LL forces residents to use an app to unlock door to building

[macnyc2003]

My friend's 80/20 building uses a similar app, but what I don't like is that it replaces having a "house" phone. In other words, there's no separate phone or intercom installed in her apartment. If the doorman needs to reach her, he uses the app to call her on her cell phone. Also, she has a regular metal key for her actual apartment door. I would not feel comfortable with an app that could open my apartment door remotely. She can let people into the building remotely, though, through the app. The app shows her a live photo of the person trying to get in.

My landlord installed a keycard system a few years ago, with cameras that take our photo each time we enter that can be compared with the photo on the keycard. We fought the system because we didn't want our comings and goings monitored, but we lost.

[SeventhFloor]

What happens in the event when there is a loss of power? Do they have a backup plan for that?

[SoullessOne]

Originally Posted by Mr. Ryu

The landlord should have provided the keycard option in the beginning to all tenants. When a building switches from a regular key to a FOB key, the building has to provide all tenants a FOB key free of charge.

It should be the same with this system. It seems like the landlord was trying to bypass that option to save money on buying keycards. "just get the app, bye!"

Also, they have to use this app to access the elevator and mailbox room. That is a little bit too much. If you have a food delivery you will have to go downstairs to fetch your food or generate a code so the delivery person can input. LOL.

Its not a little too much. I stay in luxury apartments for months at a time and its a welcomes security feature to keep people out and off the floors that do not belong in there and cuts down on security risks if someone looses their keys or decided to have a locksmith friend cut extra keys. I use systems like this to get in the building and use it to unlock the mail room and unlock the elevator. If food delivery comes there was a 24 hours concierge desk and they can unlock the door and elevator for the guests (Im not sure if these tenants have that 24 attended lobby but they do have an intercom where they should be able to open the door for guests remotely). When I was in NYCHA basically everyone had a key to the front door when it worked....why? Because one of the tenants knew someone who could duplicate the keys. Each household was given 2 keys and extra/replacement keys cost $25. The tenant decided to undercut them and sell keys for $15. Might as well prop the door open.

If this is anything like the system Hilton Hotels uses, then they can get a RFID card to unlock the door and elevator, it works the same as a keyfob (RFID) and can still track whose coming in and out the building and at what times because its all logged in the system.

It seems to me that the main issue here is that since it involves a cellphone technophobes are scared of privacy invasion or are just looking for a reason to sue. Even if you take the cellphone out of the equation the LL can still track whose coming in and out at what times and disable keys that have not been used in 6 months to improve security.

I do agree with you that the LL Effed up by not offering them the cards to cut costs and limited them to the app only as when buildings switch from keys to fobs they usually make residents exchange old keys for new fobs and if they want extra then the tenant have to pay.

[loribell38]

Originally Posted by SoullessOne

Its not a little too much. I stay in luxury apartments for months at a time and its a welcomes security feature to keep people out and off the floors that do not belong in there and cuts down on security risks if someone looses their keys or decided to have a locksmith friend cut extra keys. I use systems like this to get in the building and use it to unlock the mail room and unlock the elevator. If food delivery comes there was a 24 hours concierge desk and they can unlock the door and elevator for the guests (Im not sure if these tenants have that 24 attended lobby but they do have an intercom where they should be able to open the door for guests remotely). When I was in NYCHA basically everyone had a key to the front door when it worked....why? Because one of the tenants knew someone who could duplicate the keys. Each household was given 2 keys and extra/replacement keys cost $25. The tenant decided to undercut them and sell keys for $15. Might as well prop the door open.

If this is anything like the system Hilton Hotels uses, then they can get a RFID card to unlock the door and elevator, it works the same as a keyfob (RFID) and can still track whose coming in and out the building and at what times because its all logged in the system.

It seems to me that the main issue here is that since it involves a cellphone technophobes are scared of privacy invasion or are just looking for a reason to sue. Even if you take the cellphone out of the equation the LL can still track whose coming in and out at what times and disable keys that have not been used in 6 months to improve security.

I do agree with you that the LL Effed up by not offering them the cards to cut costs and limited them to the app only as when buildings switch from keys to fobs they usually make residents exchange old keys for new fobs and if they want extra then the tenant have to pay.

Perfectly said. It's case of damned if you do. Damned if you don't. Tenants seem to just always want to complain about something here in NYC. They complain security is really bad. So what do landlords do? This exactly. Then they still complain.

One major reason we did it was we have lots of tenants that think it is OK to rent out apts using Airbnb. Many of our tenants are on housing voucher programs. But the cost out weighed the risks for us. So we went for it. And so far everyone loves it. Except of course. The people that want to break the rules. We were able to evict lots of tenants & many got barred from access to the voucher program for breaking terms of lease. And the biggie of course. Welfare fraud charge. As when you are on government housing assistance. You of course are never allowed to sublet. Welfare fraud big time.

Our self pay tenants are thrilled with the system & love it. But we went the extra 9 yards. That not many landlords would do. As we have a lot of elderly & disabled tenants. We purchased them new phones as a gift. Then give them a monthly stipend to cover the higher cost of their phone bill. We had someone teach them how to use the system as well.

So far not 1 tenant has complained. They are all even grateful we installed the system honestly & love the technology. And feel safer. Not anyone can just walk in anymore. Not many Class C properties in less desirable neighborhoods will do this. Most landlord with Class A properties are turning to this kind of system now. As those tenants are expecting it more & more.Eventually they all will. At least for Class A properties. We are considering this for a few of our Class B properties now.