If You Dont Have Time To Read The Whole Text But Want To Know Whether Smart Locks Help With Short
Its nighttime, 11 pm, its raining and cold the perfect time to go to bed. But no your guests flight is delayed for several hours. You have to stay awake to hand off the keys to your apartment. It is, after all, a waste of time! Coordinating a meetup for key exchange is the last thing either of you wants to deal with right now.
This is the moment when you wish you had installed a smart lock on your apartment front door. The smart lock allows your guests to self-check-in quickly, easily, and without any interaction with another person. As a short-term rental host, owner, or administrator, providing a keyless entry will save you the time and hassle you spend coordinating key drop-offs with guests.
Where can I get the keys to my apartment is the most frequently asked question after booking and the first hurdle to overcome. Modern short-term rental properties are moving away from using traditional keys and opting for the benefits of smart locks particularly a keyless entry system. Anyone whos run a short-term rental for any period knows that having only physical keys to your place can be a real source of stress they can be lost, stolen, copied, or locked inside the room. These types of situations cause many problems.
Problems at check-in will likely leave a guest feeling frustrated and annoyed even before getting to the rental property. This creates a negative first impression and ensures that the stay doesnt start as guests envisioned.
How To Sell Your Owners On The Best Smart Locks For Vacation Rentals
Its pretty clear to see keyless entry locks are much better for the property manager than the owner. However, if you are trying to sell your owners on the idea of a smart lock for their properties there are some benefits you can highlight for them.
When you present the option for smart locks to your owners in the right way, it will become quite clear to them that this technology offers a lot of advantages. Here are some tips for selling your owners on this option.
- Instead of highlighting how it will benefit you , focus on how it will benefit the owner and their guests.
- Let them know that smart locks will increase guest satisfaction, which will result in higher ratings and potentially more bookings.
- Also, highlight the increased security that the best door locks for vacation rentals can offer.
- Inform the owner that you will include the annual costs in with your normal monthly fees.
- Consider covering the cost of the installation to sweeten the deal with them. Youll likely make up the difference quite quickly in the time you save.
- When you present all of the above in an attractive way, your owners will only be paying for the lock itself. This should make it easy for them to say YES!
Other Door Lock Considerations
Smart locks are abundant, and there are several to choose from including keypad and combination smart locks, keyless and wireless smart locks, and more. When determining the best door locks for vacation rentals, you need to consider the types of doors that need to be secured. Most smart lock brands will work on a front door, and this is where many people use smart locks the most.
You should also consider the connectivity factor as well. This will determine how the smart locks of the vacation rental will function. The smart locks, in most cases, will need to be able to communicate with a smartphone or other mobile device.
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Ultraloq Ul3 Bt Ab Keyless Smart Lock
A keyless door lock for rental property usage doesnt get much more well-equipped than ULTRALOQ UL3 BT AB 5-in-1 Keyless Smart Lock. It has a long list of security features that anyone would love for protecting their rentals.
One example would be its five different access methods. I can choose between using my fingerprint, an access code, an app, a backup key, or the shake/knock technique. As a result, I wont ever run out of ways to get into my property regardless of the situation.
I was also pleased with its ability to store 95 codes and 95 fingerprints at once. It lends itself well to rental or Airbnb usage as everyone can have their unique code. I can then delete or make new ones whenever necessary.
This smart lock is a lot more adaptable than a person might expect, as well. It has a reversible lever that can fit most standard right-handed and left-handed doors to increase its compatibility. Plus, it can work outdoors or indoors without issue due to its durable zinc alloy case construction.
I found myself liking the anti-peep password feature, too, which helps prevent code stealers. It stops people from getting my code by looking at worn-down keypad digits. Furthermore, I can type out random digits around my code, and itll still work as long as its within those numbers.
- Batteries drain quickly
How We Test Smart Locks
The locks on this list have been thoroughly vetted and evaluated by our test editors. We research the landscape, survey user reviews with Fakespot analysis to ensure their authenticity, speak with product managers and engineers, and use our own experience with these smart locks to determine the best options. For testing, we installed each lock into a metal exterior door to assess fit and ease of installation. We then paired them with our smart phones, ran through the setup processes, and tested Bluetooth functionality. To connect the smart locks to the internet, we used a wireless network with a Speedtest.net average of 25 Mbps. We installed the locks all in a single test stand, took them off-site, and set up a live stream video camera to monitor functionality. We then locked and unlocked them remotely using our smartphone, while reviewing the video stream, and confirmed lock status via the manufacturers apps. We took care to test all of the smart locks features and factored in aesthetics. If youve been thinking about getting a smart lock, weve included all the information youll need to help pick the best model.
