ACT: Q&A Are owners require to participate in a key audit?

This article is about owner’s participation in a key audit.

Question: As part of a key audit, if each owner does not respond with their key information by a certain date, our strata manager will deactivate their key. Can the strata manager do that?

Our strata manager has notified all occupants that they are doing a key audit. If each owner has not responded to the request for key information by a certain date, the strata manager will deactivate the key, thus locking the occupant out of their apartment. Is the strata manager lawfully entitled to cancel an owner’s access to their home under those circumstances?

Answer: If there is a decision that a key audit is prudent, all owners/residents are required to comply.

A key/swipe/fob audit is not unusual within a complex. Over time, the number of swipes/fobs are lost, do not work, or are unaccountable. This could compromise any security.

Some older control panels/receivers limit the number of fobs that can be activated, so removing unused or non-working swipes/fobs is a management exercise.

Why would all residents and owners not want to participate in this exercise? The owners corporation is responsible for the repair, maintenance and upkeep of the system. If there is a decision that an audit is prudent, all owners/residents are required to comply.

Jan Browne
Bridge Strata
E: jan@bridgestrata.com.au
P: 02 6109 7700

This post appears in Strata News #734.

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This article is not intended to be personal advice and you should not rely on it as a substitute for any form of advice.

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