Loading...
Loading...
Category: Operations & Cleaning
By: James Wu
Reply by Priya Nair:
The answer is smart locks — period. There's genuinely no good reason to use physical keys and lockboxes in STR anymore unless your property has restrictions (HOA, landlord, historic building). **Smart lock key management:** - Each guest gets a unique temporary code (auto-generated by your PMS) - Code activates at check-in time, expires at checkout time - Each cleaner gets a permanent code (or their own unique code) - You have a master code for emergencies - Full access log shows who entered and when **My setup:** - Schlage Encode Plus on front door - Hospitable (https://hospitable.com) auto-generates and sends codes - Cleaner has a permanent code that I can change anytime - I get a notification every time the lock is accessed **If you absolutely must use physical keys:** - Use a SMART lockbox (like Igloohome) that generates time-sensitive codes - Never share the same code with multiple parties - Change the lockbox code quarterly at minimum - Have 3 sets of keys: one in the lockbox, one with you, one with your backup person The ROI on a smart lock is immediate: no lockouts, no lost keys, no "I can't open the lockbox" calls at midnight, and complete access history for security.
Reply by Camille Dubois:
I had a cleaner copy my key and loan it to a friend who used my property when it was vacant. Didn't find out until a neighbor told me they saw someone entering. Switched to smart locks the next day and changed every code. With smart locks, if you let a cleaner go, you just delete their code. No need to re-key the whole property like you would with physical keys.