Key holding and check-in services: what they cost
A key holding service costs between forty and one hundred and twenty euros a month as a retainer, with arrivals, contractor access and emergency call outs charged separately at twenty five to ninety euros per visit.
gelisted editorial team · Updated 15 August 2026
The short version
- The monthly retainer typically runs 40 € to 120 €.
- A guest or owner arrival check in costs 25 € to 60 €.
- An emergency call out costs 40 € to 90 € plus any trade invoice.
- Access should be logged with date, time and reason on every visit.
For an owner 2,000 kilometres away, the difference between a leak that costs 300 € and one that costs 9,000 € is whether somebody local can open the door within the hour.
What the retainer buys
Secure custody of a set of keys, availability during agreed hours, and a defined response time. It does not usually include visits: those are charged per occasion. The point of the retainer is that a named person is contactable and holds access, which is what makes everything else possible, from letting a plumber in to opening the shutters before your flight lands.
| Service | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly retainer | 40 to 120 € | custody and availability |
| Owner or guest check in | 25 to 60 € | per arrival |
| Check out and inspection | 25 to 60 € | per departure |
| Contractor access | 20 to 45 € | per visit |
| Emergency call out | 40 to 90 € | plus trade invoice |
| Routine property check | 35 to 70 € | per visit |
| Out of hours surcharge | 15 to 40 € | nights and holidays |
| Key copy handling | 10 to 25 € | per set |
Access logging
Every entry should be recorded with date, time, who entered and why, and the log should be available to the owner on request. This protects both sides: it evidences the service delivered and it establishes who was in the property if something is later found missing or damaged. A provider who cannot produce an access log for the last 6 months is not running the service properly.
The insurance question
Ask what cover the provider holds for loss of keys and for damage caused during a visit, and ask to see the policy rather than a statement. Ask also how keys are stored: labelled with the address in a drawer is not custody. And check your own home policy, since some insurers require that keys are not held by third parties or that a key holder is declared.
Rekeying a property after a lost set costs 150 to 500 €, and that is the smaller half of the problem.
What to agree in writing
Response time for an emergency, in hours not in adjectives. Hours of availability and what counts as out of hours. The spending limit above which authorisation is needed, commonly 200 to 500 €. Whether trade invoices are passed at cost or with a margin. How access is logged and reported. And the notice period and the procedure for returning the keys at the end, which should include confirmation that no copies remain.
Frequently asked
+What does key holding cost?
A retainer of 40 € to 120 € a month, with visits and call outs charged separately.
+What is charged per visit?
25 € to 60 € for an arrival or departure and 40 € to 90 € for an emergency call out, plus any trade invoice.
+How should access be recorded?
With a log showing date, time, who entered and why, available to the owner on request.
+What insurance should the provider have?
Cover for loss of keys and for damage caused during a visit, evidenced by the policy itself.
+What should the contract state?
Response time in hours, availability, the spending limit, how invoices are passed on and the notice period.
Sources
- 1Govern de les Illes Balears, Govern de les Illes Balears (August 2026)
- 2Boletín Oficial del Estado, BOE (August 2026)