Yes true. It’s the most likely explanation CeeBee.
The keys had a fob to the building - if they were fished out, it was likely for the fob (expensive and hard to get hold of).
I’m curious to see if something like this ever happens again.
Thank you so much MissMarple - I will look into those!
Now I’m confused. Initially it seems you were convinced the keys were fished off the floor and you wanted suggestions to prevent that from happening. Now it seems you think the problem is that the guest actually took them by accident. A number of people have given suggestions to prevent the latter from happening again although you rejected some of them. Knowing what the problem is helps if one is going to provide
Why are you confused KKC?
I will never know whether it was the guest who took the keys or whether they were stolen.
This is a conversation between different people that is evolving.
Once again, I don’t understand your confusion?
I actually just bought 9 of these on sale for less than $24 including shipping! You can even have them flash and beep if you have lost them and are trying to located them. TrackR Pixel. I think I got them from MorningSave.com or UntilGone.com
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MissMarple - thank you. Your suggestion (GPS tracker) has genuinely helped put my mind at ease. It was very unsettling to think that that someone might deliberately have taken my keys. I am really grateful for that and also the other sensible ideas that people have given (digital lock; camera; lock box).
And thanks also for your last post - you are right, getting into squabbles on the interwebs is rather silly.
Thanks again!
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And yet, it is a solid answer that you are criticizing. I can’t see inside @jaquo’s head but here’s my version of the answer.
A proper lock: I’d say a different (because I’m not British) lock: e.g. a keyless lock and then there are no keys to worry about. This is the number one problem-solver with key issues. No keys, no key issues.
A lock box: because they are intended to hold keys and mail slots are not. There are so so many posts about keys and mail slots that I thought your post was a repeat. I actually searched the forum to see if you had posted this same exact post earlier in the year because it sounded so familiar. This exemplifies how mail slots are not the best solution for key exchange.
A co-host: If you had a co-host meet the guest on check-out, they could have received the key in person and then you would know where the key is now. I think the co-host is mentioned because it must be safe to assume that you can’t or won’t go and collect the key in person so you may benefit from a co-host that will do that for you.
These are 3 very very good alternatives to having keys dropped in mailboxes. And having keys dropped in mailboxes is a common issue with hosts. And that is ultimately the problem you presented in your OP.
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Yes, I agree that a keyless lock, lockbox and co-host (or flatmate in my case) are good solutions.
I didn’t suggest otherwise.
However, I think MissMarples suggesion of a GPS tracker sounds the most appealing and is the one I will be looking into. Asking guests to put the keys into the mail slot has worked for the last 5 years - these are the first keys that have ever gone missing.
My objection was to the generic suggestions of guest-proofing and creating “a system” for my guests. This is what I have been doing for the last 5 years. I found the suggestion patronising.
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I had a guest take keys with him and for more than a week say he didn’t have them. Turns out he did and he found them and was kind enough to mail them back. I would put a digital lock on the door if I could, but it’s a sliding glass door that we retrofitted to have a key.
The tile trackers or other devices are a good idea. I do think you missed the point about having a “system” which is something that doesn’t solely rely on one person, the guest, to get it right. A fail-safe back-up as now you are out an expensive fob as well as the cost to change the locks. Sometimes that’s just simply not possible, but those comments were not anything other than trying to be helpful.
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Yes I get that Atlnative. Now hopefully it can be laid to rest.
Thanks to everyone for their suggestions.
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I believe there has been some miscommunication and some misinformation happening here. Now that the suggestions have been publicly given, we’ll close this Topic to prevent any more from occurring…thanks to all!
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