Key card security system at a condo, any experience of implementing one..

[rayongchelsea]

Hi

We are thinking of implementing a key card security system at our condo complex.

Security points

At the gate - ( with attendant)

At the underground parking.

At the door access into the building.

Has anyone got any recommendations as to which firm to use.

Can the system allow me to differentiate between visitors who will only have access to the open car park, but not to the underground park and door access.

What are other major considerations to take into account.

Thank you

Ps. Does it really add value to a property?

[Suradit69]

We went that route a few years ago. Don't know if it added value to the property but it definitely cut down on the number of people (and feral cats) wandering the halls. It was especially annoying because windows in the halls, and of course the roof, afforded great views of the city and there seemed to be an increasing number of people who felt these views were available to anyone who happened to be in the neighborhood. Now you have to pass through a set of glass doors with locks to enter elevators where there is also a security guard, or to enter stairways and through gates at points of entry to the parking area that are not manned by attendants. Much better.

The cards are simply held near the reader, not inserted as is the case in hotel room keys. But the plastic cards didn't last very long. They are being replaced by plastic discs about the size of a ten baht coin that seem more durable.

If you have some rental units and if some residents change live-in "partners" with the passage of time, you'll need to collect all the cards/tokens after awhile and reset the code because more and more of the old coded cards will be in the hands of non-residents.

Can't say who did the installation. Your manager could visit another building using them, decide if what he/she sees looks like what you want and have him/her chat with that building manager or just check by telephone.

Edited July 18, 2013 by Suradit69

[scorecard]

We went that route a few years ago. Don't know if it added value to the property but it definitely cut down on the number of people (and feral cats) wandering the halls. It was especially annoying because windows in the halls, and of course the roof, afforded great views of the city and there seemed to be an increasing number of people who felt these views were available to anyone who happened to be in the neighborhood. Now you have to pass through a set of glass doors with locks to enter elevators where there is also a security guard, or to enter stairways and through gates at points of entry to the parking area that are not manned by attendants. Much better.

The cards are simply held near the reader, not inserted as is the case in hotel room keys. But the plastic cards didn't last very long. They are being replaced by plastic discs about the size of a ten baht coin that seem more durable.

If you have some rental units and if some residents change live-in "partners" with the passage of time, you'll need to collect all the cards/tokens after awhile and reset the code because more and more of the old coded cards will be in the hands of non-residents.

Can't say who did the installation. Your manager could visit another building using them, decide if what he/she sees looks like what you want and have him/her chat with that building manager or just check by telephone.

My old condo building installed a key card (proximity card) system about 5 years ago.

Was it successful to increase security? NO, because many owners / residents went out and deliberately left the door wide open until they returned, perhaps a minute later, perhaps all day later.

Was it successful to increase security? NO, because many owners came home without their card, went to the condo office to borrow a card, opened the door then left the card on a ledge right alongside the security door.

Was it successful to increase security on the car park floors?* NO, because many owners / residents went out and deliberately left the door wide open. and anybody could easily get access to these floors from the outside soi.

Was it designed properly? NO, because an owners committee member insisted that her nephew knew all about this subject and he got the job. In reality he had previously worked as an installation assistant for a few days. Also, a couple of committee members pleaded to have all the door hinge systems changed so that the doors could NOT be left wide open. This was seen as completely unnecessary spending and the hinged were not changed.

Systems like this need proper design from an expert, and you still need to have live security guards roaming the building.

*in my old condo the guards had to in fact increase their patrols of the car parks.

[sotsira]

My previous condo had a key card entry system fitted when i lived there.

Once installed the system became more of a hinderance to all the co-owners

instead of improving the security of the building.

Anyone approaching to enter without a card was still allowed entry by the security guards.

Doors were purposely left open.

Keycards were easily available for sale at the management office, turning it in to a revenue

earner more than a security deterrent.

Keycards fell in to the wrong hands due to ex partners of co-owners keeping hold of them.

Also rental tenants not returning them when vacating their rooms.

As for improving the valuation of the building? i would say no, due to the ugliness of entering a

residential building that feels more like a secure prison, takes away the homely nature of the

building.

So all in all a complete waste of time and money.

[rayongchelsea]

Thank you all for your replies.

This has been very helpful to me.

I think I will revisit this with the committee.