I once stayed in a shared place that never gave me keys to the place. I had to take my computer with me the entire time. Very frustrating. The lock on the bedroom door was a joke. I am not going to sleep well when anyone could enter my door. I blocked the door with furniture. In fact after that experience, I probably will never do shared space again. But specifically as to the locked bedroom door, while I won’t go into details #metoo.
From a guest perspective, I don’t trust you either. Why would I? I don’t trust the other guests also. For all I know you have an adult son staying there #metoo.
Guys just to be clear, the original topic was not so much about guests locking themselves in the room when they are there, but locking the room when they leave the flat.
The first time I heard a guest locking himself in I thought “wow, how distrustful”. But then realized that around 40-50% of the guests do, with women doing it more often -which makes sense-.
Eventually, I started locking my room as well.
I started when a gay roommate got drunk and professed his attraction -and his appreciation for my “underwear collection”, real story- and then kept doing it.
Not necessarily out of a rational fear someone will burst in, but also to remove a possible source of mental disturbance, so to speak, and facilitate sleep in complete mental calmness.
But locking when you leave the flat is different (for all those hosts who haven’t done a copy of the key yet).
That brings whole different risks, from a smoke detector going off to a window the guests forgot to close to, most dangerous of all, a fire that you can’t put off in a timely fashion.
And at that point, it also becomes a question of liability that you need to think of.
If a fire happens and forensic investigation finds out you had a locked room you couldn’t access, then you’re (financially) done for life.
Plus the possible casualties on your conscience.
Highly unlikely, of course, but you need to think about the unlikely black swans as well. Especially when they can be so calamitous.
Thanks for clearing that up.
I believe 100% of us are completely mystified as to why you have a room that locks but only one key for it. Having a spare key completely mitigates all your concerns. Going back to the title of your post you ask if we allow guests to lock their room. We have limited control over what guests do. Unless I am with them 24/7 and physically prevent them from locking their room, what I allow makes no difference. The problem is your lack of key, not the guest behavior.
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We have been talking about a situation where there is one host and one guest. And yes you are right if you don’t trust your host not to steal your laptop then a shared space is not a good fit for you.
You ask why a guest should trust me. Simple because I am opening my home up to them and trusting them to look after it.
If my adult son was there I would disclose it in my listing wouldn’t I?
Fortunately the 100s of guests I have had stay don’t feel the same as you about my trustworthiness 
These days, I host separate apartments and not rooms in my home so I’ve kept out of this but the phrase “we have limited control over what guests do” makes a lot of sense because, sadly, as hosts we have to be prepared for any eventuality.
I can access either apartment at any time in an emergency a) because I have a key to each one and b) I have my own code for the keypad that guests never know.
In our apartment complex, (owned properties not rentals) the property manager has keys to all apartments in case of emergencies. In recent times, this has been necessary because on two occasions smoke was detected and the fire department was called, On one sad occasion, access was needed to an apartment because the owner had died in there. These things do happen.
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NO, I didn’t mean that I don’t trust the host. What I said was that I was never provided keys so I could never lock up the place I was staying at so I didn’t trust other people living in the apartment building. In regards to my bedroom, I don’t trust anyone, so why would trust you? Have some sensitivity #metoo. I think this discussion is going off rails and I will remove myself after this reply.
I’ve missed something here - where does an adult son come into it?
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I’m fascinated by how many feelings attach themselves to a lock.
I haven’t really wanted to contribute to any distress further but as someone who locked their bedroom door in the family home, I understand your feelings. I even resorted to buying an alarm that attached to the door to try to deter my father from entering against my wishes.
I know it wasn’t the OPs question but I think the bottom line is one must find listings that explicitly state that they have locking doors or buy the locks made for travelers to put on the doors from the inside.
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My adult son was more concerned about his stuff in his room especially when I borrowed his laptop charger for 10 minutes for one of the guests - said he hoped that wouldn’ be a regular thing. Still it encouraged him to eventually move out.
I don’t have locks on any door but mine. If the guest is unhappy about it, they wont take the room. However all rooms have night latches inside so that no one wondering around at night would enter the room and surprise a sleeping occupant therein.
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Not having keys to the place you are staying at is a strange one.
Many hosts in a situation where they just let one room don’t have keys/locks to bedroom doors. It’s not about not being sensitive. It is our home.
That’s why Airbnb adds a feature where you can indicate that you have locks on guest bedrooms for guests like yourself who wouldn’t be comfortable staying somewhere without a bedroom lock.
I completely understand your feelings on this @KKC .
I have had female travellers book with me and say one of the reasons they book, is because I am a sole female host and they feel more comfortable staying in a shared home in that situation.
I agree that if you are more comfortable sharing a listing where you can lock a bedroom door, then use the search function on Airbnb to find places that offer this facility.
What I find more difficult to understand is guests who don’t trust hosts with their belongings when hosts are opening up their homes and belongings to that guest.
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Any thoughts about providing guests with a closet safe?
I don’t see what’s so strange about it: when I bought the flat there was on key per room and before the first guest locked the room I thought nothing about it.
But definitely now I see why it’s a necessity to have a spare one.
That, and hopefully a lot of positive reviews from other guests as well (I’m a superhost for example).
Genius idea!
I think this is especially useful when one rents different rooms to different people. Which can happen to a few of us who have investment properties or who want to rent their room as well when they travel.
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Not necessarily? Plenty of Airbnbs don’t disclose exactly who occupies the other rooms. it’s not necessarily even how a guest feels about the trust between you, but rather, all of the unforeseen circumstances that can and do happen.
Your son, your ex, your long lost cousin with a mile long history of sex offenses may have a key to your house, may be visiting, may be estranged but happen to have a key, the entire place could be burgled, the crazy next door neighbour could have a grudge. it’s not the likelihood of the known happening, it’s the fear of the unknown and the safety a key represents to everyone in society. it’s not all about you.
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Egads! I’ll never be able to stay in another Airbnb. Too risky!
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Oh, I have 453 more examples for this situation alone! 
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Jeez in that case you should never step foot out of your own door then @Icklemiss ;
And certainly never stay in the house of family or friends, another Airbnb or in a hotel.
In fact taking your logic, you shouldn’t be hosting at all. As the same could be said of your own listing. Your partner. Your friends, family and ex’s. 
Yes, my guests can lock their bedroom door, I encourage guests to lock their door. I also provide them with a small safe/lockbox to put valuables. Prior to building the suites, I rented out rooms to overseas student all bedroom doors could be locked. Jeeze I can lock my bedroom door when I stay at my moms, I have to or she will come in an clean up after me! lol
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OMG, that statement just cracks me up!!! I so needed a good laugh today!
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