Property Key and Access Control Guide
Inventory copies, not just “keys received”
Create an entry for every access point: apartment door, building entrance, parking or storage, mailbox, technical room or remote. Record copy count, type, holder and issue/return date. If copies outside your control cannot be accounted for, the chain of custody is weak even if the lock works.
Resetting access is a control decision
After buying a resale property, ending a tenancy, losing a key or changing a manager/contractor, ask whether every copy can be accounted for. If not, changing the cylinder or reprogramming access restores a known trust boundary. Do not unilaterally alter common-area locks or doors; check building management and the management plan.
Digital codes need an owner and an expiry
Avoid one permanent code for owner, tenant, cleaner and technician. Where the system permits, create separate users or time-limited codes and record who created them and when they expire. When a user leaves, revoke the credential itself rather than merely asking them not to use it.
Camera and entry logs are not unrestricted privileges
KVKK guidance treats identifiable camera footage as personal-data processing. It requires notice of recording, protection against unauthorized sharing and access limited to authorized persons. Define who may view or export footage and for what purpose.
Security must not compromise an escape route
Before adding an electric lock, door or barrier on a common route, check building management and current fire-safety requirements. Istanbul Fire Brigade provides the applicable building fire-protection regulations; escape and protective elements should not be altered as an uncoordinated individual security measure.
A handover record closes the chain of custody
At sale, tenancy handover or manager replacement, attach a list of keys, remotes, cards, codes and digital users to the handover record. Disable old credentials after testing the new ones and retain issue/return dates.
When can changing the apartment lock make sense even if it is not broken?
When you cannot account for all copies after a resale purchase, tenant departure, lost key or manager change. The purpose is to restore known control over access, not to repair a mechanical defect.
Is one shared access code best for all service providers?
No. A shared code makes revocation and attribution difficult. Use a separate or time-limited credential where the system supports it, and revoke it when the task ends.
Who should be able to view apartment or site camera footage?
Under KVKK guidance, access should not be open to everyone; it should be limited to authorized persons, with unauthorized sharing prevented and proper notice and safeguards in place.