So what I'm wondering is this: what are my chances of being able to go to a local hardware store and make a copy of the loaner key?
Fairly good.
Do they make keys that are non-duplicatable?
If it's just an apartment door key, it shouldn't be a problem. The locksmith will tell you if its something he can't duplicate.
The most annoying part of getting keys duplicated is sometimes they don't get it on one go. You go the get the key duplicated, then find out it doesn't work, then have to bring it back so that it can be filed a bit more.
Duplicating a key, however, doesn't solve the reason why the landlord wants to change locks. The 5 day grace period is for you to find your lost keys, not to duplicate it. If you lost the key, there's now a key out there that can open your door. It would be fine if, say, the key just fell into a hole and will never be recovered. It wouldn't be fine if the key was actually stolen.
So, unless you're absolutely sure that the key didn't get taken by someone else, I suggest just manning up and paying for the new lock. $73 is quite a lot, but that's a small price to pay for avoiding being burglarized by someone who has a key to your dorm. The problem won't be confined just to you, but to whoever occupies your dorm in the future.
Besides, when you're moving out, you have to surrender your copy of the key. Key duplicating doesn't duplicate the entire key, just the teeth on blanks. It would be like trying to pass off a $3 bill as genuine. If you hadn't paid for the changing of locks, you likely will when you try to move out.
Fairly good.
If it's just an apartment door key, it shouldn't be a problem. The locksmith will tell you if its something he can't duplicate.
The most annoying part of getting keys duplicated is sometimes they don't get it on one go. You go the get the key duplicated, then find out it doesn't work, then have to bring it back so that it can be filed a bit more.
Duplicating a key, however, doesn't solve the reason why the landlord wants to change locks. The 5 day grace period is for you to find your lost keys, not to duplicate it. If you lost the key, there's now a key out there that can open your door. It would be fine if, say, the key just fell into a hole and will never be recovered. It wouldn't be fine if the key was actually stolen.
So, unless you're absolutely sure that the key didn't get taken by someone else, I suggest just manning up and paying for the new lock. $73 is quite a lot, but that's a small price to pay for avoiding being burglarized by someone who has a key to your dorm. The problem won't be confined just to you, but to whoever occupies your dorm in the future.
Besides, when you're moving out, you have to surrender your copy of the key. Key duplicating doesn't duplicate the entire key, just the teeth on blanks. It would be like trying to pass off a $3 bill as genuine. If you hadn't paid for the changing of locks, you likely will when you try to move out.
"Sometimes, the situation is outracing a threat, sometimes it's ignoring it, and sometimes it involves sideboarding in 4x Hope//Pray." --Doug Linn