Smart Lock 2026 Buyer's Guide

As a rental property manager, you’re probably already familiar with some of the benefits of smart locks—remote management, resident convenience, saving money on missing keys, and more. But with so many options on the market, it can be a challenge to figure out which one best suits your needs. This guide will help you understand the critical features and functions to consider and provide a quick comparison of popular solutions.

As you know, traditional unit door locks with keys often add to your workload with issues like lost keys, unauthorized copies, and time-consuming handovers. New and innovative smart lock solutions offer a modern approach to improving and streamlining property management. Main benefits include remote access control, which allows for instant granting or revoking of access codes from anywhere, and improved security with features like activity logs and unique, time-sensitive credentials. This also simplifies processes like tenant move-ins/move-outs, staff access, and handling after-hours lockouts or emergencies.

Disclaimer: Rently provides this information to help customers understand how all types of solutions work to assist in their decision making process. This post is based on the information available to us at the time of publication. For more detailed information, speak with a Rently representative. 

Smart Locks for Rental Home/Unit Access

There are a lot of great smart deadbolt locks on the market today, each with their own unique strengths. To figure out which best suits your needs, let’s take a closer look.

Meet renter demand while increasing cost savings and operational efficiency.

If you're overseeing assets, managing portfolios, or responsible for performance, smart home tech should already be on your roadmap. 

By putting in smart locks, property managers show they care about making life easier for their tenants. These reliable devices make home access much easier. Tenants can use their phones or a code for a true keyless lifestyle, meaning no more worries about losing keys or being locked out. Tenants can also let their visitors or maintenance workers in when they're not home, reducing the hassle for your onsite property managers. It's a small change that makes daily life smoother and a minimal investment that provides so many operational benefits too.

Here’s a quick summary of smart lock key benefits: 

Enhanced security and control 

• Remote access: Managers can grant or deny access to units and common areas from any location using a smartphone or computer.
• Unique credentials: Each resident, staff member, or vendor can be given a unique PIN code or digital credential that is time-sensitive, meaning access can be automatically revoked at the end of a lease or stay.
• Security enhancement: If a tenant loses their key, the manager can immediately re-key the lock, making the old key useless and preventing potential unauthorized access.
• Activity logs: Smart locks create an audit trail, showing who entered a property and when, which helps with security and can assist in resolving issues.
• No key duplication: Smart locks eliminate the security risk associated with traditional keys being copied illegally. 

Operational efficiency and cost savings

• Streamlined access: Property managers can manage access for maintenance staff or vendors remotely, saving time and effort.
• Simplified move-in/move-out: They eliminate the need for in-person key handoffs and, with remote access, allow for easier key management when tenants leave.
• Reduced maintenance: Costs associated with rekeying locks for every tenant change are eliminated, as are costs for replacing lost keys.
• Enabled self-showings: Prospective tenants can be granted temporary, one-time access to tour a property without needing a staff member present, simplifying the leasing process.
• Time and cost savings: Instead of paying a locksmith to change a lock, a property manager can re-key it themselves in seconds for a fraction of the cost.

Improved resident and tenant experience 

• Keyless convenience: Residents no longer have to worry about losing physical keys or being locked out.
• Faster service: Managers can grant immediate access to repair people, saving residents time and frustration.
• Personalized access: Residents can get unique, custom-length access codes for family or guests.
• Smoother move-ins/move-outs: A property manager can instantly change the keyway for a new tenant when one moves out, without waiting for a locksmith, making the transition smoother.

Ready to upgrade your rental property access control?