diff --git a/homeassistant/components/homekit_controller/__init__.py b/homeassistant/components/homekit_controller/__init__.py
index 2c59f062bcc..b5577119178 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/homekit_controller/__init__.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/homekit_controller/__init__.py
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ class HomeKitEntity(Entity):
         setup_fn = getattr(self, '_setup_{}'.format(setup_fn_name), None)
         if not setup_fn:
             return
-        # pylint: disable=E1102
+        # pylint: disable=not-callable
         setup_fn(char)
 
     def update(self):
@@ -255,19 +255,23 @@ class HomeKitEntity(Entity):
         # pylint: disable=import-error
         from homekit.exceptions import AccessoryDisconnectedError
 
+        pairing = self._accessory.pairing
+
         try:
-            pairing = self._accessory.pairing
-            data = pairing.list_accessories_and_characteristics()
+            new_values_dict = pairing.get_characteristics(self._chars_to_poll)
         except AccessoryDisconnectedError:
             return
-        for accessory in data:
-            if accessory['aid'] != self._aid:
+
+        for (_, iid), result in new_values_dict.items():
+            if 'value' not in result:
                 continue
-            for service in accessory['services']:
-                if service['iid'] != self._iid:
-                    continue
-                self.update_characteristics(service['characteristics'])
-                break
+            # Callback to update the entity with this characteristic value
+            char_name = escape_characteristic_name(self._char_names[iid])
+            update_fn = getattr(self, '_update_{}'.format(char_name), None)
+            if not update_fn:
+                continue
+            # pylint: disable=not-callable
+            update_fn(result['value'])
 
     @property
     def unique_id(self):
@@ -290,7 +294,7 @@ class HomeKitEntity(Entity):
 
     def update_characteristics(self, characteristics):
         """Synchronise a HomeKit device state with Home Assistant."""
-        raise NotImplementedError
+        pass
 
     def put_characteristics(self, characteristics):
         """Control a HomeKit device state from Home Assistant."""
diff --git a/homeassistant/components/homekit_controller/alarm_control_panel.py b/homeassistant/components/homekit_controller/alarm_control_panel.py
index 984be8e0c3b..3a2e5170453 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/homekit_controller/alarm_control_panel.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/homekit_controller/alarm_control_panel.py
@@ -64,18 +64,11 @@ class HomeKitAlarmControlPanel(HomeKitEntity, AlarmControlPanel):
             CharacteristicsTypes.BATTERY_LEVEL,
         ]
 
-    def update_characteristics(self, characteristics):
-        """Synchronise the Alarm Control Panel state with Home Assistant."""
-        # pylint: disable=import-error
-        from homekit.model.characteristics import CharacteristicsTypes
+    def _update_security_system_state_current(self, value):
+        self._state = CURRENT_STATE_MAP[value]
 
-        for characteristic in characteristics:
-            ctype = characteristic['type']
-            ctype = CharacteristicsTypes.get_short(ctype)
-            if ctype == "security-system-state.current":
-                self._state = CURRENT_STATE_MAP[characteristic['value']]
-            elif ctype == "battery-level":
-                self._battery_level = characteristic['value']
+    def _update_battery_level(self, value):
+        self._battery_level = value
 
     @property
     def icon(self):
diff --git a/homeassistant/components/homekit_controller/climate.py b/homeassistant/components/homekit_controller/climate.py
index 042a499c55a..15378e2b046 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/homekit_controller/climate.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/homekit_controller/climate.py
@@ -72,23 +72,17 @@ class HomeKitClimateDevice(HomeKitEntity, ClimateDevice):
     def _setup_temperature_target(self, characteristic):
         self._features |= SUPPORT_TARGET_TEMPERATURE
 
-    def update_characteristics(self, characteristics):
-        """Synchronise device state with Home Assistant."""
-        # pylint: disable=import-error
-        from homekit.model.characteristics import CharacteristicsTypes
+    def _update_heating_cooling_current(self, value):
+        self._state = MODE_HOMEKIT_TO_HASS.get(value)
 
