Question: Owners need to attend a security audit, or fobs will be disabled. It’s inconvenient for our property manager, who has a fob, to attend. Is the committee being reasonable?
Our property in an apartment block is managed by a property manager. Our committee are conducting an audit on access fobs/swipes/remotes. They’ve asked residents to make an appointment to present their fobs for the audit, or the fob will be disabled. The property manager has a fob, their office isn’t nearby, and they can’t attend the audit.
- Is it reasonable to expect lot owners to attend an in person meeting?
- Could this be a regular event?
- Can I request to be exempt from this process?
Answer: It does not sound like the committee is being unreasonable as long as you have been given ample notice and provided with appointment options.
The security of your owners corporation is a valid concern for your community, and it sounds like your committee is taking it seriously.
Access devices can often be lost and sometimes stolen (e.g. if a car gets broken into in the car park), which can mean access to your property is compromised, leading to break-ins, theft and vandalism. Audits on access devices can help combat this. The frequency will depend on factors such as the size of your property, the type of devices available, and the turnover of residents in the community.
Generally, an audit will involve checking the serial number of a device against what is on record. The committee could accept the serial number (rather than needing to physically present the device), but some systems will not have serial numbers, and therefore, a physical inspection may be required.
If this type of audit has never been completed, or not for some time, there may be no records of the devices. In this case, the thoroughness of a physical inspection and cancelling those not presented could make sense. This would benchmark the current position and ensure the ongoing security of the community.
While we appreciate the inconvenience of having to present your devices, it does not sound like the committee is being unreasonable as long as you have been given ample notice and provided with various appointment options.
Check if your OC would accept the serial number (if available) or photographs instead of physically presenting the device. However, if this is not possible, it might be best to accommodate the committee’s request and enjoy the peace of mind of a secure and proactive OC.
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