Whilst a keyless smart lock isn’t yet considered mainstream, this intelligent way of locking a door is rapidly gaining popularity, especially amongst smart home tech lovers who use their phones to do absolutely everything from paying for shopping to turning up their heating thermostat.
So, apart from not having to furiously rummage around in a bag to find your keys, what are the other key benefits of a smart digital door lock? How much do they cost and will having one installed affect your home cover? Here’s what you should know.
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In this guide:
What is a smart lock?
Should I get wifi or Bluetooth enabled lock?
Are smart electronic door locks safe?
Is a smart lock better than a traditional lock?
How much do smart locks for home cost to buy?
How much does smart lock front door installation cost?
Do smart locks affect home insurance?
What are the best smart door locks UK?
What is a smart lock?
A smart lock is a clever, hands-free digital lock that:
- allows keyless entry to your home
- relies on wifi or Bluetooth to operate
- can be unlocked using a smartphone app or a fob
- can automatically unlock as you approach your door
- can connect to other smart devices such as a smart alarm system or doorbell
- allows you to send temporary digital ‘keys’ (passcodes) to others
Should I get wifi or Bluetooth enabled lock?
Whilst some locks use both wifi and Bluetooth, below we separately and briefly summarise the key advantages and disadvantages of smart locks with wifi or Bluetooth technology.
Smart locks: Wifi vs. Bluetooth
| Wifi | Bluetooth | ||
| Pros | Cons | Pros | Cons |
| Can issue temporary keys | Dysfunctional if wifi signal weak or lost | More reliable than wifi | Fewer features than wifi |
| Can operate remotely | Vulnerable to criminal hackers | Less vulnerable to hackers | Can lag when unlocking door |
Are smart electronic door locks safe?
Wifi or Bluetooth digital door locks are pretty safe and secure BUT, just like any other type of wireless technology, wifi locks are not 100% infallible and can be vulnerable to hackers.
That said, using a digital lock with smart technology can have beneficial safety features that give it an edge over its manual counterparts such as:
- alerting you when a door opens and closes
- being safer than leaving a spare key under a pot or mat - at least a burglar has to put in a bit of effort before being able to break in!
- being safer than a wall-mounted key safe near your front door (typically used for the elderly or disabled) as key safes can be targeted by burglars who simply smash them open, plus they can invalidate your home insurance
- Safer for tenancies or holiday lets as landlords can change key codes between tenancies/lets. For example, Airbnb has partnered up with the popular key brand Yale so Airbnb hosts can more easily integrate this technology
- being part of an integrated security system: certain locks can be integrated with various security platforms like a smart home alarm system or a smart doorbell. For example, a smart doorbell camera will allow you to see who has just locked or unlocked your front door.
Unfortunately, there’s no such thing as an ‘unhackable smart lock’ and so regardless of the above safety benefits, if you’re thinking of embracing this new technology and want to be as safe as possible, you should make sure you:
- use a unique, strong password
- also have mortice deadlock functionality
- read reviews and buy locks that are particularly rated as being the most secure smart door locks with strong anti-hacking technology
You might like: Everything you need to know about unoccupied house insurance
Is a smart lock better than a traditional lock?
I suppose it’s a case of whatever ‘floats your boat’ as there are fors and againsts for both types of door locks.
Whilst insurer-approved manual door locks appear to be a safer and more secure option than smart locks overall, there are of course a plethora of benefits to be gained from using a smart lock, such as being able to:
- unlock a door remotely using an app or key fob
- provide a temporary key code to a dog walker, cleaner and temporary guests or carers and visitors of elderly or disabled relatives
- remotely allow access to a home, especially useful in an emergency. For example, where emergency services may need to gain entry if an elderly relative has had a fall
- keep a dementia patient safe and secure by alerting family members if they leave try to leave their home unsupervised
- offer a great security solution to landlords including holiday home lettings who want to secure a property after a tenant moves out or between holiday rentals. You can also manage multiple locks for multiple properties.
- connect your lock to Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri so you can tell your lock what to do. And don’t worry, a burglar can’t use voice commands and shout through a window to say ‘Alexa, unlock the front door’ as a code is needed to do this
- integrate locks with various home automation systems that can learn your routine and track your phone so it knows to turn up the heating when you’re on your way home
To sum up: if you love to embrace smart home technology, suffer from OCD and need to check your door lock is definitely locked every time your leave home, have a vulnerable, homebound relative you want more security for, or if you’re a landlord, then a smart door lock will be a better choice than a traditional door lock or a key safe.
How much do smart locks for home cost to buy?
The average cost for a smart door lock can be anywhere between £63 and £249.
High-end, wifi-enabled smart locks typically cost a lot more than Bluetooth models, especially if you have to pay for professional installation and additionally have to pay a monthly subscription fee for an app.
How much does smart lock front door installation cost?
Front door smart lock installation can very often be carried out by a supplier (who you bought the lock from) or a professional tradesman like a locksmith.
Or, if you feel super confident and have the requisite DIY skills, you could attempt the installation yourself but bear in mind you could invalidate your insurance if you do not do this properly and your property isn’t properly secured.
Installation fees vary, depending on the complexity and sophistication of a lock.
To give you some idea of costs, here are a couple of examples of what a supplier and a professional tradesman might charge for the installation of a Yale smart lock, so you have two comparables.
Supplier installation cost
Some suppliers like Amazon or Yale offer a paid-for installation service. OrderWork, Yale’s installation partner, charges £109.99 for installation only; this does not include the lock itself.
Locksmith installation cost
According to checkatrade.com, a smart Yale lock installation can cost anywhere between £110 to £294 - that’s an average of £202. Again, the lock is not included in this estimate.
Do smart locks affect home insurance?
No, there are no ‘insurer approved’ smart locks for home insurance purposes.
As long as a mortice deadlock is used alongside a smart lock, using a smart door lock will neither reduce your home insurance premiums nor make them more expensive.
However, as this technology heads closer towards being mainstream, you should periodically check with your insurer when you renew your home insurance if your particular lock is approved by them.
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Read more: 10 things that could void your home insurance
What are the best smart door locks UK?
The commonly used old English adage appears to apply here in that ‘you get what you pay for’ when buying a smart lock UK.
When looking at most reviews, the high-end, most expensive locks are favoured over the cheaper brands.
For example, uk.pcmag.com gives raving ‘editor’s choice’ reviews of ‘the best smart locks for 2022’ as being:
Whereas the ecoexperts.com’s top 5 smart locks are:
- Pineworld Q202
- Ultraloq UL3 BT
- Haifuan 304
- Samsung SHS-1321
- August Smart Lock Pro + Connect Bundle
And techradar.com recommends:
- Nest x Yale smart lock
- Schlage Sense Smart Lock
- August Smart Lock Pro
- Kwikset Obsidian Smart Lock
The common denominator amongst these reviews is the August Smart Lock Pro, a brand which is extremely popular across the pond in the US and is the sister company of the well known Yale lock brand.
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