locked out drama—what would you do?

- Been there with the “authentic” look vs. modern convenience. I’ve got tenants who’d rather have a spaceship keypad than a vintage knob, so I just lean in.
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not having to fish around for keys when your hands are full is worth every bit of awkward modern hardware.

Locked Out Drama—What Would You Do?

I’ve had a couple of those “hidden” keypad deadbolts in my rentals. They look slick, but honestly, I’m torn. On one hand, tenants love not having to deal with keys, especially when they’re hauling groceries or wrangling kids. On the other, I’ve had two calls about the battery dying at the worst possible time—one guy locked out in his pajamas, not a good look for anyone.

They’re definitely less of an eyesore than the big, obvious keypads, but I always wonder if it’s just more stuff to maintain. I do like that you can still use a regular key as backup, though. If you go this route, just make sure you keep an extra set of batteries handy... and maybe warn tenants about the low-battery beep, because apparently nobody ever notices it.

Honestly, I miss the days when a lock was just a lock, but I guess if it keeps tenants happy (and inside, not on the porch in their PJs), it’s worth the occasional tech headache.

I hear you on the tech headaches. I’ve swapped out a few of those “hidden” keypads for more basic models after tenants complained about the battery thing. I always wonder if the convenience is worth the extra waste from batteries, too. Has anyone tried the solar-powered locks? I’m curious if they’re actually reliable or just another gimmick.

I totally get the frustration with battery-powered locks. I’ve had tenants call me at midnight because the keypad died—never fun. I swapped a few out for old-school deadbolts, just for peace of mind. As for solar-powered locks, I actually installed one on my own garage door last year. It’s held up surprisingly well, even through a couple of gloomy months, but I wouldn’t trust it as the only entry point on a rental. The solar panel’s tiny, so if it gets covered in dust or leaves, you’re back to square one.

Honestly, sometimes simple is better. Less tech means fewer headaches and less waste piling up from dead batteries. But I do like having at least one keyless option for convenience—just not relying on it 100%.

I get where you're coming from about less tech meaning fewer headaches. Still, I kinda like having a backup keyless entry, especially for when my hands are full or I forget my keys (happens more than I'd like to admit). I tried one of those battery-powered smart locks with a low-battery warning, but honestly, if you ignore the beeping, you're still stuck.

if it gets covered in dust or leaves, you’re back to square one