A renter-friendly installation must match both the permitted hardware change and the actual door. Reusing existing holes does not mean leaving the existing lock in place: an interior retrofit and a complete smart-deadbolt replacement are different arrangements. Lockin Veno models replace the deadbolt hardware, so confirm permission for that change before checking fit. If the exterior cylinder or original key system must remain untouched, choose an approved hardware category rather than assuming that a no-drilling claim makes a full replacement acceptable.
Before buying, confirm two things: your lease or landlord permits a full deadbolt replacement, and the exact model matches every relevant part of your door. If either answer is unclear, stop before ordering and send photos plus measurements to Lockin support.
The quick renter answer
- Your lease, landlord, and building rules permit the existing deadbolt to be replaced.
- Your door already has compatible deadbolt preparation, so the approved installation does not require new holes or an altered frame.
- The door thickness, crossbore, backset, edge hole, latch faceplate, door type, and surrounding clearances match the exact model.
- You can keep the original deadbolt, strike plate, screws, and keys for move-out.
- You have a daily access plan for roommates and a backup plan for a low battery, lost phone, or unavailable network.
This is a conditional fit—not a promise that every apartment door or every Veno model is no-drill. The safest renter friendly smart lock decision begins with permission and measurements, not a product label.
What “renter friendly smart lock no drilling” can mean
Shoppers often use renter friendly smart lock no drilling for two different product designs. Knowing which one you need prevents the wrong purchase.
| Decision point | Interior-only retrofit | Complete smart-deadbolt replacement, including Veno | Renter action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Existing exterior lock | Usually remains in place | Exterior and interior deadbolt hardware are replaced | Ask whether an exterior appearance change is allowed |
| Existing interior thumbturn | Covered, adapted, or removed depending on design | Removed with the old deadbolt | Photograph the original setup first |
| Door holes | Usually uses the existing lock from the inside | May reuse compatible existing crossbore and edge holes | Measure the holes; do not assume “standard” means compatible |
| New drilling | Often designed to avoid it | May be unnecessary only when the existing preparation matches | Do not drill, enlarge, chisel, or move the strike without approval |
| Original key | Often continues to operate the existing cylinder | Replaced by the new lock’s mechanical key | Confirm landlord or emergency-key requirements |
| Exterior PIN or biometric entry | May require a separate keypad or accessory | Built into the exterior assembly on the selected Veno model | Decide whether keyless outside entry is essential |
| Move-out | Remove the retrofit and restore any adapted interior parts | Reinstall the complete original deadbolt and strike | Keep every original part together and labeled |
Check the lease before the lock
The best smart lock for renters is not simply the one with the easiest installation. It is one the renter is permitted to install and can remove without an unapproved door or frame change.
Get the permitted scope of the change clear before comparing locks. Ask whether the full deadbolt, exterior appearance, strike plate, and any camera are allowed, and what access management must retain. Confirm whether the original hardware needs to be restored at move-out, then keep the relevant parts and keys together. Reusing existing holes can reduce alterations, but it does not resolve the lease or building conditions; do not drill, enlarge, or adjust the door beyond the permission you have received.
- May I replace the full deadbolt, including the exterior cylinder and interior thumbturn?
- Must management retain a working key or another emergency access method?
- May the exterior appearance differ from other apartment doors?
- May I replace or adjust the strike plate, or must the frame remain unchanged?
- Must the original hardware be restored at move-out?
- If the model has a camera, are there building rules about recording a corridor or shared area?
Measure the apartment door before choosing a model
1. Lock and door type
Identify the door construction and existing lock type before taking the fit measurements. Photograph both faces, the edge, frame, strike, handle clearance, and any nearby obstruction, then compare the exact model's installation guide with that arrangement. Veno is a smart-deadbolt replacement, so mortise, interconnected, or unusual hardware needs its own compatibility answer. If the lock body occupies a tall pocket in the door edge, send the photographs to support instead of assuming that a familiar-looking exterior plate means the preparation matches.
2. Door thickness
Measure the door itself, excluding raised trim. Current Veno product guidance commonly uses 1-3/8 to 2-11/64 inches (35–55 mm). A door outside the exact model’s range is a stop signal, not a reason to compress the assembly or modify the door.
3. Crossbore diameter
The crossbore is the large round opening through the face of the door. Lockin’s current Veno Series Door Preparation Guide illustrates 1-1/2-inch (38 mm) and 2-1/8-inch (54 mm) preparation. However, the current Veno Pro and Veno Plus product pages specify 2-1/8 inches (54 mm).
Because current guidance differs by model and kit, a 38 mm opening is not an automatic yes for every Veno. Send the diameter and the model name to support before ordering.
4. Backset
Measure from the door edge to the center of the crossbore. Current Veno guidance uses 2-3/8 or 2-3/4 inches (60 or 70 mm). A different backset can prevent the latch and exterior assembly from aligning.
5. Door-edge hole and latch faceplate
The current family guide illustrates a 1-inch (25.4 mm) door-edge hole. Veno Pro and Veno Plus also call for a rectangular latch-faceplate cutout and state that round faceplate cutouts are not compatible. Photograph the latch edge instead of describing it from memory.
6. Handle, trim, door-stop, and second-door clearance
Check the space around the assembly as well as the openings through the door. Nearby handles, trim, a door stop, or another door can interfere with movement or the intended camera view. The model table is a screening aid, not installation approval, so confirm the exact configuration before making a change. For a Solar model at an interior corridor, also assess whether usable daylight reaches the installed panel; mechanical fit does not establish that solar assistance will meet the charging needs of that entrance.
