Keys, Lockboxes and Smart Locks: Giving a Pet Sitter Home Access

Why access is worth planning

Access problems are easy to prevent and frustrating when they happen: a key that sticks, a lockbox code nobody tested, or a front desk that was never told a walker is coming. In Northeast DC that might mean a rowhouse with a deadbolt and a storm door, a garden apartment with a shared entry, or a building with a fob and a concierge.

Plan access at the meet-and-greet, while you and the sitter are both standing at the door. Pet Sitters International (PSI), a professional association for pet sitters, tells sitters to note key and alarm code information in their service agreement and to ask whether anyone else has access to the home. Have those answers ready. If you have not met a sitter yet, our list of meet-and-greet questions covers what to ask first.

Handing over a physical key

A physical key is simple, and it works when the power or the Wi-Fi is out. The Metropolitan Police Department's burglary prevention tips say never to hide keys around the outside of your home, and to give an extra key to a neighbor you trust instead. That rules out the flowerpot and the fake rock, for the sitter's key as well as your own.

• Test every key before the first visit. Have the sitter try each key in each lock, including a deadbolt, a storm door or a building door, while you are there.
• Ask how keys are labeled. A key tagged with your name or address can lead a finder straight to your door. Ask the sitter to use a code or a first name only.
• Keep a spare with a neighbor. A trusted neighbor with a spare can help a locked-out sitter, and it follows MPD's advice to give an extra key to a neighbor rather than hide one.
• Agree on copies. If the sitter needs a second key, decide who makes it. Key return and duplication options are on our rates page.
• Re-key after a move. MPD advises re-keying the locks when you move into a new house or apartment.

Lockboxes, keypads and smart locks

A lockbox holds a key behind a code. A keypad or smart lock lets the sitter enter a code or use an app, and some models let you create a separate code for each person and delete it later. These cut down on loose keys, but they bring their own chores: batteries that run down, codes that get shared, and accounts that need protecting. A lockbox is a locked container, not a hidden key, but place it where it is not obvious from the street.

The Federal Trade Commission's advice on securing internet-connected devices applies to smart locks and the apps behind them: change any default username and password, use two-factor authentication if the device offers it, and update the device regularly. Give the sitter their own code rather than yours, so you can turn it off when service ends without changing everything.

Indoor cameras raise their own questions. The FTC's home security camera tips suggest a strong password you have not used elsewhere, two-factor authentication, regular updates, and choosing who can watch your livestream. If you have cameras inside, tell your sitter where they are. It avoids surprises and keeps trust on both sides.

Apartment buildings, front desks and alarm codes

In a building with a concierge or front desk, tell the desk in writing who your sitter is and when they will come, and ask how the building handles guest access, fobs and package rooms. Some buildings ask for an authorization form or will not release a key to anyone not on file, so check well before a trip.

If you have an alarm, give the sitter a code of their own if your system allows it, and write down what to do if it goes off by mistake. Building rules about pets in elevators, lobbies and restricted areas belong in your written notes; our pet sitter instructions checklist covers those.

MPD's family travel tips suggest keeping shades and blinds in their normal positions and stopping mail or having a neighbor pick it up daily, so a home does not look empty. If your sitter brings in mail or packages, say so in your notes. Our cat sitting visits can include bringing in the mail.

If the sitter is locked out, or something looks wrong

Agree on a lockout plan before the first visit: who the sitter calls, which neighbor holds the spare, and whether you want a locksmith called. PSI tells sitters to keep their keys and phone with them for the whole visit, so they cannot get locked out by accident and can reach help quickly.

A sitter who arrives to find a door open or a window broken should not go in. MPD's guidance is that if something looks questionable, such as a slit screen, a broken window or an open door, you should not go in and should call the police. PSI gives sitters the same advice: leave, notify the owner and the police, and do not go back in until officers say it is safe. Tell your sitter plainly that you would rather they call than walk in.

For a sense of what happens once a sitter is inside, see what a professional pet sitter does during a visit.

When service ends

Plan the hand-back at the start. Agree on how keys come back (in person, by mail, or picked up) and when. Danny's Pet Care lists key return and duplication options on our rates page. If you used codes, delete or change the sitter's code once service ends. PSI reminds pet-sitting businesses that a departing staff member may hold client keys or security codes, and that clients may need to be told to change those codes.

Access goes smoothly when it is boring: tested, written down and the same each time. Our pet sitting service page explains how in-home care works, and our services page lists everything we offer. For what to have ready if something goes wrong while you are away, see our guide to a pet emergency plan, and for the first visits, the first-week checklist.