Tenants and Keys - System
I'm a soon to be first time landlord and looking to come up with ideas to how to handle the key situation with tenants (lock-outs ect.). I will be self managing and do not want to deal at all with lock outs at 1 a.m. I want to completely take myself out of the equation and looking for advice on what systems you guys use. Below are some of my thoughts, however I may be over-thinking.
1. Have a 24hr local locksmith hold on to a set of extra keys for the unit. I would give tenant their number to contact them if they get locked out. Tenants would be charged what ever the locksmith charges. I've called a few locksmiths and have yet to find one that offers this type of service. I would even be willing to pay a small fee each month for them to hold on to my spares. Seems like a win-win for the locksmith, they get my yearly fee and secure the business when my tenants lock themselves out.
2. The only other thing I can think of is charging like $250 dollars if they get locked out an and I have to let them in. I would incorporate it into the lease. That way I create a barrier to them calling me and get compensated generously for my time. I am around 45 min from my rental.
How are you handling this situation?