A guest is locked out at midnight. What to do in the next ten minutes

Your phone buzzes at midnight: "We can't get in." Whatever the cause, the guest is standing outside, tired and probably worried. What you do in the next ten minutes decides whether this becomes a story they laugh about or a one-star review.

Reply straight away

Before you know what's wrong, reply. Something short:

So sorry. I'm on it now. Can you tell me exactly what happens when you try the code?

A fast reply calms people down more than anything. Silence for twenty minutes, even if you're working on it, feels like being abandoned.

Check the usual causes

Most lockouts come down to a few things. Work through them in order:

• The wrong door. Especially in flats, terraces or buildings with several entrances. Ask what they can see, or for a photo.
• The wrong code. Ask them to read back the code they're using. Typos, an old code from a previous message, or mixing up the building door and the flat door are all common.
• The smart lock's battery. If the keypad doesn't light up, the battery may be dead. Many smart locks have an emergency power point or a backup key.
• The guest code isn't active yet. Some smart locks only activate codes from the check-in time, or the code was set up for the wrong dates.
• A lockbox that's stiff or upside down. Guests often line up the numbers correctly but don't press or pull the release.

Our post on smart locks for small hosts covers how to set them up so codes and batteries fail less often.

Use your backup

Every listing should have a second way in that doesn't depend on the first. Some options:

• A spare key with a neighbour or nearby friend who's agreed to help.
• A second lockbox somewhere separate, with a different code.
• A co-host or cleaner who lives close and can come over.

If you don't have one of these now, sort it out this week. The night you need it is too late to arrange.

Give them a time frame

If it's going to take a while, say how long. "My neighbour is coming with the spare key, about fifteen minutes" is much easier to sit through than "working on it". If there's a café, pub or hotel lobby nearby that's open late, suggest it so they're not standing in the cold.

If you really can't get them in

Sometimes the lock has failed and there's no quick fix. At that point, the guest needs somewhere to sleep. Offer to cover a nearby hotel for the night, and contact Airbnb so they know and can help if the rest of the stay needs rebooking. It costs you a night, but it's the only option that doesn't end in a terrible review and a refund anyway.

Our guide to what to do when something breaks mid-stay covers the wider principle: speed and honesty matter more than a perfect fix.

After it's sorted

Once they're in, send a short apology and make sure they have everything they need. The next day, fix whatever caused it:

• Wrong door? Add a photo of the right one to your check-in instructions.
• Dead battery? Set a reminder to check or swap batteries on a schedule.
• Confusing code? Simplify the message so there's only ever one code in it.

Then add a line to your emergency info card with who to contact if they can't reach you. The goal is that the next lockout, if there is one, gets solved without you at all.