Keys vs. Keyless Electronic Locks

[Anthony Pinto]

My wife and I recently closed on a quad and are planning on swapping out the old locks. There is a main front door which requires a key for entry, then tenants have locks on their individual doors. Are keyless, digital locks, with which you can change the passcode with each new tenant, worth the investment? One of the units will be an Air BnB. Is a keyless lock worth it more for that unit while keeping conventional locks on the other units? Have renters indicated any preference?

Thanks in advance!

[Josue Vargas]

Pros of key-less locks:

- Able to set-up easy access even remotely

- No need of changing lock cylinders, make key copies, or set-up physically the locks

- Less risk of tenants having several key copies running around

Cons:

- Some tenants are not up-to-date with technology (specially elderly class), so you may need to exchange the smart lock for a conventional one

- More added cost for technology

- Battery operated

- Some have covers that if lost or damage, they are not easily replaced (specially battery cover). 

I would agree with @Mike McCarthy, install the smart lock in your AirBnB unit.  Keep the conventional way on the other long term lease unit.