Security should be a top priority for any property. Multifamily properties have hundreds, sometimes thousands of residents to protect at a time. Thieves could target any property that has perceived weaknesses, so an important aspect of a property’s security plan should be protecting unit keys.
When casing a property, criminals will first consider the easiest way of gaining access to the units: using the key. Keys provides crooks with full access to private units, allowing them to steal from unsuspecting residents or worse.
A thief — and perhaps some accomplices — can easily case a multifamily property simply by posing as a prospective resident. They will take note of the key control system and ask themselves:
– Where are the keys stored? An open pegboard is much easier to access than a locked pegboard. An electronic key control system is even more difficult — maybe impossible — for criminals to thwart.
– How is the staff held accountable for keys? Do they have to sign out a key or enter a PIN to get access?
– If a key goes missing, how long would it take the staff or management to figure this out? (How much time would the criminal have before the missing key was noticed?)
– Is the key management system being used correctly, or are staff members defeating it?
– How is the spare key handled? Is the filing cabinet locked? Who has access?
A large part of security is personnel training. Leasing agents should be trained always to accompany customers on property walks. Keys should never be left in the door when touring a unit. If all staff members know they are accountable for the keys in their possession, they will be extra careful about protecting and returning keys.
Criminals posing as prospective residents may try to steal the key after a unit tour. At a property with an electronic key control system, leasing agents will be more alert to this tactic. The key is signed out in their own name (PIN). They know they need to return the key after the unit tour. The last thing they want to hear is their name associated with a missing key or worse.
Leasing agents, maintenance personnel, and other authorized staff members need quick, reliable access to the keys. An unlocked pegboard is a tempting solution, but it is also tempting to thieves. The need for quick access needs to be weighed against the need to keep control of the keys. Missing keys create chaos for everyone. Lost keys mean lost property and lost residents.
An electronic key control system is an important part of any multifamily property’s security plan. Each staff member is held accountable for the keys they have checked out. The system is tamper-proof and locked. And management can run a live key report at any time. This discourages criminals, who will likely move on to an easier mark.
About HandyTrac
For over 20 years HandyTrac has been the low-cost leader in multifamily and military housing key control; managing keys for more than 3,000,000 apartment homes throughout the country. Our cloud based systems offer instant access to archived reporting and provide the ability to manage your communities with a single login through your computer or smart phone.
As multifamily properties have grown in size, complexity and scope, their key control security and management needs have risen exponentially. Property owners are facing mounting costs and a dizzying array of technological solutions, all in the context of ensuring a secure key management system. Many times in such situations the best path forward lies not in additional complexity, but rather in simplification.
Shopping for and selecting a key control and management system can be a challenging experience. But it doesn’t have to be if a few simple guidelines are followed. First, determine what your needs are now and in the future. Next, research and compare what’s available. Finally, work with a reputable vendor.
Before the advent and widespread use of electronic key control systems, key control was often a haphazard routine. Many organizations used an honor system to store and control building keys, while institutions such as correctional facilities or medical campuses used a more formal system requiring access activity to be hand-written in a log book. The procedures were often ineffective, mostly laborious and frequently left the organization exposed and vulnerable because keys could not be one hundred percent accounted for.
The budget process involves revenue and expenditure forecasting and often a review of company-wide operational costs. For many organizations, both large and small, the ongoing costs of replacing lost keys is a glaring expense, in addition to safety and security issues – but one that can be easily remedied with a purpose-built key management system.
Key control and management systems are most easily defined as an orderly and secure solution for the management of keys. Due to their increasing popularity, key control systems are also known as automated key systems, electronic key systems, key management systems, computerized key systems, key bank systems, key storage systems, key tracking systems, and so on.
In developing a comprehensive physical security strategy, it’s important to include a key control plan as part of the overall security package. Key management systems can reinforce access control policies that are already in place and can also help to reduce the costs that are associated with lost keys or unmanaged access. It’s also important to know that it is never too late – or too early – to implement a key control and management plan as part of an overall physical security strategy. And if you’re not sure about how to proceed, the following three questions may provide the answers for you.
April 19th, 2016 – After a record-breaking start to 2016, Steve Alvarez, Vice
In 1995, HandyTrac CEO John Lie-Nielsen set out to secure his first key control contract with Alexander Properties in Atlanta for his start-up product, the HandyTrac Classic. Today, HandyTrac protects over 5 million units nationwide, and is the leading key management and control system in the multi-housing and commercial property industry.