Protecting your strata property from intruders

As developments become more modern we are seeing an increase in restaurants and bars attached to strata accommodations. Whilst these are a great addition and can add value to an investment they can also create opportunities for the intoxicated patrons of these businesses to use and walk through common areas.

This casual trespassing into strata common areas, despite being frowned upon by owners and tenants, is often unavoidable. Without adequate security these cases of intrusion can often lead to vandalism of property.

Expecting your building’s onsite manager to handle situations where intruders disrupt the peace of your building is unrealistic, and depending on the situation, can be dangerous as well. If there is an intruder in your complex it should be handled by onsite security or the police should be called. The procedure for handling these situations should be made clear in the building's by-laws and communicated to every tenant.

To avoid unwelcome intruders, most strata schemes engage security companies to conduct random patrols at night. In some cases static guards are also employed to patrol common areas during busier times like long weekends and holidays.

Installing CCTV cameras is another way to increase security in your building, however there are rules and scheme by-laws that will govern what can and can’t be done in terms of security cameras. Check with your body corporate to be certain of what’s allowed in your complex.

Sometimes, protecting your building from intruders can be as simple as closing doors behind you, taking notice of suspicious people and reporting them to security or your on-site manager.

Whether you reside in an older building or a state-of-the-art apartment block, always make sure you speak to your body corporate before taking any action to increase security measures for your property.