Smart locks are already a feature on an estimated 10% of homes in the United States, but with the market growing at a staggering 18% annually, we can expect them to become the standard security mechanism within a decade or so. The only barriers to adoption are lack of knowledge about how they work, reservations about their effectiveness, and perhaps cost.
This article will bust some of the most common myths and explain why smart locks are literally the smart choice, especially for apartment owners or tenants considering an apartment door lock.
Benefits of Smart Locks for Apartments
The difference between a smart lock and a conventional keyed entry isn’t the deadbolt or latch itself. In fact, a smart housing can be fitted or retrofitted onto most common locking mechanisms. Rather, the ‘smart’ element refers to the additional features you get with a smart lock. If you’re considering adding an extra lock for your apartment door, or upgrading your apartment locks entirely, these features can be very interesting.
- Keyless entry via fob, biometric fingerprint, or code. Permissions can be managed and monitored remotely via app.
- 24/7 control over your apartment, with clear visibility of who has access, who has entered/left, and (with a video doorbell), who’s standing outside.
- Integration with other smart devices via WiFi or Bluetooth, so your smart lock can be integrated with voice assistants, security cameras, smart lighting and so on.
- Enhanced security features, such as notifications when a lock entry is activated. Great if you’re away on vacation but need to give permission to cleaners or service workers to enter.
Things to Keep In Mind When Choosing an Apartment Lock
Whether you’re a private owner or tenant, landlord or building manager, or Airbnb/short term rental owner, smart locks can make a whole lot of processes easier. However, there are some things to consider first. For a start, your smart lock has to be compatible with the apartment building systems/infrastructure. In the case of Lockly, there are no significant technical barriers that may limit functionality, but you may need to secure the building owner’s permission to install devices that monitor hallways or entrances.
There is also the upfront cost of installation to factor in, as well as ongoing maintenance costs. In the long term, however, these should work out cheaper than changing the locks with each tenant turnover, or calling out a locksmith in an emergency. Lockly smart locks and video doorbells are surprisingly easy and straightforward to install and we provide full tutorials, troubleshooting guides and customer support.
Evaluating Your Apartment Door Lock Needs
If you want a simple solution to dispense with keys and allow yourself and other tenants seamless access, you should find it relatively easy to retrofit an Access Touch or Flex Touch Pro over your existing deadbolt (with your landlord’s permission). These allow you to open external doors or internal rooms for a shared apartment with just a fingerprint.
Perhaps you want to grant access not only to you and other tenants, but also to regular authorized visitors, service or care workers, or Airbnb guests if you are a host. In this case, a Secure Plus might be the better alternative. As well as fingerprint access, these also allow you to share a one-time or reusable PIN with visitors. You can always see who has the PIN, change them whenever you want, and see which PIN was used to enter during any given period.
Choosing the Right Smart Lock
If we dig deeper into the full range of Lockly smart hardware, there are even more features to choose from. Our most advanced are the next generation Vision Elite series with HD camera. Although these are most commonly used for homes that need to monitor outside porches or multiple entrances, they have a place in high-end apartment buildings where tenants are looking for enhanced security features.
Key features to look for in a smart lock include:
- Remote access. That’s the beauty of a smart lock. If you’re the authorized administrator, you’re in full control wherever you are.
- Ease of installation. The best smart locks, ours certainly included, are no more difficult to install than a regular deadbolt.
- Access for service providers. With a smart lock, you can share access via PIN for anyone who needs to enter your home, from utility workers to delivery teams. You don’t physically need to be there to open the door.
- Guest access options. For short term rental properties in particular, smart locks should allow access to be assigned and removed in a few clicks, from an app.
- Notifications/activity log. Look for a smart device that generates intelligent data, such as stored passwords and users, access logs, and error logs.
- Long battery life. Check to see how long your device’s battery lasts, whether solar-powered charging is supported (it is on selected Lockly devices), and what fallback options are available if the power source is interrupted.
Installing and Setting Up Your Smart Lock
In case of emergency, you always have the option of leaving a physical key with your building manager in case emergency workers or utilities need fast, unfettered access to your apartment, for example, to check on a gas leak or medical situation.
Beyond that, you set up and configure each device from the Lockly Home app. You can assign access codes to each authorized user, set auto-lock so that the door will lock automatically after a certain delay, and integrate your lock with other devices over your local WiFi network.
Secure Your Apartment Lock with Lockly
As an apartment owner or tenant, you have the same right to a secure, safe entrance as a homeowner. The only difference is that your ‘jurisdiction’ may end at your apartment’s threshold and the building owner has ultimate authority for hallways and main entrances. That means you can’t simply install smart locks for your apartment entrance without discussion. Coordinate with your landlord and property manager about what is allowed under the terms of your tenancy. They should need no persuasion.
Not only does enhanced security improve the overall reputation of your entire building, but your Lockly smart lock can be installed and removed without leaving any permanent trace on the existing mechanism.