BEST OVERALL
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Wedge Door Stop Security Alarm
No products found.
- Works on any type of flooring
- Easy to use no installation involved, just place under door
- Uses 9volt battery that is not included
- Has a 120db siren that will wake you and alert nearby rooms and neighbors
- 3 sensitivity levels the setting depends on distance from door stop to door
- Works on doors with clearances of between 3/8 inch and 1 3/8 inches
- Lightweight, less than 9 ounces, and fits easily in carry-on or luggage
- Wont work with doors that swing outward
How We Selected The Smart Locks For Vacation Rentals
Most of the products listed are not selected hand to hand. We used artificial intelligence to make the list. But we can assure you all the products listed here are of superior quality as they are already tested by real users, rated by expert reviewers, and recommended by real humans.
Key decision-making factors you should consider to select the products:
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What Kind Of Entry Door Lock To Choose For Vacation Rental
There are so many choices on the market. Whats the best option?
Keyless entry door lock
Buying a smart door lock for your rental house is a good solution. It also makes your rental life easier when protecting your belongings.
If you are still not sure whether to switch to keyless entry, let me tell you the differences between traditional door locks and keyless door locks.
With traditional door lock
Convenience: You need to give and take back your keys when every guest arrives and leaves. This takes up too much time.
Paying someone to wait for guests seems to be a good idea. But have you calculated the cost? It is not worthwhile. Hiding keys nearby the door will put your property in danger. Never do that.
Security: The lock cylinder of traditional door lock is more likely to be damaged. Experienced thieves can easily open your door without the key.
With keyless door lock
Convenience: Keyless door lock allows homeowners to keep several sets of access codes at the same time. There is no need to meet guests face to face. Just create the code any time you are available before the guests arrive and send it to them by message.
Security: With a harder mental lock cylinder and safer security delicate structure, keyless door lock can better protect your house, making it more difficult to get damaged.
Without keys, there is no need to worry about your keys being stolen or copied by others.
Best Keypad Door Lock For Vacation Rental Of 2022
You can depend on our experts to share their product searching experiences with you.
To assist you select the keypad door lock for vacation rental brand, we examined all the features and came up with a list of ten possible purchases.
We looked at durability, materials, designs, expert reviews, and customer ratings to find the best-performing keypad door lock for vacation rental.
The review includes detailed performance information and recommendations for your goals and budget. Find out which is best for you.
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Smart Lock Installation Process
Unless hosts are interested in hiring a professional locksmith to install their smart lock, they should look into each options installation process. While some locks have complex installation processes, the best smart lock for Airbnb has an installation process simple enough to be completed by the average person.
So Which Airbnb Integrated Smart Lock Is Right For You
It depends on you and your business, but while the Yale Assure Series offers a simple, classic option for North America Yale Linus offers award-winning design, tailored to Europe and Igloohome offers unmatched security even without Wi-Fi. And Operto integrates with every single one.
We work with our clients as partners, helping you each step of the way to switch to rental or home automation, make the switch to smart systems as painless as possible, and maximize your locks power, no matter which you pick.
We know that finding a trustworthy, secure, and easy-to-use smart lock that works for you and your guests can be daunting, especially if you havent used a smart lock platform before.
But if youre looking to modernize your systems, make managing your business digitally a breeze, and satisfy your Airbnb guests with a seamless, secure, and easy experience from check-in to check-out, you wont go far wrong with one of these great options.
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How To Install A Smart Lock
None of the locks we’ve tested are especially difficult to install, but some are easier than others. If your new lock comes with both an interior escutcheon and an exterior component , you’ll probably have to completely remove your old lock, including the deadbolt mechanism and strike plate, before you can install the new device. This is simply a matter of removing the two bolts that attach the interior escutcheon to the exterior component and removing both pieces. The deadbolt is also held in place by two screws.
The good news is that most smart locks use the standard pre-drilled holes so you don’t have to worry about drilling new ones. Additionally, there are smart locks available that attach to the inside of your door and are designed to use your existing keyed cylinder and deadbolt hardware, which means you only have to remove the interior escutcheon. Either way, you can count on spending anywhere from 10 to 25 minutes removing your old lock and installing your new smart one.
Wyze Lock
No Need For Physical Keys
Why have keys, if you dont need them? Keys can be easily lost, stolen or duplicated. Plus, it takes time for your staff to put them in the lockbox or pick them up from your office.
Without physical keys, your cleaners will be able to spend more time cleaning rather than messing around with lockboxes. When your cleaners waste less time, this cuts down staffing costs savings you can pass along to owners.
