Am I the only one that’s having weird vibes about allowing AirBnB to control the lock codes on our door for our guests to access our home? What’s the chances that something wouldn’t come up and AirBnB would lock me out as the host of my own place? We have a manual key on another door but still… Or I’m I too suspicious of AirBnB?
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Yes.
Airbnb isn’t controlling the lock any more than Schlage is already controlling it.
So I’m going to link my lock to my Airbnb. This is an improvement and a convenience. Also, I have a key that opens my lock as well as another access to the unit that doesn’t rely on the Schlage controlled front door.
I don’t understand the particular paranoia about Airbnb. You already allow complete strangers, unvetted by Airbnb, into your home. If I were that suspicious of Airbnb I wouldn’t use them at all.
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I can believe a technical glitch on the automatic lock that locks you out. So always have a manual key that overrides the automatic lock, or another door that is controlled by a key. But I don’t think AirBnB would deliberately lock you out, even if they could.
Many of us already use high end services like RemoteLock which connects directly to airbnb, and does what is being proposed for Schlage locks - altho I do not consider those locks as good enough for my airbnb. Also, RemoteLock allows multiple locks to be controlled so that my front door and the room my guest uses have the same access code.
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control lock codes- how do they do that? that sounds far too intrusive.
We have used this kind of connection with airbnb since 2016. When a reservation goes thrum locks are given the start and end time of the reservation and they are ‘programmed’ (sometimes months in advance) with an access code, which is sent (in our case) to the guests thru airbnb messenger. Of course, the code is inactive until the moment of check in so there is no problem with giving it. And since the code is unique the guests can’t ‘just use their phone number’ to enter early (for example, since some aibnbs use that number for the guests).
We use RemoteLock and their pro locks (not a Schlage homeowner special) and our main entrance is also programmed at that time with the same code, so guests o not have to think much - their room lock is the same as the front door lock. Again, unique code.
RemoteLock also gives us notifications on every entry and exit (if we desire); this is very useful. Also, we have it set so that en=ven tho the guest sees our ‘brickwall’ ending of their stay, we add additional time so that those guests who think “rules of checkout do not apply to me” have a few minutes past that time to make one last trip into the house to get that bag.
If a reservation is cancelled at any time, the code becomes inactive via more info from airbnb.
It is a great system and our guests, mostly repeat guests, are very happy that there are NEVER glitches like a host forgetting to put in a code.
Sounds like a great system thanks for describing it. I don’t make enough income at the moment to invest in extra’s but if I did- this sounds very useful and will keep in mind. The lock system on my door is extremely cumbersome requiring me to take a screwdriver and physically removing the code each time after a guest leaves. A short term solution - growing pains… but works for now.
I don’t do this for several reasons but I think that the main one is that I like to be completely in control (but that’s just me 
)
Apparently, Airbnb issues a random code which (being pretty innumerate) I can’t deal with. I use two-digit codes x 2 - for example, 3434 or 7575 as they are easier for guests (and me) to remember, and as I allow one-night bookings, the code changes with every guest - sometimes every day. And it takes me about 30 seconds to do it.
For non-local hosts who want to automate everything I guess that the Airbnb system is fine but I prefer the more personal approach. All hosts are different.
Basically, for me, I don’t see any advantages -other hosts may. But I don’t see anything weird about it for hosts who want to make the most of the service.
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