Residential and commercial real estate properties of all kinds have a need for key management. No matter how old or new the property is, it is certain that building management is responsible for dozens if not hundreds (or thousands) of keys. It is essential to ensure that access to every key is controlled.
The primary function of key control for property management is security; to prevent intrusion from people who don’t belong in their building. Tenants of the building need to feel safe from break-ins caused by a lost or stolen key. A building that is seen as unsafe has a negative impact on your reputation, which hurts tenant retention.
FREE WHITEPAPER: Key Control Systems and Best Practices
There are a number of additional reasons why it is important to control and track all of your keys. Real estate requires constant maintenance, often when building residents aren’t on site. Contractors need temporary access to buildings when there is construction or other outside work being done. Key management gives localized access to tradesmen, such as plumbers or HVAC, without giving access to the entire building. Regular facilities maintenance requires the superintendent to be able to enter residences or units when necessary. If there’s a water leak or heating issue in the absence of the tenant. Should there be a fire, injury or other emergency, a key is the best way for first responders to enter. On a much more daily basis, homeowners may have packages being delivered and prefer for them to be left safely inside their residences.
Key control systems help manage all of these situations safely. They also offer functionality for the user to leave notes, informing management why the key has been accessed along with any other useful information, and the system can notify management when the key has been returned.
Read about how this luxury Manhattan condominium has benefitted from key control
With a key management system, each of the above situations would be safely and efficiently handled. An authorized individual would remove the required key from an electronic key cabinet, and later return it after it has been used. All actions, including the name of the person who removed and returned the key, along with the time of each action, are logged in the system with an audit trail.
Key control boxes can utilize a single common database for multiple units across multiple properties. Networked storage and access allows many keys and users per site, and is easily scalable by property size and needs. With secure key management, the system can be configured so that keys can be returned to any key cabinet within the system.
Learn how key control fills the gap in proptech
From commercial office campuses to apartment towers, real estate properties need comprehensive key management for the hundreds of people who work in, live in or visit their buildings. Management can rely on key control solutions to regulate key distribution and maintain accountability. A key management system provides building managers with flexible, secure storage and distribution.
In turbulent times, building management wants to be sure residents know for sure that their home and possessions are only accessible by authorized persons. Key management technology enables key access and retrieval, allows users to leave notes for recording the purpose of removal, and sends email or text notifications to alert staff or residents to key usage. This higher level of security and convenience can raise the value of an apartment or multi-tenant building by demonstrating that it is a secure, technologically advanced property.
Discover the solution that fills the gap in proptech by securing and controlling all the keys you’re using now. Configure your own key management system now!
Case Study: Morse Watchmans Key Control Systems Manage Access at Luxury High-Rise Condo – read more.
