Lockbox for house key

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nate

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#243458 12-Dec-2018 15:26

Back in the day, my dad was a real estate agent, and the agents would leave the keys to their listings in a secure lock box, normally locked around a clothes line or similar.

I need to do something similar for my parent's rental, for a few trades people to come and go. Has anyone done this, and have any recommendations?

Dad has been out of the game so long, he has no idea what the industry standard is now.

xpd

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#2144253 12-Dec-2018 15:30

My parents have one thats for St Johns if the medical alarm is set off at the house. I'll get my folks to look at it and see if theres a brand or anything on it.

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mdf

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#2144255 12-Dec-2018 15:34

When we sold our house, the agent used the equivalent of this: https://www.bunnings.co.nz/master-lock-select-access-push-button-key-safe_p04211125

I've got a digital combo door lock that works really well if you wanted a more permanent solution. Like this: https://www.bunnings.co.nz/yale-latching-digital-door-lock_p08901635 (though I'd recommend the deadbolt version over the latching version).

eracode

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#2144276 12-Dec-2018 16:05

The Master Lock model linked above, which hangs from the doorknob, is rather ugly IMO.

We have one of these wall-mounted Master Lock boxes which works well:

https://www.bunnings.co.nz/master-lock-wall-mount-key-storage-safe_p00207714

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

jonathan18

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#2144278 12-Dec-2018 16:07

I put in a similar one (same brand even) to that linked to in the post above for my elderly mother but, whereas that one is a temporary solution (in that it's locked to the door handle), the one I put in is permanently mounted to the wall: see https://www.bunnings.co.nz/master-lock-select-access-wall-mount-push-button-key-safe_p04211126.

Works perfectly, and is nicely protected with a plastic exterior so is in perfect condition (others I've used at batches etc don't have the same exterior cover so seem to degrade a lot quicker). Also it came with a small hook for placing inside - a seemingly small thing, but having just last week had the annoyance of trying to stick keys into a lock box while trying to shut the damn thing, it's a great feature!

Edit: another post made while I was writing this, so my reference is to the post two above! That said, I also have frequently used the one in the most recent post, and between that one and the one I installed for my mother I'd rank my mother's one superior - that cover that comes down over the dial in the former can get pretty stiff (especially in a coastal environment). It can also be accidently left with the unlock code clearly visible to anyone snooping, whereas the latter uses push-buttons that pop back up (so no way to read the code).

wellygary

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#2144281 12-Dec-2018 16:12

eracode:

The Master Lock model linked above, which hangs from the doorknob, is rather ugly IMO.

We have one of these wall-mounted Master Lock boxes which works well:

https://www.bunnings.co.nz/master-lock-wall-mount-key-storage-safe_p00207714

I've encountered that one at a couple of Book-a-baches, its only downside it sometimes the slide can get stuck if people aren't careful with it, making it hard to get at the dials...

We have one of these on the back of our garage for Tradies etc

https://www.bunnings.co.nz/master-lock-heavy-duty-select-access-wall-key-safe_p04210616

timmmay

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#2144392 12-Dec-2018 16:49

I got a Yale one from a hardware store. Works fine, though it took AGES to get the crazy tough packaging open. Put your keys inside a ziplock plastic bag so they don't rust.

mdf

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#2144394 12-Dec-2018 17:08

I've been told before that the rotary dial ones are much less secure than either push buttons or the safe style back and forward single dial. Certainly I've been able to crack the kids bike locks (with four rotary dials) in just a couple of minutes when they've forgotten what they've changed the code to today.

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eracode

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#2144396 12-Dec-2018 17:12

timmmay:
I got a Yale one from a hardware store. Works fine, though it took AGES to get the crazy tough packaging open. Put your keys inside a ziplock plastic bag so they don't rust.

.... or get anodised aluminium keys.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

freitasm

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#2144523 12-Dec-2018 22:10

Parents-in-law have a door lock with buttons (not electronic) - push in the right combination and the door unlocks. You can change the combination for each different guest check-in...

Sorry no idea of brand but similar to the electronic one above.

cisconz

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#2144529 12-Dec-2018 22:21

xpd:

My parents have one thats for St Johns if the medical alarm is set off at the house. I'll get my folks to look at it and see if theres a brand or anything on it.

St John use their own branded ones.

Hmmmm