Smart Locks for Rental Homes

After managing rental homes with both traditional keys and smart locks, we strongly prefer smart locks. They make move-ins, move-outs, maintenance visits, showings, and everyday property management much easier. They also eliminate many of the headaches that come with physical keys, including coordinating key exchanges, making copies, and wondering who may still have an old key.
 

The Biggest Benefits for Rental Properties

One of the biggest advantages is being able to create individual access codes instead of handing out physical keys. A renter can have their own code, while a contractor, cleaner, property manager, or other authorized person can be given a separate code when access is needed.

When someone moves out, their code can simply be deleted. There is no key to collect, no concern about extra copies that may have been made, and in many situations, no reason to rekey the lock between renters.

Smart locks can also make maintenance much easier. Instead of coordinating schedules just to exchange a key, authorized access can be provided when needed and then removed afterward.
 

Features We Think Matter Most

Not all smart locks offer the same features, and some features are much more useful for rental properties than others. One of the most important things we look for is the ability to create multiple individual access codes and easily add or delete them as needed.

We also prefer locks that allow access to be managed remotely. This is especially helpful when you manage more than one property or don't live close enough to stop by every time someone needs access.

Battery life and low-battery warnings matter too. A smart lock isn't very convenient if you're constantly changing batteries or don't know they're getting low. We also like having a traditional key backup, just in case the electronics or batteries ever fail.

A Few Things to Consider Before Choosing One

Before buying a smart lock, make sure it will work with your existing door and deadbolt setup. Some are designed to replace the entire deadbolt, while others work with portions of the hardware you already have.

Wi-Fi and remote access are also worth looking at carefully. Some locks connect directly to Wi-Fi, while others require a separate bridge or hub to use certain features remotely. That can affect both the initial cost and how easy the lock is to manage.

We would also consider what happens if the internet goes down, the batteries die, or the technology simply doesn't cooperate. For a rental property, we prefer having another reliable way to get through the door rather than depending entirely on an app or electronic keypad.

What About Security?

A smart lock doesn't automatically make a door more secure simply because it's electronic. The quality of the deadbolt, door, frame, strike plate, and installation still matter. For us, the convenience and ability to control access are some of the biggest advantages.

One feature we particularly like for rentals is being able to give different people different codes. Instead of everyone sharing one code, renters, maintenance people, cleaners, or others who need temporary access can have their own. That makes it much easier to control who has access and to remove someone's access without affecting everyone else.

As with any connected device, we also recommend using strong passwords, keeping the lock's app and firmware updated, and enabling additional account security when the manufacturer offers it.

What We Use in Our Rental Homes

In our own rental homes, we've used August smart locks and have found them particularly useful for managing access without having to coordinate physical keys. Being able to create and remove access as renters, vendors, and other needs change has been one of the features we appreciate most.

That doesn't mean one particular brand or model will be the best choice for every property. Smart-lock technology changes, and different homes and owners have different needs. We recommend comparing the current features, compatibility, backup-access options, and costs before choosing one.

Are Smart Locks Worth It for Rental Properties?

For us, yes. After actually using smart locks in rental homes, we wouldn't want to go back to managing everything with traditional keys alone.

The biggest benefit isn't that a smart lock makes a rental property "smarter." It's that it makes access easier to manage. Being able to give someone access when they need it, remove that access when they don't, and avoid constantly exchanging or replacing physical keys can save a surprising amount of time and hassle.

If you're a landlord, renter, or homeowner considering one, focus less on flashy features and more on reliability, easy access management, battery warnings, remote capabilities, and a dependable backup method. Those are the features we've found matter most in the real world.

A Note About Our Recommendations

We share products and ideas based on our own experiences, research, and what we think may be useful to homeowners, renters, and rental property owners. Individual needs and experiences may vary.