Smart Co-Living: Keyless entry to 200,000 boarding houses with Airfob.

The Kost – Indonesia’s unique rental landscape.

In the tapestry of Indonesia’s diverse and dynamic real estate market, the concept of “kost” or boarding houses holds a distinctive place. In comparison, the total number of apartment units available is estimated to be less than 2% of the total number of Kost rooms. As the largest proptech company in the country, Mamikos navigates this landscape, with over 3 million listed Kost rooms on its platform, catering to the housing needs of a significant segment of the population.

This housing model is particularly popular among the young demographic, constituting approximately 52% of the Indonesian population. The Indonesian youth seeks affordable and practical housing solutions, and the Kost emerges as a preferred choice due to its cost-effectiveness and community-oriented living.

What also sets the Indonesian rental market apart is the pervasive use of smartphones among its urban population, with approximatively 75% of the country’s urban residents relying on mobile devices for various aspects of daily life, the integration of mobile credential solutions becomes not just a convenience but a natural progression in the tech-savvy landscape.

Physical keys – Challenges in managing access controls at scale.

As Indonesia undergoes urbanization and its cities become hubs of economic activity, the dynamics of urban living evolve. Mamikos, positioned at the forefront of proptech innovation, recognizes the need to adapt to these changing dynamics, providing not just housing but a holistic living experience that aligns with the expectations and lifestyles of its predominantly young tenant base.

However, Mamikos faces a multifaceted challenge that revolves around the conventional method of relying on physical keys. As a result, a growing number of landlords using Mamikos have asked to make handling keys simpler. Physical keys, once a hallmark of access control, have gradually revealed their shortcomings when applied to a vast and diverse portfolio of properties.

• Security risks of traditional keys: One of the primary challenges stems from the inherent security risks posed by physical keys. In the context of the kost indsutry, where turnover is a regular occurrence, former tenants possessing duplicated keys could potentially exploit them to gain unauthorized access to their previous living spaces. This creates a tangible security vulnerability, jeopardizing the safety and privacy of both current tenants and property owners.
• Logistical hurdles of physical key management:  As Mamikos operates and enables millions of Kost rooms, the sheer logistics of physically changing and managing traditional keys present formidable challenges. Coordinating key replacements for multiple properties, often spread across different locations and managed by various landlords, becomes a time-consuming and intricate task. Property managers find themselves grappling with the complexities of key distribution, retrieval, and the perpetual need for replacements.
• Cumbersome processes for landlords: For landlords and property managers, the inefficiencies associated with traditional key management are stark. The process of physically handling and replacing keys introduces an unwelcome layer of complexity to their responsibilities. It demands significant time, effort, and resources that could otherwise be allocated to more strategic aspects of property management. Moreover, the potential risks and costs associated with misplaced or unreturned physical keys further compound the challenges faced by property owners.