-        for characteristic in characteristics:
-            ctype = CharacteristicsTypes.get_short_uuid(characteristic['type'])
-            if ctype == CharacteristicsTypes.HEATING_COOLING_CURRENT:
-                self._state = MODE_HOMEKIT_TO_HASS.get(
-                    characteristic['value'])
-            if ctype == CharacteristicsTypes.HEATING_COOLING_TARGET:
-                self._current_mode = MODE_HOMEKIT_TO_HASS.get(
-                    characteristic['value'])
-            elif ctype == CharacteristicsTypes.TEMPERATURE_CURRENT:
-                self._current_temp = characteristic['value']
-            elif ctype == CharacteristicsTypes.TEMPERATURE_TARGET:
-                self._target_temp = characteristic['value']
+    def _update_heating_cooling_target(self, value):
+        self._current_mode = MODE_HOMEKIT_TO_HASS.get(value)
+
+    def _update_temperature_current(self, value):
+        self._current_temp = value
+
+    def _update_temperature_target(self, value):
+        self._target_temp = value
 
     def set_temperature(self, **kwargs):
         """Set new target temperature."""
diff --git a/homeassistant/components/homekit_controller/cover.py b/homeassistant/components/homekit_controller/cover.py
index f9cc2ce435b..c8f087254bb 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/homekit_controller/cover.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/homekit_controller/cover.py
@@ -85,18 +85,14 @@ class HomeKitGarageDoorCover(HomeKitEntity, CoverDevice):
     def _setup_name(self, char):
         self._name = char['value']
 
-    def update_characteristics(self, characteristics):
-        """Synchronise the Cover state with Home Assistant."""
-        # pylint: disable=import-error
-        from homekit.model.characteristics import CharacteristicsTypes
+    def _update_door_state_current(self, value):
+        self._state = CURRENT_GARAGE_STATE_MAP[value]
 
-        for characteristic in characteristics:
-            ctype = characteristic['type']
-            ctype = CharacteristicsTypes.get_short(ctype)
-            if ctype == "door-state.current":
-                self._state = CURRENT_GARAGE_STATE_MAP[characteristic['value']]
-            elif ctype == "obstruction-detected":
-                self._obstruction_detected = characteristic['value']
+    def _update_obstruction_detected(self, value):
+        self._obstruction_detected = value
+
+    def _update_name(self, value):
+        self._name = value
 
     @property
     def available(self):
@@ -187,31 +183,26 @@ class HomeKitWindowCover(HomeKitEntity, CoverDevice):
     def _setup_name(self, char):
         self._name = char['value']
 
-    def update_characteristics(self, characteristics):
-        """Synchronise the Cover state with Home Assistant."""
-        # pylint: disable=import-error
-        from homekit.model.characteristics import CharacteristicsTypes
+    def _update_position_state(self, value):
+        self._state = CURRENT_WINDOW_STATE_MAP[value]
 
-        for characteristic in characteristics:
-            ctype = characteristic['type']
-            ctype = CharacteristicsTypes.get_short(ctype)
-            if ctype == "position.state":
-                if 'value' in characteristic:
-                    self._state = \
-                        CURRENT_WINDOW_STATE_MAP[characteristic['value']]
-            elif ctype == "position.current":
-                self._position = characteristic['value']
-            elif ctype == "position.hold":
-                if 'value' in characteristic:
-                    self._hold = characteristic['value']
-            elif ctype == "vertical-tilt.current":
-                if characteristic['value'] is not None:
-                    self._tilt_position = characteristic['value']
-            elif ctype == "horizontal-tilt.current":
-                if characteristic['value'] is not None:
-                    self._tilt_position = characteristic['value']
-            elif ctype == "obstruction-detected":
-                self._obstruction_detected = characteristic['value']
+    def _update_position_current(self, value):
+        self._position = value
+
+    def _update_position_hold(self, value):
+        self._hold = value
+
+    def _update_vertical_tilt_current(self, value):
+        self._tilt_position = value
+
+    def _update_horizontal_tilt_current(self, value):
+        self._tilt_position = value
+
+    def _update_obstruction_detected(self, value):
+        self._obstruction_detected = value
+
+    def _update_name(self, value):
+        self._hold = value
 
