I’m considering a lock box with a combination for storing keys outside my the front door of my apartment block. This will mostly be used by cleaners but also guests on the few occasions I won’t be able to greet them. Anyone can recommend a particular model that they used first hand? Thanks.
We are using this model
1 Like
What about a keypad instead where guests can punch in a code? I used to have a lock box but guests would put the keys back in and not close the box properly.
A keypad is not possible as this is an apartment block and I can’t change the lock on the front door.
If you can’t fit the lock to the walls - say because of apartment restrictions, the below lock might come in handy.
On Amazon.
If the door is auto-lock, ie, no need to use the key while exiting, the guests can leave the keys inside the flat rather than putting it back in the lockbox?
I would be wary of having an auto-lock door on an Airbnb listing. Guests excel at locking themselves out.
Jeopardy Question: The type of phobia where you fear getting out of the shower still naked in a room of a large, upscale hotel, open the outer door by mistake thinking it’s the one taking you to the main inner area, get out and lock yourself out!
I prefer not to replace the existing door lock with electronic lock in my rental property. Sometimes, I can’t personally welcome my Airbnb guests, I use the Lubn key lock box. I set access times for my guests and send them a QR code link via sms to unlock the key box outside my apartment. I attach the key lock box to a fence. Since there’s no number pad & codes involved, no need for resetting access codes after guests check-out.
Using that Lubn key lock box for my rental is pretty handy. I’m not a fan of swapping out the existing lock for an electronic one, so this is a great workaround. I just set the access times for my Airbnb guests and shoot them a QR code link via text. They can use that to unlock the key box hanging on my fence. No codes, no pad—super easy.
If I was a guest at your property, I would be very concerned The copies of the keys would be circulating locally. An electronic lock allows you to change access and prevent a former guest, or some random from breaking into your house using the key.
When you say ‘not a fan’, are you thinking about how the lock functions, or some other barrier?
As a host, my process sounds exactly like what you’ve described for your lockbox— set the temporary code, email the guest. I like that I don’t have to worry whether the physical key has been returned or not. There is a key, but guests don’t have to handle it. Their code expires at checkout, and that’s it.
As a guest, I’ve gotten so used to having a key code that it annoys me when I have to keep track of keys, especially when I’m travelling with other people. On our latest trip, we were travelling with another couple, and we needed to ask for extra keys so that we could go in and out independently.
We originally changed just the guest door, when we had the same thought as @Rolf mentioned— every past guest could potentially enter the house. We liked the new setup so much that we bought one for our own home.
1 Like
In the ‘olden days’ I resisted having a keypad because I liked the fact that a guest had to knock on my door and hand the keys over when they checked out.
It gave me the opportunity to create ‘last impressions’ (which are as important as first impressions if not more so).
But it could be a hassle sometimes. Lost keys, extra keys required for more than one person, keys that wouldn’t work, broken keys, additional keys for the handyman etc.
When I switched to a keypad life became a lot easier. No guest has ever had a problem using them. (Although in 99% of cases, I meet-and-greet and demonstrate the locks and tell them the codes).
Incidentally, the code is changed at every turnover and the process takes about a minute, if that.
One of my neighbours had a lockbox and many guests had a hard time with it. He gave up on the STR business and the lockbox situation was one of the several reasons.
By the way, this is a very old topic and most of the people who have posted here no longer do. The information is out of date. For those reasons we encourage new members not to update very old topics. Thanks. 
1 Like