pros and cons of smart locks on rental properties?

Question

Would love to hear if smart locks are worth the buy on your rental properties? I am buying a multi family unit and I've been told by others that one of the biggest complaints from tenants is being locked out of house. Would love to hear if this has helped others? Or is it more of a pain to have to change out batteries on smart locks?

Savannah Yingling · Answer

Hi Lacey! There are definitely pros and cons to the smart locks. A good suggestion would be to put a lockbox in the back on the property. That way if a tenant gets locked out you can share the code and this is also great for contractors to have easy access as well.

Jonah Hartsburg · Answer

There are valuable resources both on this platform in older forums and online that outline the fundamental pros and cons of smart locks for rental properties.I think the more important question before deciding which is best is to analyze how it would fit with the management strategy of the property. If you're self-managing, it should be simple to keep track of codes and make sure you have backup keys/batteries available if there is an issue. If the property will be managed by a PM, I'd decide with them according to what fits best in their processes. The last thing anyone wants is for the manager's handyman to drill out your $150+ smart lock simply because he didn't have the correct code when dealing with an urgent matter.

Lacey Quale · Answer

Thanks for your thoughts! I appreciate it.

Lacey Quale · Answer

What a great idea!