Nuki: Short-term rental soon only by subscription

The smart home company Nuki, which specializes in smart door locks, will in future only offer the option of using it for short-term rentals as part of a paid subscription. Until October, the function can still be used free of charge.

Smart door locks for vacation rentals

Nuki sells smart door locks that can be mounted on the existing lock cylinder. Once the lock is installed, the door can be opened via app or access chip. What is little more than a nice gimmick for private households is very practical in the context of vacation home rentals: in this case, handing over the keys is no longer mandatory and access authorization can be automatically revoked at the end of the rental period. Until now, the function required for this was available in the Nuki app free of charge. Now, however, the company has decided to make it usable only with an additional subscription – and thus for money – starting in October of the current year. Especially renters of vacation apartments, who have equipped their accommodations with smart Nuki locks and relied on the function, will probably now be forced to enter the paid subscription – or to upgrade again at high cost.

Two subscription versions planned

Two subscription versions are planned, aimed at different target groups. The standard subscription is aimed at landlords with up to ten vacation accommodations, while the business subscription is primarily aimed at larger companies that rent out more than ten vacation accommodations. The standard package will cost 6.90 euros per month; with annual direct debit, the price drops to 5.75 euros per month. In addition, Nuki is offering all those who opt for this standard package the Smart Lock 3.0 lock introduced in June at a preferential price of 79 euros. Regularly it costs 149 euro. In addition, Nuki grants a fifteen percent discount on all other bookable extras for existing standard subscriptions. In addition, there is a three-year warranty on the lock with guaranteed immediate product replacement in the event of defects.

With the business subscription, the costs can be negotiated individually. The only requirement is a minimum term of 24 months. In addition, Nuki would like to create the possibility to lease the own door locks. However, this requires a minimum purchase of ten locks. Nuki has also announced individual support for rental companies and their employees. For example, training courses on the use of Nuki locks will be offered. The discount of fifteen percent on all extras will also be granted here. Furthermore, Nuki also speaks here of a discount on the Smart Lock 3.0. However, the company does not name the exact price. Both subscriptions run under the name Smart Hosting Business.