My Spouse Locked Me out of the House; what Can I do?

It’s over, and your spouse asked you to move out of the house last week.

You said no, either because (1) you don’t have money to get another place; or (2) you have kids, and you realize leaving the house is not a good idea if you want 50/50 custody.

Either way, you’ve stayed.

Then you get home from work and your key doesn’t work.

Your spouse changed the locks on you.

This story happens more often than you would think.

What can you do?

First, let me start by saying your spouse can’t evict you from you own home, and this includes changing the locks.

So, the house is still yours and you can still live there. You’re not breaking any laws by getting back in the house.

Second, logistics. How do you get back in the house without keys?

Don’t break anything (you’ll just have to fix it later). What you should do is call a locksmith and have him come to your house and make you a new set of keys.

Locksmiths know the drill, so you should be able to find one that will help pretty easily.

Tip: it’s best to have the locksmith come over when your spouse isn’t there. You don’t want any unneeded confrontations.

Call Brown Family Law

If you find yourself facing a Utah divorce, please call 801.685.9999 for an in-person consultation, or use our online scheduling tool.