Re: Locks/Keys
OK, so like pretty much everyone else here we don't keep extra keys, or masters, for any units unless the tenant has us keep one specifically for deliveries (so far that's one out of 590 units). That being said, we recently had to implement a new lock policy. Before, our tenants could use pretty much any kind of lock they wanted though we always suggested using disc locks for better security. Now, dues to a recent string of break-ins, we require all units be secured with disc locks. This presented a bit of a problem since about 1/4 of out tenants used pad locks. The owner decided that this was an "time sensitive emergency situation" which meant, per the lease agreement, we could remove all the pad locks and replace them with disc locks with little to no prior-notification to tenants. All said and done, we exchanged over 140 locks, most of which are students currently on summer break and out of town. We notified every single one and got pretty much the same response, "Please hold the keys until I come back in August." To organize the keys we put key tags on all of them with the unit number and organize them by number in a large locking key case that's bolted to the wall in our back office. When a tenant comes to pick up the keys we look at their ID and only give it to the primary person on the contract; we also note in the computer when the keys are picked up. Honestly, out of the whole situation, organizing the keys was the easy part.
OK, so like pretty much everyone else here we don't keep extra keys, or masters, for any units unless the tenant has us keep one specifically for deliveries (so far that's one out of 590 units). That being said, we recently had to implement a new lock policy. Before, our tenants could use pretty much any kind of lock they wanted though we always suggested using disc locks for better security. Now, dues to a recent string of break-ins, we require all units be secured with disc locks. This presented a bit of a problem since about 1/4 of out tenants used pad locks. The owner decided that this was an "time sensitive emergency situation" which meant, per the lease agreement, we could remove all the pad locks and replace them with disc locks with little to no prior-notification to tenants. All said and done, we exchanged over 140 locks, most of which are students currently on summer break and out of town. We notified every single one and got pretty much the same response, "Please hold the keys until I come back in August." To organize the keys we put key tags on all of them with the unit number and organize them by number in a large locking key case that's bolted to the wall in our back office. When a tenant comes to pick up the keys we look at their ID and only give it to the primary person on the contract; we also note in the computer when the keys are picked up. Honestly, out of the whole situation, organizing the keys was the easy part.
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