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Advantages Of Smart Door Locks For Vacation Rentals
You might be wondering why should I pay extra for smart locks when ordinary locks or key boxes work just fine?
Smart door locks provide better security, remove tasks from your check-in/out process, and reduce your costs. Best of all, they provide a better guest experience by removing the hassle, stress and irritation that are inevitable with physical keys.
Here are some of the reasons why this type of lock can be a lot more practical for vacation rental owners:
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Pros
- Supports Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands
Cons
- Doesn’t support HomeKit or IFTTT
- Lacks third-party integrations
Pros
- Works with Alexa and Google Assistant
- Easy to install
- Doesn’t support HomeKit or IFTTT
- Limited third-party integrations
Pros
- Supports Alexa and Google voice commands
- Relatively easy to install
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How Does It Work
The smart lock is a small device mounted on the existing door lock inside your property. It allows, among other things, to automatically close and open the front door and check the locks status from anywhere using an mobile application installed on a smartphone.
Thats right, on a smartphone. But what if someone doesnt have a smartphone? Or doesnt want to install another app using roaming mobile data or having memory overfilled with travel photos. These small but significant situations can create a bad experience for the potential customers right at the start of their stay.
This is where the smart keypad comes in. It allows the door to be opened by code. It sounds simple, but it offers so many possibilities, especially if you provide vacation rental.
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A smart keypad is a small device installed close to the smart lock outside your front door. The installation itself is extremely simple and takes minutes the surface of the back of the device is pre-covered with adhesive tape. If you want more security, the smart keypad has screw holes so you can screw it to the wall.
Colosus Ndl319 Keyless Smart Door Lock
One of our more advanced options, Colosuss NDL319 Keyless Electronic Smart Door Lock, offers several ways to protect a rental property. It provides four methods of entry that ensure those days of losing keys are long gone.
For instance, I can enter my rental using a PIN, RFID card, physical key, or remote control. It makes things much simpler for me as I tend to lose keys like its my job. So these multiple access methods ensure my life becomes much more accessible.
More importantly, I can set up 50 access codes or key fobs for users. This ability is handy for a rental property where multiple tenants come in or out. Plus, its not difficult to delete or assign new ones to ensure complete security.
I was also happy with this products automatic door lock mechanism. In other words, I can set this device up to lock my door automatically whenever I leave. It helps my renters and me from having to worry about whether the doors locked when doing other activities.
Some other notable security features include anti-peeking and anti-theft capabilities. The anti-peeking feature stops onlookers from stealing my code. Meanwhile, the anti-thief aspect will disable the lock and beep whenever someone enters the wrong code three consecutive times.
- Four methods of access
- Stores up to 50 access codes or key fobs
- Automatic door lock mechanism for convenience
- Prevents code stealing with anti-peeking
- Deters thieves with anti-theft security feature
- Batteries not included
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A Combination Smart Lock/video Doorbell
Pros
- Fingerprint scanner, touchpad, and keyed access
- Voice control
- Pin Genie touch-screen code protection
- Local video storage
- No night vision or motion detection
- Lacks HomeKit and IFTTT support
Pros
- Mobile app and web browser control.
- Responsive keypad.
- Works with August and Ring devices.
- Integrates with multiple vacation rental platforms.
Cons
- Lacks Alexa, Google Assistant, and HomeKit support.
- Limited app functionality.
Schlage Be489wb Cam 625 Deadbolt Smart Lock
Schlages BE489WB Smart Lock earned its place on this list with several eye-catching features. For instance, I was very intrigued by this smart locks built-in Wi-Fi that ensures a high convenience level.
This aspect allows me to unlock or lock my door from anywhere via smartphone. It has saved me on several occasions because I could help out guests without being on the property. If they lost a key or forgot the code, I unlocked the door for them.
I was also happy with this locks code storage as I can manage and access up to 100. It might seem like a lot to keep track of, but it was on the smartphone app. Plus, it allowed me to set up these codes for temporary, permanent, or recurring access.
The smart locks installation process couldnt have been easier, either. It only required a screwdriver, the included hardware, and easy-to-follow directions. I had the entire process done within ten or so minutes.
Buyers should take note of the smart locks finger-resistant touchscreen, as well. It keeps thieves from code peeking and offers one-touch locking/unlocking. Due to this, using it was more convenient than Ive encountered with other vacation rental locks.
Lastly, this smart lock can work with Alexa to offer an even more user-friendly design. Its a valuable aspect as I dont have to get off the couch to check whether the doors unlocked.
- A higher-price option
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