If you want to keep your condominium safe, you may have to review your building’s bylaws.

These building laws are essentially directions and regulations developed by a condominium strata council to promote the safety, security and welfare of owners, property and assets of the corporation.

Bylaws bind the strata corporation and the owners with a signed, sealed and delivered covenant of provisions that must be withheld.

The importance of incorporating bylaws hinges on the fact there are weak links living within the building.

I’m talking about negligent owners who don’t care about building security.

These folks affect the rest of the owners by driving up insurance rates and endangering family and friends.  

Bylaws are one of the most underused and most effective ways to bring building security under control. These laws should contain rules for the safety and security of all condo owners.

For example, a good way to control the ownership of the building’s common area keys is to define certain rules in the bylaws.

Many condominiums have high-security keys. A great way to monitor and protect ownership of the key is to state in the bylaws that if a key is stolen or lost, the person responsible will have to pay for the rekeying of the building.

This could be a large expense to the owner who lost the key, however, it will help tighten the security of the building by forcing key holders to be more responsible for their keys.

One of the largest breaches of security in a condominium can be found at the overhead parking gates.

People who don’t wait for the overhead parking gates to fully close before entering or exiting a building could constitute a warning or fine, but only if it is written in the bylaws.

Letting strangers into the building could end up costing the guilty party. If building bylaws state you are not to let strangers into the building and you feel the need, be prepared to pay the price.

Propping doors open and leaving them unattended could also warrant a financial penalty.

Another excellent bylaw would require owners to report new company who will be staying in the building.

Filling out forms with information regarding length of time the person will be staying, the type of vehicle they drive, what the person looks like and who they will be staying would be a great benefit to the building’s security.

This information should be sent to all owners so they are aware of any new faces seen walking throughout the building.

Frank Fourchalk writes bi-weekly on home and business security for The Peace Arch News. www.yourhomesecurity.ca