Investor · The worst town to live in, KS · Member since 2016 · 4k+ posts · 4k+ votes
3x this week I had to go to an STR and unlock the door. The D.F.'s left the key inside when the left and locked the door. I'm thinking about hiding a front door key around the house in something that is not the mailbox. What do you do?
Rental Property Investor · Northern, CA · Member since 2012 · 5k+ posts · 5k+ votes
6y
@Paul Sandhu For a simple solution, you could do what I did with all my rentals and just eliminate the keyed door handle. Just use a keyed deadbolt and a non-keyed door handle (usually called a closet door handle).
With that setup, you really can’t lock yourself out. Switching over to that setup completely eliminated my tenants locking themselves out.
Real Estate Broker · Minneapolis, MN · Member since 2011 · 5k+ posts · 6k+ votes
6y
@Paul Sandhu every VRB I have utilized has also had electronic locks, with such all could be accomplished over the phone of via use of the code they received via e-mail for check in which remains active during their use time and resets to a different code for next tenancy.
Rental Property Investor · Northern, CA · Member since 2012 · 5k+ posts · 5k+ votes
6y
@Paul Sandhu For a simple solution, you could do what I did with all my rentals and just eliminate the keyed door handle. Just use a keyed deadbolt and a non-keyed door handle (usually called a closet door handle).
With that setup, you really can’t lock yourself out. Switching over to that setup completely eliminated my tenants locking themselves out.
Real Estate Agent · San Antonio, TX · Member since 2017 · 814 posts · 466 votes
6y
Why would you have a front lock that can lock behind without inserting a key? Deadbolts are very inexpensive and hard to lock on themselves, also one of the most secure locks out there. Like other said here, eliminate the handle lock or re-key the deadbold, throw away the handle key, is useless anyways.
Buy a good lock preferably one with wireless connection so you can lock or unlock, share/change passcodes as you please avoiding to call the locksmith and costing you headaches, time, and money.
Rental Property Investor · The Villages, FL · Member since 2017 · 341 posts · 397 votes
6y
As others have said, keyless entry. We get the locks that you can also open with a key if the code pad malfunctuons. We change the batteries once a year and in case the batterris die or lock malfuntions, we have a key in a lock box attached to the house somewhere, like the water spicket or gas meter. If needed we can send the guest the code to lock box, ( in 5 years, we have never needed it)
@Paul Sandhu For a simple solution, you could do what I did with all my rentals and just eliminate the keyed door handle. Just use a keyed deadbolt and a non-keyed door handle (usually called a closet door handle).
With that setup, you really can’t lock yourself out. Switching over to that setup completely eliminated my tenants locking themselves out.
3x this week I had to go to an STR and unlock the door. The D.F.'s left the key inside when the left and locked the door. I'm thinking about hiding a front door key around the house in something that is not the mailbox. What do you do?
D.F. = Dumb Folks or something like that.
Put in your lease that a lock out costs $50. That way you'll be making some money and I know you live close to your rentals.
Rental Property Investor · Round Rock, TX · Member since 2019 · 246 posts · 159 votes
6y
I use Schlage Encode. I set the Tenant/guest code the same as the last 4 digits of their phone number. It allows me to set the date and time when they can begin to use it as well as ending date and time. I have a lock box with a key in case batteries die.
@Paul Sandhu I manage several rural STRs. So travel to and from is a long way. I eliminated these issues by having keypad locks on the deadbolts. Called a locksmith to disable the bottom locks. And I have a manual lockbox mounted outside somewhere with a key inside it. Different code. So in the case the batteries die or some other random issue happens, there’s a backup. Always.