I hear you on the “trading one hassle for another” part. Here’s how I look at it:
- For rentals, keyless entry cuts down on lockouts and rekeying costs, but yeah, battery management is a new headache.
- Solar’s a non-starter in some climates—totally agree there.
- The USB backup is clever, but if tenants forget to charge their power banks, it’s just another call I get.
Curious—has anyone tried those locks with built-in rechargeable batteries? Wondering if that actually solves anything or just adds another layer of tech to babysit...
Tried a couple of those rechargeable battery locks last year on two of my duplexes. Honestly, it’s a mixed bag. The idea sounds great—no more swapping out AA batteries every few months, just plug in a USB-C cable and top it off. But in practice, it’s not quite as smooth as I hoped.
First off, tenants rarely remember to charge them proactively. Even with the app reminders, most folks ignore it until the lock starts beeping or, worse, dies completely. Then I’m getting that “locked out” call anyway. One tenant actually unplugged the charging cable because it “looked messy,” so the lock never got charged at all... go figure.
On the plus side, the battery life is usually pretty solid—like 6-8 months between charges if you’re lucky and there’s not a ton of turnover. But if you’ve got short-term rentals or high-traffic units, you’ll be babysitting those batteries more often than you’d like.
I will say, having a physical key backup is still non-negotiable for me. Tech fails, and when it does, I’d rather not have to break out the drill.
If you’re managing from a distance or have a lot of units, I’d weigh whether the convenience outweighs the extra layer of “tech support” you’ll inevitably end up providing. Sometimes I wonder if we’re just trading one kind of hassle for another... but at least I don’t have to rekey after every move-out anymore. That’s something.
- Just put in my first keyless lock last month, and already running into some of this.
-
“One tenant actually unplugged the charging cable because it ‘looked messy,’ so the lock never got charged at all...”
Had a similar thing—my brother unplugged mine at a family BBQ because he thought it was “just a random wire.”
- I like not having to hand out keys, but I’m already worried about the battery dying when I’m not around.
- Backup key is a must. I don’t trust tech 100% yet, especially for something as basic as getting in the house.
- Still figuring out if it’s less hassle or just a different kind...
Had a tenant once who thought the blinking light on the lock meant it was “malfunctioning,” so she covered it with tape. Next thing I know, the battery’s dead and she’s locked out, calling me in a panic. I get the appeal of ditching keys—less hassle with lost sets and late-night lockouts—but these little tech hiccups keep me on my toes.
I’ve started leaving a backup key in a lockbox just in case. Still, it feels like trading one set of worries for another. With regular locks, you worry about lost keys or someone copying them. With these, it’s batteries, WiFi drops, or someone unplugging something they shouldn’t.
Curious if anyone’s found a way to make tenants or guests actually pay attention to the charging cable or battery level? Or is this just one of those things where you have to accept a little chaos for the convenience?
Trading keys for batteries really does feel like swapping one headache for another. I get what you mean about the “little chaos”—it’s just a different flavor of unpredictability. But honestly, I’m not convinced keyless is always the upgrade it’s hyped up to be, especially in rentals.
“With regular locks, you worry about lost keys or someone copying them. With these, it’s batteries, WiFi drops, or someone unplugging something they shouldn’t.”
That’s exactly it. At least with old-school locks, you can usually count on them working unless someone loses a key. With the smart ones, it’s like there’s a new way for things to go sideways every month. I’ve had tenants ignore every reminder about battery checks—doesn’t matter if I text, email, or leave sticky notes. Some people just don’t care until they’re locked out.
I’ve started wondering if a hybrid approach is better—like a smart lock that still has a physical key backup (not just a lockbox). That way, if tech fails, there’s still an old-fashioned solution. Maybe not as sleek, but less stressful in the long run?
