Apartment Security: Locks, Keys and Owners Corporations

Apartments and units are a growing share of homes around Burwood East, especially near Burwood One, along Burwood Highway, and around Kingsway and the station in Glen Waverley. Securing an apartment is a little different from securing a house. There are shared entries, restricted key systems, owners corporation rules, and often an automatic deadlatch that is far too easy to get locked out by. This guide explains what apartment owners and renters need to know.

How apartment lock systems usually work

Most apartment buildings have several layers of access:

1. The building entry, often a fob, swipe card or intercom-controlled door.
2. Common areas, such as car parks, bin rooms, storage cages and gyms.
3. Your own entry door, usually a deadlatch, sometimes with a separate deadbolt.
4. Letterboxes and storage, which often have their own keys.

In many buildings these are tied together in a master key system. Your key opens your door, the common areas you use and your letterbox. The building manager's key opens common areas. Keys may be restricted, meaning they can only be cut by an authorised locksmith on approval from the owners corporation.

Restricted keys: why you cannot just get a copy

Restricted keys use a protected key profile. Blank keys are controlled and are not available to key-cutting kiosks. That protects everyone in the building: nobody can quietly copy a key to the car park or the bin room.

If your building uses restricted keys:

• You will usually need written authorisation from the owners corporation or building manager to get extra keys.
• Rekeying your apartment door may need to fit within the building's master key system.
• Lost keys should be reported to the building manager.

We work with building managers to cut authorised keys and rekey doors correctly. If you are unsure whether your building uses restricted keys, look for a stamp such as "Do not copy" or a code on the key, or ask your building manager.

Your apartment entry door

The automatic deadlatch problem

Most apartment entry doors use a deadlatch that locks as soon as the door closes. It is secure and convenient, but it is the reason apartment lockouts are so common. Taking the bins down without your keys is enough.

Ways to reduce the risk:

• Keep a spare key with a trusted neighbour, friend or family member.
• Ask whether your deadlatch can be set not to deadlock automatically.
• Build the habit of checking for keys before stepping out.

If you are locked out, our lockout service is available 24/7. We will ask for proof that you live there before opening the door.

Adding a deadbolt

Some owners add a deadbolt for extra security, especially on ground-floor apartments. Check with your owners corporation first, as some buildings have rules about changes to entry doors, particularly fire-rated doors.

Fire-rated entry doors

Many apartment entry doors are fire-rated. Their hardware is part of that rating. Changing locks on a fire door should use compatible, approved hardware, and the door must still close and latch properly on its own. We check before fitting anything.

Balcony and courtyard doors

Ground-floor courtyards and low balconies can be accessed from outside. Their sliding doors deserve the same attention as a house:

• A working latch that engages fully.
• A keyed bolt or secondary lock.
• Anti-lift protection on older sliders.

Our guide to sliding door security explains these options.

Windows in apartments

Ground-floor and low-level windows should have working latches and, ideally, keyed locks. Upper-floor windows in homes with young children benefit from restrictors that limit the opening. See window locks.

Renters in apartments

Renters should get consent from their rental provider before changing or adding locks, and in buildings with restricted systems, the owners corporation may also need to approve. Our guide to landlord and tenant lock rules in Victoria covers this.

Moving into an apartment

When you buy or rent an apartment:

1. Count the keys and fobs you receive.
2. Ask the building manager how many were issued.
3. Ask whether the system is restricted.
4. Arrange rekeying of your entry door if keys are unaccounted for.
5. Update your letterbox key if needed.

Owners corporations and building managers

We work with owners corporations and building managers to:

• Repair and replace common-area locks.
• Rekey doors within master key systems.
• Cut authorised restricted keys.
• Service exit hardware on common doors.

If you manage a building around Burwood East, Glen Waverley or nearby, our commercial locksmith service covers shared-building work.

Common apartment lock problems

• Deadlatches that do not catch because the door has dropped.
• Door closers that slam or fail to close the door fully.
• Stiff keys in cylinders exposed to weather on open walkways.
• Letterbox locks that seize.
• Sliding balcony doors that will not latch.

Most of these are lock repair jobs.

Security tips for apartment living

• Do not let strangers follow you through the building entry.
• Report broken entry doors or closers to the building manager quickly.
• Keep your storage cage locked with a quality padlock.
• Do not label your keys with your apartment number.

Get help with your apartment locks

We are at 50 Middleborough Rd, Burwood East, and work on apartments and units across Glen Waverley, Burwood and the surrounding suburbs. Call 03 4422 2837 or request a quote online. Emergency lockouts are handled 24/7.