The Veno Solar Palm and Veno Solar Face FAQs also exclude storm-door and mortise-lock installations. A camera-free model still needs to meet its own door-type restrictions.
Current Veno Solar Palm and Veno Solar Face pages call for at least 2 inches (50 mm) of nearby clearance and more than 1-9/16 inches (40 mm) from the crossbore center to the door stop. Those pages list French doors as incompatible. Veno Pro and Veno Plus pages warn that storm doors can block their cameras.
Which Veno models deserve a closer fit check?
| Model | Current renter-relevant fit evidence | What still needs confirmation |
|---|---|---|
| Veno Go | Its current product page says it fits most standard US doors with no drilling required. It is still a complete smart deadbolt, not an interior-only retrofit. | Exact door measurements, current kit for a 38 mm or 54 mm crossbore, latch/strike fit, surrounding clearance, and full-replacement permission |
| Veno | Current page describes easy installation but tells shoppers to check door size before purchase. | Exact current measurement diagram, latch preparation, handle clearance, door type, and whether existing holes avoid modification |
| Veno Pro | Current page specifies 35–55 mm wooden doors, 54 mm crossbore, 60/70 mm backset, 25.4 mm edge hole, rectangular latch faceplate, and single-cylinder deadbolt. | Camera/storm-door clearance, strike fit, any 38 mm-kit question, and permission for the exterior camera and full deadbolt replacement |
| Veno Plus | The same current basic door-preparation figures are listed as Veno Pro. | Camera/storm-door clearance, strike fit, any 38 mm-kit question, and permission for the exterior camera and full deadbolt replacement |
| Veno Solar Palm | Current page specifies 35–55 mm thickness, 38 or 54 mm crossbore, 60/70 mm backset, 25.4 mm edge hole, 50 mm nearby clearance, and more than 40 mm to the door stop. | French-door exclusion, exact latch/strike fit, written permission, and enough everyday light if solar assistance matters |
| Veno Solar Face | The current page lists the same basic door-preparation measurements and French-door exclusion as Solar Palm. | Exact latch/strike fit, written permission, clearance, and everyday light at the apartment entrance |
Do not read the storm-door clearance wording in this table as an exception: the Veno Pro and Veno Plus FAQs exclude storm-door installations even when the camera view appears clear. Solar Palm and Solar Face also have their own storm-door and mortise exclusions, as noted above.
When Veno is not a fit for a renter
Stop the purchase when permission or physical compatibility remains unresolved. The exclusions below identify conditions to discuss with the owner, installer, or Lockin support before ordering, rather than reasons to force the assembly into place. Send the exact model and the measured door arrangement so the answer applies to the proposed installation. A compatible motorized lock also needs a door that closes and a bolt that moves freely; adding electronics does not correct an existing alignment problem.
- The landlord permits only an interior attachment and requires the exterior lock to remain unchanged.
- Full deadbolt replacement, rekeying, a new exterior appearance, or strike changes are not permitted.
- The door uses a mortise, interconnected, multipoint, or other preparation that has not been confirmed for the exact model.
- Door thickness, crossbore, backset, edge hole, latch faceplate, or clearance falls outside current model guidance.
- Installation would require drilling, enlarging a bore, chiseling the door edge, moving the strike, or altering the frame without written approval.
- A storm door is present for Veno Pro or Veno Plus, regardless of whether the camera appears unobstructed.
- A Veno Solar model is being considered for a French door, or solar assistance is expected in an interior corridor without usable daylight.
- The existing deadbolt already sticks, rubs, or needs the door to be lifted. Fix alignment before adding a motorized lock.
- Management’s required access method cannot be preserved.
Plan roommate access and backup entry before move-in
Plan access for each roommate and a fallback that does not depend on the unavailable method. Use supported individual credentials and the appropriate temporary access type for a visit, then verify the model's removal or expiry process when access ends. Keep the mechanical backup somewhere authorized users can reach outside the locked apartment and follow the exact emergency-power instructions. Practise the recovery arrangement during setup, with access available, rather than treating a list of included features as the household's backup plan.
- Give each resident a separate credential instead of sharing one permanent PIN.
- Use one-time, scheduled, or duration-based codes for helpers and guests where the selected model supports them.
- Use pausing only for a temporary interruption. When access ends permanently, delete the relevant credentials through the supported workflow and review app and platform permissions separately.
- Charge the lock before move-in and enable low-battery alerts.
- Keep the mechanical backup key somewhere accessible outside the locked apartment—not inside it.
- Keep a compatible cable and power bank available for model-specific exterior USB-C emergency power.
- Test the key and emergency-power method after installation, before relying on them.
Use this go-or-stop checklist before buying
- Full deadbolt replacement is allowed in writing.
- Exterior appearance and any camera are allowed.
- Required landlord or emergency access can be maintained.
- Door type and material match the exact model.
- Door thickness is measured.
- Crossbore diameter is measured.
- Backset is measured.
- Door-edge hole and latch faceplate are photographed and measured.
- Handle, trim, door-stop, storm-door, and second-door clearances are checked.
- No drilling, chiseling, enlarging, or frame alteration is needed.
- Original hardware and keys can be labeled and stored.
- Every resident has an appropriate credential.
- Mechanical-key and USB-C/power-bank backup are planned.