Key management policy

Purpose of policy

To promote consistent and correct key management in order to protect resident’s personal security, privacy and possessions whilst safeguarding University-owned Accommodation through a consistent and correct approach to key management.

Policy scope

Applies to any University-owned accommodation and any resident that has a signed contract or booking to stay in university-managed Accommodation.

Definition

Key: The instrument, which locks and unlocks your accommodation e.g. metal key, access card or fob.

Responsibility for implementation of policy

The Facilities Operations Manager will review the policy annually and proposed changes will be brought to the Campus Services Operations Team Meeting (acting as client) for approval.

The accommodation team are responsible for the administration relating to key issues, maintaining accurate records of all keys issued for access, and ensuring that they are returned promptly.

Further details can be found relating to keys in the Terms and Conditions of Residence clause 3.12.1.2.

The reception desks at The Village and The City are responsible for the implementation of this policy and all issues relating to key management and any charges associated with it. Any exception to this must be approved by the relevant duty manager.

All correspondence with residents in relation to this policy should only be undertaken via university email addresses and not private email addresses.

The Contract Period

Contract start

At the commencement of the contract, the site reception or other designated key collection points will issue to the resident one set of keys (additional sets will be kept at reception for any emergency access required).

At the point of issue the incoming resident will be required to sign and date that they have received one set of keys. No keys will be issued to a resident who doesn’t have a completed signed contract and/ or has not signed the handover sheet.

Lost key procedure

If a key is lost, replacements can only be issued by the local reception and furthermore will only be issued to the resident of the room after their identity has been confirmed, normally this will be by their student ID badge.

In exceptional circumstances keys will be issued without ID after additional ID security checks have been made but any such incident must be accompanied by a report from the relevant member of staff stating the supporting evidence they used to confirm identity.

Charge for lost key or fob

When a replacement key is issued the resident must sign to acknowledge receipt and furthermore that they will be charged £40 for a lost/stolen key or fob and further charges if a lock change is required up to the value of the works carried out (log in required, Terms and Conditions of Residence clause 3.10.4 & 3.12.1.2).

The resident will be given 48 hours to return the replacement key should they find the original, in such circumstances the charge for replacement will be refunded, if returned after this period then the charge will stand.

If a subsequent set of keys/card is lost/stolen the full cost of a replacement lock and keys necessary to ensure security for all may be charged.

Locked out of room

ID checks will be performed and you will either be let into your room by a member of staff or provided a replacement key in accordance with the ‘Lost Key procedure’ (above). All lock-outs attended by the University staff are recorded.

End of contract

Residents are responsible for returning the key to local reception upon departure. If keys, key fobs or key cards are not returned we will have to either fit new locks or replace the key fob or key card and we will charge you with the full cost of this.

Any resident who has lost their key at the end of the contract should report this to reception and will be charged the lost key fee, failure to do so will result in extra day charges being applied.

Access to rooms

Reception will only authorise access to an occupied flat by someone other than the resident after receipt of a signed letter from the resident or an email from their University account.

This request will only be agreed if it is specifically stated what objects or belongings they wish the third party to remove on their behalf, the third party will then be accompanied to the room by a member of staff and asked to sign paperwork confirming what has been removed. This process can take place Monday-Sunday 9am-5pm during term-time only.

Authorised staff

Reception will, when required, issue keys to University employed staff and other staff such as contractors, maintenance and porters when routine or emergency access is required and or the resident has requested a repair.

Reasonable notice

We (together with our contractors and other authorised visitors) have the right to enter the Accommodation to clean, inspect, repair, or for any other reasonable purpose consistent with our ownership of the Residences during the hours of 8am - 6pm.

If we wish to exercise this right we will, whenever reasonably practical, give you at least 48 hours written notice (which may be by e-mail) before entering the Accommodation. In that notice we will state the date and purpose of the visit. Advance notice will not be given in the case of an emergency when entry may be at any time.

Storage of Spare Keys

The spare keys will be stored in marked cabinets and during office hours will only be given out by reception staff, who must record time out, time back and who they were issued to. Outside of normal office hours all keys removed from the cabinet must be recorded in the same way. No member of staff should retain spare keys for any longer than is absolutely necessary.