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The Elements of a Strong Multifamily Key Control Policy

multifamily key control policyConcerned that your community has too much fluidity with its key control? Here are some ways to strengthen multifamily key control policy and restrict access:

Keep the keys secure

Keys should be kept in a strong, tamper-proof, locked cabinet that can only be unlocked through a series of protocols.

Implement multi-step access

Make sure your employees go through several steps before a key is issued to them. For example, the employee may need to scan a badge and input a PIN number before the box opens. Better yet, implement a biometric system that reads fingerprints.

Enforce accountability

Employees should input which key(s) they are taking, at what time, and for what purpose — and they should check keys back in by a similar process.

Secure restricted access points

For enhanced security, certain employees should only access certain keys for certain parts of the building or community. They may only be allowed to check out specific physical keys, or their card keys may be coded for access to certain rooms.

Streamline your reporting

Management should be able to view reports at any given time that can show how many keys are out, who has them, which buildings/units have been accessed and at what time. This type of monitoring may be crucial to identifying potential violations because unusual activity can be identified easily.

Establish an audit trail

Reports should be backed up offsite to prevent any attempts to manipulate the data.

Train employees with a consistent protocol

Every employee should be properly trained in the procedure for obtaining and returning keys, and check-out/check-in occurs exactly the same way every time.


Advantages of a Strong Key Control Policy

Making improvements to your key control policy can do the following:

● Help you quickly identify and correct violations for heightened security

● Help you prevent an intrusion from happening in the first place

● Help you pinpoint suspicious activity in the unlikely event of a break-in

● Give you and your residents greater peace of mind

Keys provide virtually untraceable access, making them your greatest potential vulnerability. This means that your keys must be accompanied by the highest levels of security and oversight.

HandyTrac offers a variety of key control solutions designed to enhance your company’s key control policy, making it easy to monitor, track, and secure your keys. To learn more, contact us today.

Common Reasons for Missing Keys on a Multifamily Property

multifamily key controlA potential resident arrives at your community to tour a unit, but the unit key is missing without a trace. Where is the key? How quickly can you find the key? Who in the community might have the key? Has there been a security breach? How long is the customer willing to wait while you search?

This scenario happens daily at multifamily, student and military housing communities that attempt to operate without an electronic key management system. The key is either on-site, off-site, or stolen. In most cases, the key will be recovered within a few minutes; however, without an audit trail, the key could be missing forever.

Missing Key Reason #1: The key is on-site

Most of the time, the unit key is somewhere on-site with an authorized employee. He or she has left it in their pocket, bag, sticking out of a lock, or on a countertop in the unit. Meanwhile, the entire community is suddenly engaged in a search to find the key.

Unlike hook boards and standard key cabinets, electronic key control systems offer thorough key management reports allowing property managers to quickly identify who withdrew the key last.

Missing Key Reason #2: The key is off-site

If an employee accidentally takes a key home and your community uses a hook board, there is no way to track it down. With an electronic key control system, you can prevent keys from being accidentally taken by running a keys out report on your smartphone or computer near the end of each shift. With the report in hand, you can contact the employees who still have keys and remind them to return the keys before clocking out.

Missing Key Reason #3: The key has been stolen

If the key is still missing after your search, it is possible that it has been stolen. If community keys are easily accessible or often left out, the culprit could be just about anyone. Without an electronic key control system, you not only have to worry about resident safety, but also premises liability in the event of criminal activity as a result of poor key management.

An electronic key control system like HandyTrac holds users accountable for every key removed, and integrates multi-step verification to prevent keys from falling into the wrong hands.

At HandyTrac, we specialize in multifamily key control and offer three secure, easy-to-use electronic key management systems designed for properties large and small. Contact us today for more information.

Electronic Key Management Options for Military Housing

military housingMilitary housing communities without an effective key control system can be particularly vulnerable due to lost, misplaced or misappropriated keys, increasing the risk of theft and other crimes. Fortunately, there are solutions for streamlining key management that help keep military families safe. Let’s explore some key control features beneficial to military housing communities.

Restricted Access Systems

While community keys provide access, they also represent the greatest security vulnerability because they can be used to enter with no sign of intrusion. Protect your keys by keeping them, theoretically speaking, under lock-and-key. A restricted access unit keeps all keys in one place, locked in a secure box that can only be accessed by authorized personnel.

Computerized Access with Multi-Step Authorization

Computerized access to your key control unit allows you to implement multi-step authorization. Authorized personnel may activate the unit using an employee badge, for example, followed by entering a security code, and then a reason code for pulling the key. Only when these protocols are input does the cabinet open.

Automated Reports

A computerized key control system also makes it easy to generate and transmit instant reports via email or internet access. At any time, you can find out which keys have been checked out to whom, and for what purpose. In this manner, unusual activity can be quickly identified, and lost keys can easily be traced.

Random Key Rotation

Another security step in electronic key management is to use a bar-coded system with random positioning, both to mask key identification and to prevent people from memorizing where specific keys are hung. The unit only reveals the key location when the employee successfully logs into the system.

Biometric Authorization

For even greater security, consider installing a key management system with biometric capabilities. This system utilizes a fingerprint reader to identify and grant access to rather than ID badges which may be stolen. This way, you’re ensured that only authorized personnel are accessing keys.

Implementing an electronic key management system for your military housing community is one of the best ways to keep service people, their families and their belongings safe. To learn more about how key control systems can benefit your base, contact us today.

How Electronic Key Control Systems Boost Community Security

electronic key control systemsCommunity security should be a top priority for any property manager. Multifamily, student and military housing communities have hundreds, sometimes thousands of residents to protect at a time, and criminals could target any community with perceived weaknesses. This is why an important aspect of a property’s security plan should be protecting unit keys.

When casing a community, criminals will first consider the easiest way of gaining access to the units: using the key. Keys provide 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 bypassing key policy?
– 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 or Biometric reading). 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.

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.

Electronic key control systems are an important part of any multifamily community’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 30 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.

Contact HandyTrac today to learn more about our electronic key control systems.