Council seeks to remove key safes for tourist apartments from public thoroughfares

Malaga city council is considering a ban on the placement of key safe boxes on public thoroughfares. The boxes, which hold the keys of tourist rental properties inside, can only be accessed via a mobile app or with a code that the renter provides to the guest. Their purpose is to facilitate the arrival and departure of guests as they do not need to be met at the time of check-in or check-out, as is the case in a hotel establishment.

The AirBnB website itself recommends the use of devices that do not require direct contact between the landlord and traveller, considering that "guests prefer autonomous arrival". However, the proliferation of the key safes has drawn criticism from some quarters and now council officials are considering the introduction of controls.