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Topic
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A resident in our building keeps a set of keys in their mailbox. Our mailboxes got broken into, so the resident’s key were taken, which gives the thief access to all common property doors.
The resident reported the break-in and the last keys. It was decided to replace all the locks and issue new keys, all over a weekend.
The exercise ended up costing $4,500.
What is usually done in this situation? Do the BC eat the cost, on-charge to the resident, or split the bill?
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There is usually a by-law dealing with loss or damage to common property due to an action or negligence by an owner. Perhaps that may be a place to start looking?
What’s usually done is to acknowledge that the thief is unlikely to return and explore the common areas. Who’d want to steal a few garden tools? Is anyone going to prowl around trying unit doors? There’d be a high risk of being spotted by residents and possibly photographed.
Your committee needs members with a bit more experience on the job.
However, your OC might consider upping the deposit on common-area keys so that people take more care of them.
Common areas can include car parking and storage cages. Easy pickings for a thief to come in at night with a set of bolt cutters. We had this problem a few years ago, which we put down to a departing tenant keeping a key; we changed the locks and the problem stopped.
I live in a medium size block, and mostly wouldn’t know if someone in the building was a resident or intruder.
Perhaps such an event would be covered by insurance?
If there’s not a bylaw allowing the careless resident to be charged the cost of rekeying the building, then there needs to be.
And specifically mention that storing keys in the letter box, or anywhere else that’s essentially unsecured is not permitted. Basically put the onus on the key holder to prove they took appropriate care of the keys. And a police report for even a minor crime where keys are taken.
All in the name of getting evidence from the person that their actions were careless.
It might also be time to consider using electronic keycards which can be cancelled as soon as their loss is reported.
If your mailboxes are using those GEM or standard camlock keys then the problem will persist.
You need to use the appropriate camlocks.
Regarding common areas access the use of electronic credentials can help but once again only if using the right system, thus no any HID products, they just emailed all distributors about their latest SEOS system that is now cracked like everything else they manufacture…
Using virtual card on mobile phone is currently the most secured way to secure a building and to stop wasting time and money managing and buying physical credentials.
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