After Hours Lock Outs

Apartment Lock Out

We have all taken the 3 am call for lockout service. “Hi, I locked myself out of my apartment; can you have someone from your team come and let me in?”

And we all have some form of the following:

Apartment Lock-Out Policy

If residents lose their key or become locked out of their apartment, the following options are available: [loosely adapted from a quick search result on Google]:

  1. During posted regular business hours (excluding holidays), residents may come to the main office for assistance.
  2. After regular business hours, but before 9:00 pm, residents may contact the emergency phone number provided on the office door or the recorded message, and a staff member, if available, will open the door.
  3. After 9:00 pm, no lockout service is available, and residents have the option of calling a locksmith at residents’ own cost and expense.

Is it Customer Service or a Serious Liability?

I do admit that I see the people side of this in that we want to be there to assist with any after-hours calls, no matter nature.

I also see the downside in that many of us do the service but charge for it if it is after hours.

In that case, right or wrong, I see severe liability in asking my service team to collect a check, cash, or money order before handing out a key.

I also see an obligation in asking them to rifle through a resident’s file to compare and contrast ID’s against written records.

Or, even worse, they just take the resident’s word for it.

In any case, I am looking for some quick thoughts on the subject.

Is it a good move to stop doing lockout service altogether during off-hours and leave residents on their own?

Your always wondering multifamily maniac,

M

0 Responses

  1. I have seen both sides of it.  Currently, we do lock outs at all hours but I would like to do the locksmith.  You brought up very good points as we are in a high crime area.   I will be doing some serious thinking on this.  We have 4 techs who live onsite so that does help with the call outs but I could see something happening with not double checking the DL and file. 

    1. Peggy

      Thank you for taking the time to comment. Serious thinking is the real premise for this post as we share your ‘high crime area’ dilemma. 

      Take care and have an amazing weekend. M

  2. What about teaming up with a Locksmith to provide the service for your residents at a lower cost for “exclusivity”?  Then they can provide you with a key because you know people change the locks and NEVER get the key to the office. They would take the liability and deal with cash, check or charge?

    1. Donje

      Thank you for taking the time to pen a comment. Would love to see you back in the future. 

      I really like your idea of exclusivity and a discounted rate – it makes taking the service away a little more palatable. And, the liability goes away. 

      Take care and have a smashing superbowl sunday. 

      M

  3. We worked out a price discount with a local locksmith then gave all residents the locksmiths business card along with the price. The price was negotiated as a flat rate regardless of day or time. 
    After a year we noticed the lockout incidents had decreased. 

    1. Dee 

      Awesome idea. Seems like you and Donje are of like mind. 
      Thank you for taking time out of your day to pen a comment; means a great deal to us. 

      Take care and have an awesome superbowl sunday!

      M

  4. As a vacation homeowner with properties on sites like HereStay and HomeAway, I’ve had to open quite a few doors in my day.  It’s my full time job, I don’t mind it.

  5. I would love to do away with the service tech allowing access, as this opens up the liability issue you speak of.  I really like what Dee is doing and think we as a company should consider such an option.

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