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Guests Signing In

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Guests Signing In

Postby RC5000 » Fri Jan 13, 2012 1:50 pm

Our building has just instituted this. All guests, even when accompanied by a tenant, must sign in with their name and phone number. Our building has a ZERO crime rate since I've been here (many decades). So, crime is no problem. Is this legal or an invasion of tenant privacy?
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Postby TenantNet » Fri Jan 13, 2012 2:04 pm

Is this a hotel, a SRO, or a regular apartment building? Are the units rent regulated? Before this new policy, had there been any sign-in requirements, front desk or security?
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Postby RC5000 » Fri Jan 13, 2012 2:11 pm

This is a regular apartment building, some rent regulated units; some market rate, say, 50/50. The only policy up to now has been a sign saying all guests must be announced but in fact, if you got buzzed in, that was it. Never a requirement to sign anything. The only security has been the "24 hour" doorman (which really means like 20 hours), who generally didn't worry. Again, there's never been even one incident in the building; very safe neighborhood.
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Postby TenantNet » Fri Jan 13, 2012 4:14 pm

I could see this one going either way. A LL can institute reasonable rules for a building, but this would also be a change in the terms and conditions for the rent stab tenants, usually not permitted.

Even though lightly enforced, that there has been a security guard and the policy that visitors must be announced could be seen as a continuation of an existing policy, and in some eyes might not be that onerous.

That the building is seen as safe is irrelevant, but could be seen as being safe because of security measures. I could see guests signing in with their name, but adding additional information like phone number might be too much. If someone doesn't want to give their phone number is the building refusing to let them in even if the tenant says it's OK?
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Postby RC5000 » Fri Jan 13, 2012 5:52 pm

Thanks. I'm not sure about the phone number issue, that is, if a guest refuses to put it down or puts down some obvious fake number and the doorman doesn't permit that, then what?

Much appreciated response.
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Postby Emeraldstar » Fri Jan 13, 2012 11:43 pm

Hi All
My LL has a door man bld and they only require a signature. Seems to me a phone # is a bit much. If your doorperson got itchy they could always ask to see ID. Look at it this way, if there was an incident it would be the police's problem to track down a guest not the LL's
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Postby ronin » Sun Jan 15, 2012 2:28 am

The phone # requirement seems a bit much and the regulated tenants would have a great claim for invasion of privacy.

My hunch is that the LL is trying to give his investigators ammo to use against the regulated tenants. Ask around and see if any of the regulated tenants have been getting calls from strangers using their friend's names. That might be worth a lot of money in tort.
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