Management changing fob access to restrict access unlawfully

*** List I LIVE IN HIGH RISE OF 9 STORIES.
I DID HAVE ACCESS TO ALL LEVELS OF THE BUILDING
USING A FOB.
RECENTLY I NOTICED I HAVE ONLY ACCESS TO MY FLOOR.I AM AN OWNER OF THE APARTMENT IN THIS BUILDING.BEING AN OWNER I SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO ALL AREAS OF THE BUILDING ESPECIALLY LEVEL 9 WHICH IS A DECK WITH BARBECUES AND SPAS.THE BLOCK HAS A MANAGER AND RECEPTIONIST.I AM CONCERNED THAT THE RECEPTIONIST WHO HAS A BAD ATTITUDE HAS CHANGED MY ACCESS OF MY FOG INTENTIONALLY BECAUSE THE MANAGER DID NOT KNOW.
BASICALLY I FEEL THAT SHE HAS VIOLATED MY RIGHTS AND I AM INTENDING TO SEEK LEGAL ADVICE.MY WIFES FOB HAS ALSO BEEN RESTRICTED.
CAN ANYONE GIVE ADVICE ON THIS .

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Just one immediate suggestion… please don’t post in All Caps… its very difficult to read. As for the level 9 issue, perhaps they are stopping everyone from going to that level out of a sense of social responsibility. You might find when the virus issue is over, everything will return to normal. I’m just guessing of course.

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Please note @SueW advice, and welcome to the community.

You indicated you are an owner.
Is the property subject to a strata title scheme in your state? Separate to the appointed building manager, there would also be a Body Corporate, of which each owner is a voting member.

For new properties there is usually a transition period between the Developer and owners for the Body Corporate. For an established strata title property, the Body Corporate (Owners Body) might have made a decision. Without shared details, in lower case, concerning the property, state and strata title, It will be very difficult for any to comment.

It’s unusual that the BC and Manager, have not communicated the reason, irregardless of the reasons.
Perhaps if you approach both politely and ask for an explanation, it will be clearer for all. Please share if you can the response.

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Did you ask the management or receptionist about it? That would be an obvious first step.

As well as difficult to read as @SueW notes, unless one has a disability posting in all uppercase is internet for ‘yelling’ if unaware.

Bingo!

* @draughtrider will understand :wink:

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Other possibilities include:

  • software upgrade of the system with new features and new default values (it is not uncommon for people to upgrade software/firmware/etc without reading the release notes; also not uncommon for such upgrades to contain ‘surprises’, even when release notes are read and upgrade procedures are followed). It is also possible people are unaware the upgrade has happened.
  • someone made an erroneous change to the access system and have no idea it affected you and potentially others.
  • given L9 has spas (all communal swimming is banned where I am) maybe someone has taken the initiative to enforce restrictions and enhance ‘social distancing’ by limiting access.

The first two points wouldn’t necessarily be communicated - potentially not even known or understood. The last point I’d expect to be communicated and backed up bi signage.

All that aside, any system worth using and correctly implemented will have an audit trail showing when the changes were made and who made them.

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Many higher multistorey buildings, both residential and commercial only allow tenants/owners access to their own floor. This is due to security and also to prevent say thieves access the whole building should they obtain one of the building’s fobs.

It also prevents children (or fools) pushing every floor button on departing the lift to annoy tenants/residents, particularly in times of high demand (peak hour).

Maybe the building access protocols are being updated to current standard practice for similar multi-floored building.

In relation to the 9th floor, @SueW could be on the money about social distancing and restricting access to areas where people congregate. A question from my end is level 9 a common area under the body corporate or is it a restricted area (such as limited to those which have the privellege such as for penthouse owners or those who pay for such access). If the later is the case, maybe past access which you had should not have been granted and the body corporate is re-establishing the appropriate access right.

As outlined above, members of the community can only guess why access has been changed and the easiest way to find out why, is to ask building management or the body corporate (or what it is called in your own state). Please be reasonable/unemotional when asking as being confrontational will only make the situation for everyone worse.

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If there is a manager and a receptionist this lends itself to the notion that there are short term rentals or holiday lettings in the complex.

As others have indicated, perhaps the restrictions on your fob are the default setting to stop these ‘outsiders’ from accessing areas they shouldn’t. Has your complex had problems, such as with Airbnb rentals?

Whether you come asking help from here, or legal advice from solicitors, the first thing will be to gather the facts from you. If you had presented the facts up front it would have made it much easier to provide you with advice.

Based on the information you have provided so far, perhaps it is time to charm the receptionist, change her attitude, and then ask politely if there is a reason why you & your wife can’t access areas you formerly could.

If there are no legitimate reasons and the receptionist won’t change the fobs, then you should talk politely to the manager. If the manager does not satisfy you, as has been suggested, write to Body Corporate outlining the facts and asking for your fobs to be changed to give access.

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