internal bolt or lock to a door to ensure her own safety ....

Ok thanks. I believe that if I leave the keys in the lock inside the house then the door cannot be opened from the outside. I want to be able to relax in my own home.

Do you have a concern about him entering when you are gone and poking around or removing things? Someone once advised a poster to change the lock on the back door only and 'accidentally' leave a key in the front lock when leaving by the back door. STBX still technically has access, but can't get in when you are gone.

Oh, the reason for changing the back lock was that 'they broke off a key in it'.