Should mgmt co have key to my apt?

M

moondance

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I bought an apartment last year and had problems with the heating this week so called mgmt co to see who installed gas boiler and they said they would go in and have a look and would I mind them going in when I am at work. So I said that's fine, they can collect a key from my office but they informed me that they have a spare key as well as a master key.

Is that normal? Does this mean I can't change the locks for instance? Or should I change the locks?!! Do mgmt companys reserve the right to be able to get into an apartment say for instance in case or emergency or fire or something? Just wondering where I stand with this one!
 
I had a chub lock installed in my apartment and have an alarm installed as well. It would never cross my mind that the management company should be allowed access to my apartment without my consent or without me being there.
I have noticed that the developers have spare keys to all of the apartments, the left the door to the room open one night, this concerned me and my additional lock gave me some reassurance!
If I were you I would change my lock and/or get a chubb for security.
 
I had a similar issue last year after moving in when the builders told me they couldn't get into my apt to fix something. I asked how they expected to access the apartment - they said using the master key. They almost seemed surprised to hear I had done something so unusual as to change the locks.

They have no right (nor does anyone else) to trespass on your private property. However, given the nature of some of these people and the fact that they have no regard for such issues, it's best just to change the locks.
 
immediately upon receiving the keys of my apartment i had a locksmith round to change ALL the locks, plus get extra window locks, chubb etc...

maybe im paranoid but there was no way i was going to just move in and use the same locks that were on it - who knows who has a copy of the keys?
 
God read your Lease the Managment Company of which you are a shareholder can access your apartment in the case of an emergency and will break down the door if necessary. How would you feel if the preson upstairs left the bath running and water was flowing down you walls but because nobody knew how to contact the owner you just had to look at the water feature. If there is a suspected fire or gas leak are all just to wait till it hits the common areas. They dont wander around checking if your decor. This is all in that document you signed without reading. Change your locks etc if you want but if they want in they will get the door down one way or another. Or solve the problem and make sure they have your contact details!!!!!
 
xb_deai said:
God read your Lease the Managment Company of which you are a shareholder can access your apartment in the case of an emergency and will break down the door if necessary. How would you feel if the preson upstairs left the bath running and water was flowing down you walls but because nobody knew how to contact the owner you just had to look at the water feature. If there is a suspected fire or gas leak are all just to wait till it hits the common areas. They dont wander around checking if your decor. This is all in that document you signed without reading. Change your locks etc if you want but if they want in they will get the door down one way or another. Or solve the problem and make sure they have your contact details!!!!!
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Im not actually God but thanks!

Thats a quite a big assumption you have made there - about signing the lease I havent read - how would you know what I have and havent read and more to the point, how would you know the details of my lease agreement?

I have indeed read my lease and there is a long and detailed section about emergency situations which I have fulfilled all my obligations towards. My management company have a number for me, for someone else I have nominated as a keyholder, and another 2 numbers to be used if the first 2 dont work. There is nothing in there about the management company holding a master key - I dont have any common areas - I have an own door apartment so the comments you make above are irrelevant.
 
xb_deai said:
God read your Lease the Managment Company of which you are a shareholder can access your apartment in the case of an emergency and will break down the door if necessary. How would you feel if the preson upstairs left the bath running and water was flowing down you walls but because nobody knew how to contact the owner you just had to look at the water feature. If there is a suspected fire or gas leak are all just to wait till it hits the common areas. They dont wander around checking if your decor. This is all in that document you signed without reading. Change your locks etc if you want but if they want in they will get the door down one way or another. Or solve the problem and make sure they have your contact details!!!!!
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I was in this situation (couple in top floor apartment went away for the weekend and left a tap running. Water began soaking through my ceiling and down my sitting room wall.) I rang the management company, who had no phone number for the couple. They had to get a locksmith to come over and dismantle the lock in order that we could go in and switch off the tap. Even at that, the locksmith asked me if I would go in and switch it off, rather than him. There was no question of the management company having a key to an individual apartment or anyone connected to them thinking they had a right to just walk in to someone's home. I would be furious if I thought the Management Company had a key to my place. Any crook or criminal could be working there and gain access if they wanted.
 
Many years ago, we departed a rented apartment on holidays for an early morning flight, leaving the alarm clock set for 3am or 4am. The downstairs neighbours were not too pleased (understandably so), and switched off the main fuse for our apartment. The fuse boxes were in a common area. We returned home to find the contents of our freezer growing mould on the kitchen floor! Yeuccg
 
liaconn said:
I would be furious if I thought the Management Company had a key to my place. Any crook or criminal could be working there and gain access if they wanted.
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My thoughts exactly. This is your private home. You have a right to decide who has a key. Let them break my door down or get a locksmith in an emergency situation - but I certainly would not give the management company a key. One of the first things I did when I got the keys to my place was changed the locks - I did not feel secure until I knew where all the working keys were.

OP, I would change the locks immediately, if you haven't done it already
 
Auntie said:
My thoughts exactly. This is your private home. You have a right to decide who has a key. Let them break my door down or get a locksmith in an emergency situation - but I certainly would not give the management company a key. One of the first things I did when I got the keys to my place was changed the locks - I did not feel secure until I knew where all the working keys were.

OP, I would change the locks immediately, if you haven't done it already
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First thing I did was change one of the locks. You could give keyholder details (e.g. family members) to the management company for use in event of emergency.
 
rmelly said:
First thing I did was change one of the locks. You could give keyholder details (e.g. family members) to the management company for use in event of emergency.
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Thats exactly how my management company runs things, they sent us out a sheet with sections for numbers for keyholders, numbers for someone to contact in case of an emergency, and I filled it in and sent it back.
 
This is Mad. Under normal circumstances, the Managment Company or anybody else should not have a key to your apartment. Has anyone considered what would happen if there was a burgleary in your apartment and the insurance company got wind of this situation. My guess is that they would simply refuse to pay a claim for theft. In all posters cases, where keys are held by other non related parties, I would demand a letter of Indemnity until this matter is resolved.
 
It is very odd that the management co have a key full stop - have they any link to the builders because otherwise who gave them a key?? I bought a new build and the developers originally had keys but once I moved in I always had to be there to let them in or else give them keys ( presumably this acted as my permission to access my place)
 
I am gobsmacked reading this. Our management co. is run by a 'scam artist' (apt. owner) - everyone afraid of him, he refused to be voted off and is very aggressive. The thoughts of him being able to get into my apt. leaves me feeling sick. He stalks a resident in his own block. Also, we pay too much over 1,300 per year.
A rogue traders carry on eg. creating jobs! eg. causing damage and then fixing it.
This guy is determined to get rid of all residents who know what he's up to. Very depressing!
Nobody would have a key to anyone's house, so why an apt. Just break down door if there's a flood etc.
Most apt. owners rent out and have no interest in property, therefore, the slums of the future are in progress
I dream of leaving this country, there must be a better place to live.
 
Reactor said:
Our management co. is run by a 'scam artist' (apt. owner) - everyone afraid of him, he refused to be voted off and is very aggressive.
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No-one can 'refuse' to be voted off. If he is still a director, it is because others didn't go up against him, or he is a nominee of the developer who still controls the management company.
 
Reactor --Otherwise known as a Bully who is full of Hot Air. You should be so lucky that the Developer put him in there. Then it is the Developer's problem. All the objecting residents need to get together, determine if you all want him to go and then have a Solicitor write him a letter on behalf of A, B & C (alias names), and telling him times is up. If he is that bad that he is making you want to leave this country, then immediate action is required. It's not that bad here. The law is on your side and damn anybody who gets their point across by roaring and shouting. What part of the country are you in ?
 
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