LONDON STARTUP TURNS LOCAL BUSINESSES INTO KEY EXCHANGE LOCATIONS FOR AIRBNB USERS

LONDON STARTUP TURNS LOCAL BUSINESSES INTO KEY EXCHANGE LOCATIONS FOR AIRBNB USERS

Increasing numbers of Londoners realise that renting out their flat on Airbnb can help pay for their holidays. Handing the keys over securely can be a logistical nightmare and is often an afterthought with hosts leaving it to the last minute to organise. How do you give the keys to your guests while you’re away?

“Nobody likes waiting. Because it’s hard for guests to predict what time they will be arriving, hosts often end up waiting for hours.” says the founder Marc Figueras, an Airbnb host himself.

Driven by user demand, KeyNest has now opened 18 key swap points across London in just 3 months, with new locations popping up weekly and plans to launch in more UK cities over the coming months.

”Our customers are so keen to solve this problem they often get involved by building a relationship with their local café to speed up our expansion to their local area” says founder Florian Hoven.

KeyNest removes the need to wait for your guest to arrive or hide the key under the mat. The host drops off the key at their nearest KeyNest location at a time that works for them and then manages access online. To give access to the keys, the host generates a unique collection code and shares it with the guest.

To make the keys anonymous and traceable, KeyNest designed contactless tracking fobs that are attached to every key. Hosts can track keys online and any movements are notified via email updates. The café and convenience stores in the network simply tap-in / tap-out the fobs on the keys on the KeyNest terminal provided to ensure the correct key goes to the right guest.

The product was designed with simplicity and security as the top priorities. “These homes are our clients’ most precious assets – we simply couldn’t afford to compromise on security”, says Florian.

Users are charged £5.95 per key collection, or £14.95 per month for an annual subscription of unlimited key collections.

Although the average Airbnb tourist in London spends £1,231 during their trip, only £149 goes to local businesses, according to a recent study. “Airbnb guests are looking for genuine experiences and we’re very proud to support the local economy by facilitating those local connections, from the moment they arrive to collect their keys.” says Marc.

About KeyNest

KeyNest enables Londoners to share access to their property while they're away, using their existing keys. KeyNest is proud to support London’s sharing economy by designing products that eliminate barriers to trust. KeyNest believes Airbnb hosting should be easy, and that life is too short to spend it waiting at home to let someone in.

Press contact

Marc Figueras, co-founder

07565797470 - marc@keynest.co.uk

http://www.keynest.co.uk/press


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About KeyNest

Founded in 2015 by Marc Figueras and Florian Hoven and incubated by Life Ventures, KeyNest enables hosts to share keys remotely by storing them in a local store, and sharing an access code with guests. The service is currently available in over 120 stores across 15 UK cities, and has already welcomed over 20,000 tourists and business travellers. KeyNest also has a key management system that tracks keys in and out of business premises using RFID fobs, which is used by estate agents and property managers.