A renter friendly smart lock can avoid new drilling in some apartments—but “no new drilling” does not always mean “no hardware change.” An interior-only retrofit keeps most of the existing lock in place. A smart deadbolt replacement removes the current deadbolt and may reuse the holes already in the door. Lockin Veno models are smart deadbolts, not universal interior-only retrofits.
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
A Lockin Veno model may be a renter friendly smart lock when all of these statements are true:
- 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 |
If your landlord requires the exterior cylinder and original key system to remain untouched, a Veno deadbolt is probably not the right category. Look for an approved interior-only retrofit instead.
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.
Before comparing models, ask the landlord or property manager in writing:
- 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?
A no-new-holes installation can reduce permanent changes, but it does not override the lease or building rules. A renter friendly smart lock should not require you to ignore those rules. Do not drill or alter the door without explicit approval.
Measure the apartment door before choosing a model
For any smart lock for apartment door research, start with the open door and a tape measure. Photograph the outside, inside, door edge, frame, strike plate, handle clearance, and any storm door or trim. Then record these checks.
1. Lock and door type
Identify whether the current hardware is a single-cylinder deadbolt, a mortise lock, an interconnected lock, or another configuration. The Veno line is sold as smart deadbolts. Do not assume mortise or unusual apartment hardware can accept a deadbolt replacement.
Current Veno Pro and Veno Plus pages specify wooden doors with single-cylinder deadbolts. They list mortise locks as incompatible. If your lock body sits inside a tall pocket cut into the door edge, pause and send photos to support.
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
Measure from the crossbore center to the handle or nearby trim. Check whether a storm door, French-door panel, security plate, or deep door stop would block the exterior assembly, camera, or door swing.
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?
Use this table as a starting screen, not as installation approval. Always check the current model page and guide before purchase.
| 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 |
For an interior apartment corridor, do not choose a Solar model on fit alone. Lockin’s current Solar pages say an apartment or condo entry without daylight is not suitable for solar charging. The lock still uses a rechargeable battery, and USB-C emergency power plus the concealed mechanical key remain part of the backup plan.
When Veno is not a fit for a renter
Stop the purchase and contact support—or choose a different approved lock category—when any of these conditions applies:
- 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 blocks a video model’s exterior camera or assembly.
- 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.
An honest “not this door” decision is better than forcing an installation that is hard to reverse.
Plan roommate access and backup entry before move-in
A renter friendly smart lock should solve everyday access without turning one roommate’s phone into the only key.
- 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.
- Remove or pause access when it is no longer needed.
- 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.
The current Lockin user manuals explain model-specific access, low-battery, key, and emergency-power behavior. The Lockin FAQ covers common fit and setup questions.
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.
If every line is a clear yes, compare the Lockin Veno deadbolt family. If you are specifically considering solar assistance for an apartment entrance, read Lockin’s apartment deadbolt and solar no-new-holes guide as the next step.
Choose a renter friendly smart lock only after the fit screen
The right renter friendly smart lock is the one that matches both the door and the permission you actually have. A compatible Veno deadbolt may reuse approved existing holes, but Veno is not a universal interior retrofit and “no drilling” is not a family-wide guarantee.
Use the Lockin Smart Lock Selector, then send exact door measurements and photos to support before purchasing. Include the model name, door thickness, crossbore, backset, edge hole, latch faceplate, door type, and every nearby obstruction.
Frequently asked questions
Can a renter install a smart lock without drilling?
Sometimes. An interior-only retrofit may attach to existing hardware, while a complete smart-deadbolt replacement may reuse existing holes only when the door preparation matches. Permission is still required whenever the lease, landlord, or building rules require it.
Is Lockin Veno an interior-only retrofit?
No. The Veno family is sold as smart deadbolts. Installation replaces the existing deadbolt hardware; it does not simply clamp over the interior thumbturn while leaving the complete original lock in place.
Which Lockin model says no drilling is required?
The current Veno Go product page says it fits most standard US doors with no drilling required. Treat that as conditional: confirm the exact door preparation, model kit, latch and strike, surrounding clearance, and permission for full deadbolt replacement.
What measurements should I send to Lockin support?
Send door thickness, crossbore diameter, backset, door-edge hole diameter, latch faceplate shape, door type and material, handle clearance, door-stop clearance, plus photos of both sides of the door, the edge, the frame, and any storm or second door.
Should I keep the original apartment deadbolt?
Yes. Keep the original deadbolt, strike plate, screws, keys, and any adapters together in a labeled container unless the property owner gives different instructions. This makes move-out restoration easier.
What backup access should renters plan?
Plan a tested mechanical key, a charged battery, low-battery alerts, and model-specific USB-C emergency power with a compatible cable and power bank. Store the backup key somewhere accessible outside the locked apartment.