Key Safes for Holiday Homes and Rentals
A key safe beats a key under the doormat every time. Here's how to choose one, where to put it, and how to manage the code so it stays secure.
Short answer: choose a solid, wall-mounted key safe with a combination you can change, bolt it securely to masonry or a solid frame somewhere discreet but reachable, and change the code after each guest, tradie or season. For holiday homes with lots of guests, a smart lock or smart key safe can make code management easier.
Why a key safe?
On the Mornington Peninsula, many homes sit empty for much of the year. At the 2021 Census, 70.9% of private dwellings in Sorrento and 28.0% in Rosebud were unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021 Census QuickStats for Sorrento and Rosebud). Those houses are used by family, friends, guests, cleaners and tradespeople, and keys get copied, lost and forgotten. A key safe gives everyone access without handing out keys.
Key safes are also common for:
- older relatives with carers or family visiting
- tradespeople doing work while you're away
- dog walkers and cleaners
Types of key safe
| Type | How it opens | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wall-mounted combination | Dial or wheel code | Simple, no batteries |
| Push-button | Button code | Quick to use, code easy to change |
| Shackle lock box | Code, hangs on a tap or rail | Portable, but easier to remove |
| Smart key safe | App or code, sometimes with an access log | Remote codes for each guest |
Where to mount it
- On masonry or a solid frame, bolted through, not screwed into cladding or a fence paling.
- Out of direct view of the street, but easy for guests to find with directions.
- Out of the weather where possible. Salt air and rain on the coast are hard on cheap safes.
- Not right beside the door it opens, if you can avoid it.
Managing the code
- Change it after each guest, tradie or season.
- Don't use obvious codes: the street number, 1234, a birth year.
- Keep a record of who has been given the code and when.
- Check it each visit. Make sure the key is there and the door is closed properly.
Common mistakes
- Hanging a lock box on an outside tap, where it can be cut or unscrewed
- Leaving the same code for years
- Putting the key safe right next to the front door with the key for the deadlock inside
- Buying a cheap safe that rusts shut in its first coastal winter
Key safe or smart lock?
A key safe is simple, cheap and doesn't need batteries. A smart lock gives each person their own code and a record of entries, but costs more and needs maintenance. Many holiday homes use both: a smart lock on the door and a key safe holding a backup key. See smart locks in Australia.
On the Mornington Peninsula or in Frankston? See security upgrades.
Frequently asked questions
Your questions, answered
Are key safes secure?
A solid key safe that's bolted to masonry and has its code changed regularly is far more secure than a hidden key.
Where should I put a key safe?
Somewhere discreet, out of view of the street, bolted to a solid wall, and protected from the weather where possible.
How often should I change the key safe code?
After each guest, tradesperson or season, and any time you're not sure who knows it.
Do key safes affect home insurance?
Check your policy. Some insurers have conditions about how keys are stored.
Can a locksmith install a key safe?
Yes. A locksmith can supply and securely mount a key safe and set the code with you.
Need a locksmith on the Peninsula?
Homes, cars and businesses. Call any time and tell us what has happened.