The key hand-over to guests is one of the biggest problems faced by short-term rental property owners, holiday homeowners and Airbnb hosts. If possible, it’s usually best to offer a meet-and-greet as this is a good way for you and your guests to meet one another, show your guests around and give them some tips and advice on things to do in the neighbourhood.
But if you own a short-term rental property or a holiday home, you will probably know that it might not always be possible to do these things in-person, especially if you are at work, on holiday, or doing something else when your guests arrive that ultimately makes it difficult for you to meet them face to face and hand over the keys.
Here’s where a key management company can step in and make sure that your guests get a warm welcome. Keep reading for some more information from UpperKey on key city property management services and why it can be useful to have.
What Does a Key Management Company Do?
A key city property management company can be an ideal investment when it comes to services that are designed to help you run your short-term rental or Airbnb property more efficiently. Even if your rental property is your main source of income, it can be difficult for owners to always make sure that they are available when guests arrive. If your property is very seasonal, for example, if you own an Airbnb in a countryside or beach area that is popular with visitors over the summer months, then having to be there to meet and greet guests each time they arrive could mean that you lose out on having a holiday of your own.
A key management company is just that – they will manage the keys for you, arranging meets and greets with your guests or leaving the keys somewhere that guests can easily find them such as in a coded key safe at the front door.
What Other Services Do They Offer?
A key management company can also offer many more services aside from simply managing your keys and meeting and greeting guests if you run an Airbnb or short-term rental property of any kind. Many companies that offer this service also offer a comprehensive range of further services that you can take advantage of to run your property more efficiency and effectively.
If you have several properties available for rent or are very busy with a full-time job and other commitments, then working with a key management company can be very useful. You can find companies that offer maintenance services, cleaning services for after guests have checked out, and even concierge services
Other Solutions for Short Term Rental or Airbnb Key Management
A key property management service is the best option for busy short term rental or Airbnb owners who might struggle to be there in person each time to hand keys over to the guests themselves. There are, however, several other options that you may want to consider or use alongside a key management company if needed. Some other solutions that you may find useful when it comes to key management for your Airbnb or short-term rental property include:
Cleaning Service
If you hire a cleaner or a cleaning service to maintain your short-term rental property or Airbnb, then they may be able to act as an intermediary between you and your guests. They are already likely familiar with the property so may be happy to show your guests around along with passing over the keys. However, compared to using a property key management company, there are some disadvantages to this option.
Friends and Family
Another option that you might want to consider is asking friends or family to hand over the keys to guests for you when you are not going to be there to do it yourself. However, this is also an option that can have several potential problems including that you can never be sure that relatives or friends are going to be available when you need them to be.
If you’re not going to be around to let guests into your property and give them the keys quite a lot, then a key management service is a worthwhile investment that will help you ensure your guests are always met on time and satisfied with their welcome.
Sharing Economy
Some companies will offer a location based key exchange service. For example, you can find key exchange services that partner with local businesses in your area, allowing you to store the keys there ready for your guests to pick up. This can be an ideal option if you trust the local business owners near you.
However, there are still some downsides including the fact that local businesses often have limited opening hours so this might not be possible for guests who are arriving late or on the weekend, for example. Along with this, these types of services are only operating in a few locations currently.
Under a Plant Pot or Doormat
A simple way to make sure that your guests get the keys is to leave them under a plant pot or the doormat. However, this is not recommended for obvious reasons. Gone are the days when you could leave a key under a pot or mat, and it would be safe there.
These days, thieves know that these are some of the first places to look for a spare key to a property, so this makes it one of the least secure options for handing keys over. While it might be worth considering if you live in a really safe area where everybody leaves their doors open, for most people it’s just simply not worth taking the risk.
Smart Locks or Lockboxes
Lockboxes are an increasingly popular option to consider when it comes to managing the keys for your short-term rental property. In fact, since they are so easy to install and operate, they are a popular option with a lot of key management companies. They provide a great solution for both property owners and guests; however, a downside is that it can take away the personal touch since nobody is there to greet the guest, show them around and give them some tips about the area.
Main Benefits of Key Management
If you have a suitable property then renting it out short-term, hosting on Airbnb or offering it as a holiday rental can be a great way to make your main income or an additional income. But meeting guests to hand over the keys can be a lot of responsibility and work. Some of the main benefits of working with a key management company include:
Reliability
No matter what you are doing, you can rely on a key management company to ensure that your guests are going to be able to get the keys to the property once they arrive, whether that involves meeting them in-person or giving them the code to the lockbox. You don’t need to worry about which family member or friend you can ask to do it for you or ask your cleaner to stay late if you are not going to be there.
Other Services
Along with managing your keys, you can get many other services from a key management company including check out cleaning, maintenance, guest services, concierge and much more. If you want to get on with your life while leaving your short-term rental property in the trusted and safe hands of a professional, then a key property management service can help.
UpperKey – the Key to Smooth Key Management and More
UpperKey is proud to partner with the best key management services in Paris and London. Doing so allows us not only to offer our guests and tenants a seamless checkin experience, but also some peace of mind for property owners.
Thanks to key management companies, we can accomplish many tasks involved in the day-to-day operations of your property, from daily cleaning to routine maintenance, security checks and more.
Using a key management service means no longer losing track of keys, you’ll always know exactly where they are and who has them. Making copies of keys in Paris is costly and time consuming, so avoid this hassle allows for a better rental experience for all parties involved.You can contact UpperKey today to learn more about their Airbnb concierge services in Paris
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