Condo Association Management Blog

I really doubt it. You bought your condo with a sense of secuity and that security could breeched if they try to force you to hand over as key. I know if my board ever asked such think I would tell them to go fly a kite.

We live in a 20 story condo bldg with 300 units. It is critical that a key to every unit be available. If there is a fire in my neighbor's unit while he is away, my life is at risk if emergency personnel can't get into his unit. And Yes, they should knock down or open the door by any means.

Get used to it. Give the Board your keys. They have a right to the keys in Florida. Most likely your documents reinforce that right. Why do they need your keys? (1) Locating water leaks -even it turns out that the leak not coming from your apartment, (2) no one has seen you in a week--perhaps the board should check on you(3) a storm breaks your window and it puts the rest of the building at risk, (4) you have not removed furniture from your balcony and the weather report includes storm or hurricane warnings, (5) a strange odor is emanating from somewhere on your floor--every unit must be checked. And so forth...And remember, when units are entered to be checked and not found to be the source of a problem, if your door is broken down, or lock damaged--you still pay. Give up the keys. Get it?

The Board is right in demanding all unit owners provide a key to their unit. This is a need protection for all unit owners-should something untold happen inside your unit while you are gone tghe masnagement needsn to be able to quickly acess your living space.

NO! Just give them the name and number of a family member or friend to let them in your unit if there is an emergency. I will never give them a key to get in or that would be an emergency! Our board is crazy!

The poster who suggests using the name & number of a family member or friend instead of giving a key, just doesn't get it. Water is leaking into the unit below yours'. What should the board do? Nothing? Hope that your friend or your mother is home and can get to your unit before the flood expands and triples the cost. Your Board isn't crazy--and it's you who is being unreasonable. While your case is waiting to go through the courts, you might sign an indemnification of the Board for any damages caused by their inability to enter your unit. Perhaps you would understand when you realize that you could be responsible for the payment of thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars.

It depends on state law and on your master deed and by-laws. In my state the issue is not addressed by state law but the by laws state that the board of administrators or their agents have the right for entry for a number of reasons mentioned above generally emergencies or need to do some maintenence.  
 
Tough luck if your condo board is crazy. Elect a new one if you don t like them. If you withheld the key, they have a right to get a locksmith to gain entry. Not too sure about breaking the doors. Again consult your master deed, bylaws and state and local law.

If it's an emergency there's no time to wait for a locksmith, the Management will break the door and you will pay for it. If management needs to enter your apartment for a non-emergency, like an odor then it would be reasonable for them to call a locksmith. However, you'll pay for the locksmith to open the lock and then to repair it. It seems to me that you are thinking purely of your own ego, and not of the good of the community as a whole.

I have been told that Fire, Blood, or Flood constitutes an emergency. What I have done is bought a lock box that I keep on my door with a set of keys inside. If a emergency arises they can call my emergency number and I will give them the code to get in and then I have the ability to change the code at any time. Works well at my association.

I appreciate the comments and understand about causing others any problems. However, it's only myself and one neighbor in our building. They built two units on top of a first level of garages. If they will accept the lock box suggestion, I will comply with that, but our by laws did state that you could make an alternative arrangement. My ego has nothing to do with it, it's my privacy! After all this is the same management company that allowed my soon to be ex in here two years ago and he cleaned me out in less than an hour. So after being violated once, I'm a bit sensitive about it. Imagine that. If I find one thing missing, guess who I'm going to be blaming?

I've lived in a condo for years and never had to provide a key. There has never been a situation where management has needed a key. If there is a true emergency such as a fire the fire department would have no problem in breaking down a door. Most owner's can be contacted for leaks, etc. Leaving a key with a trusted neighbor would solve the problem. People living in private houses seem to manage this situation. If I were forced to provide a key to management I'd be very tempted to give them a key that doesn't work. I would not feel safe knowing the management company could come into my unit at will.

to the first comment................I go long with you! 
 
No they cannot force you to ive the a key. If ther was emergency or fire, let the firemen knock down the door. Behind by locked door is my safe haven and no one will enter it that I do not want to enter. You have rights and this is one of them. Tell them to pick another soulation to their problem that would make everyone comfoortable with. They are the board not the police acadamy.

I can't understand the almost paranoiac fear of giving keys to management. Just imagine a large Condo, say 30 stories--there are so many reasons to enter apartments... 
 

Sandy Santiago wrote:  
 
I can't understand the almost paranoiac fear of giving keys to management. Just imagine a large Condo, say 30 stories--there are so many reasons to enter apartments...  
 
 
 
 
 
I can only say, that's the problem. There are many reasons someone might want to enter apartments and that's the very reason I wouldn't want to hand over my key. I certainly don't want management coming into my unit when I'm there! And I don't want the coming in when I'm not there and a friend or neighbor does not accompany them. Can you imagine how you'd feel if you were, let's say, sleeping, and suddenly you hear someone entering your unit without permission? When strangers have your key, expect trouble, and you have no control over who management gives keys to or who can access them for nefarious reasons. I am a woman living alone and my security is valuable to me. I don't trust even a management employee to have my key and free access to my unit.

