Thread: Cutting locks off

I am a property manager for a self storage and warehouse facility. The rent is due on the 1st and if they do not pay by the 20th I put a red lock on their unit and charge a $10 late fee. In the last 2 months, I have had 3 red locks cut off. One tenant cut the lock off and moved out owing 2 months rent, one tenant cut the lock off and unlocked the roll up door so that he could gain entry at a later date and the other cut the lock off and left everything and I ended up evicting him. What do other managers do in this instance? We do not have a gated entry so they can come and go 24/7. I am at a loss as to how to handle this. Any Advice?:

Originally Posted by sherryb23456

I am a property manager for a self storage and warehouse facility. The rent is due on the 1st and if they do not pay by the 20th I put a red lock on their unit and charge a $10 late fee. In the last 2 months, I have had 3 red locks cut off. One tenant cut the lock off and moved out owing 2 months rent, one tenant cut the lock off and unlocked the roll up door so that he could gain entry at a later date and the other cut the lock off and left everything and I ended up evicting him. What do other managers do in this instance? We do not have a gated entry so they can come and go 24/7. I am at a loss as to how to handle this. Any Advice?:

I would use discus style padlocks which are much harder to cut off. You can purchase them from Chateau Products already painted red, yellow or green. I would use these as overlocks as they are much more substantial than a laminated padlock.

Check them out: http://www.chateauproducts.com/

That is a good idea and one that I had already thought of. It is a shame that customers have come to this point, but we have to do everything we can to stop the vandalism.

I was going suggest the same! It takes a power tool to get those off.

Do you have cameras? Lights? A security patrol?

I do have cameras but they don't pick up well in the dark. The buildings have lights on them but in certain areas there are shadows. We do not have a security guard. We have been looking into that.

Hmm. Well, a security patrol at least you can hire for only a certain amount of time, might help keep costs down. Cameras work all day but aren't any good if there's no light! Unless they are infrared maybe? or X-ray?!? :-D

My problem with cameras lately are the quality. you might see someone getting into the unit, but would you be able to make out a license plate, or appearance details? I'd doubt it.

IMHO If they cut your lock off it is breaking and entering. I'd call the police.

Let the police sort it out, what if....... It wasn't the tennant.... how do you know for sure. wink wink

Happened to me once scared the tenant so badly they called the next day to pay.

Wife came in saying we didn't realize "you" put the lock on.

Disc locks al least make it more difficult but if they are determined to bail they will find a way!! Good luck!

Really like the police idea!

You could install one of these http://www.ptiaccess.com/cas/HtmlRes...lock_small.pdf and a red sticker that gives notice of Break and Entry if lock is removed.

I'm not necessarily saying you need to wire up the whole bar at this point either.

You could also put up a motion light as they might not like that coupled with the overlock bar.