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My 1938 cabin has locks that use a skeleton key, no break ins and nobody carries skeleton keys with them so no issues! Well the issue is during part of the year we have hikers coming through, we are on the pacific crest trail, and I would like to open up my listing as shared space but no way for the guests to lock their doors, they are all the same key:(
RR
I can only speak from my own experiences, but both our apartments have locked closets and neither has ever been broken into.
I point them out to guests during the house tour saying that they are when we keep various stuff. (I change my wording depending on the guests - sometimes I say ‘cleaning crap’ or whatever).
I also let the guests know that they can contact me if they need anything (more loo paper, extra towels, whatever) and I’m just a minute away so maybe this could be why I’ve never had anyone try to break in to the locked closets?
Funny. A phrase I like to use is “nothing to see here!” regarding any of our personal or storage spaces. Of course that probably piques their curiosity and makes them want to see what’s in there even more!
Dead body storage of past misbehaving guests perhaps?
This is like the 3rd generation of the turbolock kKC posted above. The 2nd generation has bluetooth connectivity.
I’m sure you know that you can still rent them out but indicate that the bedroom doors are not lockable.
Ya but I think I would be inviting bad reviews, idk, the hikers are one big community maybe they would be ok with it. I am thinking of getting some gym lockers or something and put in the closets in each room.
RR
Make one of the requirements that guests let you know explicitly that they are ok with not having locks on the doors. Yes, lockable lockers in the closest would possibly help.
dpfromva - you are my hero, and right on target! I was in a cult back in the day (yes, sorry for over-sharing…) and our leader, who convinced us he was from the Pleiades, used to sigh, shake his head sadly and say, “These humans…” It is my ONLY take-away from that 3-month lapse in mental health - I use it all the time!
I used to Love hosting, as well, but not anymore. This summer was my fifth summer renting out a small private cottage. Guests have definitely changed over the years. These Are the glaring changes I have noticed. Many guests do not communicate. Sometimes I don’t know if they made it safely to the cottage or not. They don’t respond to emails or texts once booked. Some don’t read the rental agreement or entry instructions so they are clueless on arrival.
Smokers book my property even though it clearly states it is a no smoking property. Then the smokers smoke on the property with smoke drifting into the house. One of the strangest things I have noticed is that many guests move furniture around…,even heavy furniture to different areas of the house and do not return it to it’s original position when they leave.
Guests using your private bathroom is very disrespectful! I rent Airbnb myself and cannot imagine using the hosts private bathroom. The times they are a changin…
Having a guest just show up8 days later, in My house, would have scared me to death!!! What was he doing there??? Stealing?
@salmonfishing101
I think I posted previously on this and will try to find the thread for you. In a nutshell, single male guest stayed with me in Dec (about 8 hour drive from me) for a few nights. Bought a ski pass for the season, and booked a second stay over New Year’s. Didn’t want to check out after second stay, but I had new guests that day checking in, and I later found out he took accommodations about 3 miles away at a B&B. Showed up that night at the restaurant I frequent - bartender said he’d been there since about 3:30 pm, and I showed after 7 pm for dinner at the bar, alone. He fell over on the floor in the bar on his back when trying to walk, tried getting me to give he a ride to B&B, which I refused. We arranged transport for him and his car. Eight days later, at 5 am, in a huge snow storm, he returned to my house (I had guests here) and I found him in my kitchen after my dog was barking to alert. He did end up leaving (I called police and Airbnb), but showed around noon at my place of business in town. I reported again to police and he was later found and arrested on criminal trespass charges. Looking back, there were many signs I ignored/should have picked up on . . . I have learned a lot from that situation, and now sleep with a can of bear mace next to my bed!
I have two locked supply closets indoors, and one on the back patio. It holds rakes, bird seed, sprinklers, and such. One of my exterior cameras can see the one on the back patio and almost every set of guests I’ve had has looked at the door, pushed on it, examined the lock, pointed it out to other guests… I can only imagine how much they play around with the two indoor closets where I have no cameras. I suspect guests are much nosier than we know.
October 11@salmonfishing101
I think I posted previously on this and will try to find the thread for you. In a nutshell, single male guest stayed with me in Dec (about 8 hour drive from me) for a few nights. Bought a ski pass for the season, and booked a second stay over New Year’s. Didn’t want to check out after second stay, but I had new guests that day checking in, and I later found out he took accommodations about 3 miles away at a B&B. Showed up that night at the restaurant I frequent - bartender said he’d been there since about 3:30 pm, and I showed after 7 pm for dinner at the bar, alone. He fell over on the floor in the bar on his back when trying to walk, tried getting me to give he a ride to B&B, which I refused. We arranged transport for him and his car. Eight days later, at 5 am, in a huge snow storm, he returned to my house (I had guests here) and I found him in my kitchen after my dog was barking to alert. He did end up leaving (I called police and Airbnb), but showed around noon at my place of business in town. I reported again to police and he was later found and arrested on criminal trespass charges. Looking back, there were many signs I ignored/should have picked up on . . . I have learned a lot from that situation, and now sleep with a can of bear mace next to my bed!
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October 11Having a guest just show up8 days later, in My house, would have scared me to death!!! What was he doing there??? Stealing?
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Oh my goodness! I am so glad you are ok. How scary for you and your guests.
This is why coded and timed keyless locks are a MUST.
Color me FLOORED. I guess what I don’t know won’t hurt me (as I run around the house pad-locking EVERYTHING!)
Guests are sticky beaks. Antique furniture, some with drawers. If you dont know how to open and close them properly, it is obvious when guests have looked inside. I have turned up to do the turnover and every one has been opened and they are empty…nothing to see here!
Are they not for guest use? We have furniture with drawers with the expectation that guests might unpack their stuff into them.
I don’t think this is as big a concern as you might expect. I’ve stayed in several expensive but “granola” lodgings that had NO door locks - (both Breitenbush in OR and Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn in CA). The backpacking community might be more comfortable with this than most guests.
Air recently did a profile on a host in Brooklyn with two listed rooms who has no locks on the bedrooms. Her solution was a bank of lockers at the door; guests are told they can bring their own locks. Works for them.