No ego. Do not trust my board or management farther than I can throw them.The board and management are a bunch of egotistic putz. I will enjoy my privacy and security inside my condo. It is bad enough that they are taking my money and paying one of the board members husband to do sub standard work .I have caught them over paying contractors, no bids from the board members husband and the management doing what ever they want. I live in a ranch style 3 unit condo. The leaks have been on me and they have done nothing. Short of a fire which the fire department would break down my door. The management and board are not welcome in my unit. All my family has a cell phone so if they can't reach someone than they did not try. Why would I give a key to my home to stranger.(I do my strangers) Never even if I lived in a high rise. Call your fire department to see if you need to. Love my condo!!!! The board and management are nasty. By the way I just moved in. Not like I was here causing problems.

Please search your Condo Docs. Yes, most condos docs state that a keys is mandatory. It is also mandatory that we send you an "intent to enter" if we need to go in for non emergencies. i,e. unit inspections, leaks, etc. I know that its really hard for home owners to hand over a key to thier home to complete strangers, and it feels as though your privacy is being violatated, but it is completely necessary. When I am performing my annual smoke alarm inspections, I let owners know well in advance. I also give them an option to be home for the time and date I need to enter. I am very sensitive to homeowners concerns,and do everything possible to make the experience easier. I hate to hear when other property managers are not sensitive to thier homeowners concerns. Gives us all a bad name :/ If you have an alarm in your home, assign a specific code for Management so that u know when they're coming in and out. Also, you may want to ask Management where and how they secure your keys. They have systems where it tells you who, what, when and where your keys have been logged out. Hope this helps .

Tricia, you opened Pandora's Box with your question. I am a board member and have been for over 6 years. Even if our by-laws said we have the right to keep unit keys on hand we would not because we, the board members, do believe in the right to privacy. What we do ask for is an emergency contact number to be able to take care of true emergencies. Mandatory inspections, such as fire sprinklers or gas line issues, are dealt with in advance with plenty of forewarning so arrangements can be made to let the inspectors in the unit. The homeowner can also request that only the inspector can enter and not the board member that accompanies the inspector. 
 
 
 
Research your rights and don't sacrifice your security. 
 
 
 
Renee 
 

@TP - great advise about getting a lock box....thanks. I do not trust my board or management to have my keys. The resident manager has my phone number if there is an emergency.

For those of you who do not understand the consequences of a Board demanding a key, it violates a person's right to privacy. If the unit is on fire, the fire department is not going to wait for the management company, or the Board to show up with the key, they'll just break down the door. If water is leaking, again, waiting for the management company or Board to show up with a key at any time day or night is not even reasonable. Our Board has a history of hiring unreliable vendors, and giving them the keys to all the units. Considerable damage has occurred because the vendor had the key and stayed in the units when they were closed for the season. He actually broke our lock because he was too lazy to go back to his car to get the key ring. We spent over $100 trying to find a lock that would work on our patio door without luck, and the one we found that would lock the door has a funky key and we can't get duplicates made. So we've told our Board we will be responsible for damages, and we actually prepare our own unit for the off-season.

Look at your condo documents. If the bylaws state that a key is to be given to management or the Board for emergency entry, then you are required to do so. When you purchased, you agreed to abide by the condominium documents. Failing to read them before signing is no excuse. If the law in your state requires that a key be given, ditto. If you refuse to comply, expect that in a case of extreme emergency, your door will be broken down and you will be financially responsible. 
 
As many people have pointed out, problems in your unit may affect another unit and vice versa.  
 
You're on vacation. The line to your refrigerator's icemaker springs a leak and water is pouring into units under you. (This happened in my building.) Your privacy is more important to you than knowing that management could enter your unit and cut the water off to minimize damage to your neighbors' property? If you don't care about your neighbors, perhaps dollar signs will get your attention: Your insurance will probably have to pay for the damage caused and that affects your rates. 
 
Now think of the opposite. An upstairs neighbor's icemaker is the culprit and water is pouring into your unit. You're on vacation. Management cannot enter your unit to set up equipment to mitigate against mold.  
 
People who don't understand that with the conveniences of condominium living go the responsibilities of community living, should buy single family homes. Do that and you can enjoy the knowledge that, should certain emergencies happen in your home while you are absent, your privacy won't be compromised to fix the damage.  
 
To all the people who have insane, irresponsible, incompetent boards: Either make the effort to get rid of your current board or move to a condo that is better governed.  
 

Passante, 
 
 
 
We ALL live in a community. Home owner or condo owner. This is not the issue. The issue is what degree of privacy and liberty one can be required to give up in. 
 
 
 
In this case, giving up a key to your unit is indeed to high of a price to pay. I would suggest to anyone finding themselves in such a situation. 
 
 
 
a. Modify your association documents to prohibit this behaviour. 
 
b. If the board is uncooperative, work actively to replace them. 
 
c. Until a. and B. can be implemented, give a key that will not work. As stated many times above, if it is indeed a true emergency (the ONLY reason why access to your unit should be required) the property authorities will have no trouble breaking down your door. A small price to pay for liberty.