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My apartment building announced it's installing Latch

9 points by okprod ↗ HN
I got an email from my building that they're installing Latch (<https://www.latch.com/>) on all the doors. Has anyone had success in fighting this? I don't want to install an app on my phone to go around unlocking building, gym, apartment, etc. doors. I read a few years ago a tenant was able to sue for a hard key but Latch was still installed.

We already use key fobs, not sure what benefits the building is getting from Latch / or what Latch's business model is.

7 comments

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glaucon
> not sure what benefits the building is getting from Latch

My first guess would be to support AirBnB usage. I've never seen Latch but I wouldn't be surprised whether apartment owners who rent their apartments out on AirBnB grant temporary access by asking the users to install the app and then sending them "an electronic key".

No idea how Latch got on yesterday during the us-east-1 outage but it might be worth reminding your neighbours that they're introducing a significant dependency into their lives. You might also ask them how many times they've heard of targetted phone thefts by comparison with targetted key/fob theft.

bellyfullofbac
To OP, glaucon makes a good point. The "fight" can be done by informing neighbors of the issues with this dumb solution, e.g. a company tracking your comings and goings, and how secure are their servers, what if an evil bigcorp buys them, etc...

One benefit would be less need to change locks when someone loses a key, but since OP says they already use keyfobs, that's not a new benefit.

account-5
What happens if you can't install the app? If you don't have a smartphone? The build surely can't require you to get a smartphone to live in the building you're already living in? I don't live in the US so genuine questions.

I wonder if you could demand they provide the device you need to open your door, they provide a key fob for that reason.

Freak_NL
Their product website lists using a door code (entered on a pad on the lock) or key cards as options alongside using their app on (presumably) Android or IOS.

Their solution may still suck and fail when some remote server fails or there is a power cut, but it doesn't require a smartphone.

[dead] bronlund
There's a reason as to why people who understands how IT works, do not have smart homes :)
Freak_NL
Is your landlord explicitly telling you you need a smartphone capable or running their app? Latch seems to work with key cards as well.
peruvian
As a renter you have almost no leverage over this. Nothing you can do except get the hard key like that tenant.