     @property
     def supported_features(self):
diff --git a/homeassistant/components/homekit_controller/light.py b/homeassistant/components/homekit_controller/light.py
index 940e3782379..74ef8948f45 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/homekit_controller/light.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/homekit_controller/light.py
@@ -60,24 +60,20 @@ class HomeKitLight(HomeKitEntity, Light):
     def _setup_saturation(self, char):
         self._features |= SUPPORT_COLOR
 
-    def update_characteristics(self, characteristics):
-        """Synchronise light state with Home Assistant."""
-        # pylint: disable=import-error
-        from homekit.model.characteristics import CharacteristicsTypes
+    def _update_on(self, value):
+        self._on = value
 
-        for characteristic in characteristics:
-            ctype = characteristic['type']
-            ctype = CharacteristicsTypes.get_short(ctype)
-            if ctype == "on":
-                self._on = characteristic['value']
-            elif ctype == 'brightness':
-                self._brightness = characteristic['value']
-            elif ctype == 'color-temperature':
-                self._color_temperature = characteristic['value']
-            elif ctype == "hue":
-                self._hue = characteristic['value']
-            elif ctype == "saturation":
-                self._saturation = characteristic['value']
+    def _update_brightness(self, value):
+        self._brightness = value
+
+    def _update_color_temperature(self, value):
+        self._color_temperature = value
+
+    def _update_hue(self, value):
+        self._hue = value
+
+    def _update_saturation(self, value):
+        self._saturation = value
 
     @property
     def is_on(self):
diff --git a/homeassistant/components/homekit_controller/lock.py b/homeassistant/components/homekit_controller/lock.py
index 53c94317c69..e27ed444528 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/homekit_controller/lock.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/homekit_controller/lock.py
@@ -61,18 +61,11 @@ class HomeKitLock(HomeKitEntity, LockDevice):
             CharacteristicsTypes.BATTERY_LEVEL,
         ]
 
-    def update_characteristics(self, characteristics):
-        """Synchronise the Lock state with Home Assistant."""
-        # pylint: disable=import-error
-        from homekit.model.characteristics import CharacteristicsTypes
+    def _update_lock_mechanism_current_state(self, value):
+        self._state = CURRENT_STATE_MAP[value]
 
-        for characteristic in characteristics:
-            ctype = characteristic['type']
-            ctype = CharacteristicsTypes.get_short(ctype)
-            if ctype == "lock-mechanism.current-state":
-                self._state = CURRENT_STATE_MAP[characteristic['value']]
-            elif ctype == "battery-level":
-                self._battery_level = characteristic['value']
+    def _update_battery_level(self, value):
+        self._battery_level = value
 
     @property
     def name(self):
diff --git a/homeassistant/components/homekit_controller/switch.py b/homeassistant/components/homekit_controller/switch.py
index 4bee51803f3..ba4a04022f0 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/homekit_controller/switch.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/homekit_controller/switch.py
@@ -42,18 +42,11 @@ class HomeKitSwitch(HomeKitEntity, SwitchDevice):
             CharacteristicsTypes.OUTLET_IN_USE,
         ]
 
-    def update_characteristics(self, characteristics):
-        """Synchronise the switch state with Home Assistant."""
-        # pylint: disable=import-error
-        from homekit.model.characteristics import CharacteristicsTypes
+    def _update_on(self, value):
+        self._on = value
 
-        for characteristic in characteristics:
-            ctype = characteristic['type']
-            ctype = CharacteristicsTypes.get_short(ctype)
-            if ctype == "on":
-                self._on = characteristic['value']
-            elif ctype == "outlet-in-use":
-                self._outlet_in_use = characteristic['value']
+    def _update_outlet_in_use(self, value):
+        self._outlet_in_use = value
 
     @property
     def is_on(self):