When we moved into our current building 20 years ago, there was a spate of mystery break-ins with minor thefts, but no signs of visible forced entry.
One of the daily newspapers (remember them?) ran with the story, more of a rumour, really, of a Spiderman thief who was clambering up the outside of the block and getting in via the balconies.
It was a yarn that excited imaginations and played into the traditional, almost pathological, Aussie hatred/fear of apartment living. The truth was, however, much more prosaic.
The manager, who’d been installed by the developer – I know, I know … we were new to all this – was giving master keys to security guys who were wandering into people’s apartments when they thought they were at work.
The master keys were eventually destroyed – although we only discovered after the building manager was literally chased out of the building, that he had secretly kept back five copies – and then a new problem arose.
What if you’d locked yourself out of your apartment? In the old days, the crap manager would let owners in with pass keys for free (but made tenants phone a locksmith).
There has to be a balance between security and accessibility.
This reality came home to a Flatchatter when a neighbour collapsed unexpectedly, and couldn’t move, and it was only by chance that they were able to rouse someone from their balcony.
But even then, the only way paramedics could get in was with the aid of the firies’ “big red key” – a fire axe.
So how do we keep our homes secure but ourselves safe in case of domestic accidents and incidents? You can answer that question HERE
Elsewhere in the Forum:
- Is it true that only 80 per cent of smoke detectors in a strata scheme need to be checked? That’s HERE.
- Will strata insurance cover damage cause to common property by my cleaners? Yes, no and maybe … that’s HERE.
- My strata scheme allows cats but bans dogs. I thought by-laws weren’t allowed to be “discriminatory”. That’s HERE.
- The neighbours external stairs need fixing but they want to go further and improve their look. Who pays? That’s HERE.
- Can 75 per cent of owners force an individual to sell their unit (while they don’t sell theirs)? That’s HERE.
- Oh no! Someone has complained about barbecue smoke and JimmyT’s on his soapbox again. That’s HERE.
There are so many questions and answers coming into the Flat Chat Forum these days that even recent posts and responses are dropping off the end of the “Recent Topics” list after a few days.
Don’t want to miss out? Check back every couple of days and “subscribe” to the topics you want to keep an eye on and you’ll be alerted when there’s something new.
I have one of those small key safes outside.