Is Your Gated Community Security Up to Par?
Security systems are essential for any business, but when you’re partially responsible for the safety of residents, both the benefits and the penalties are more intense than they would be with a typical storefront. Fire safety and security systems are not only required to keep your property safe, but potential residents will absolutely consider their presence when choosing a place to call home. If the choice comes between an apartment complex with gated community security systems and one with nothing of the sort, the secure home is going to win.
Millennium Fire & Security is a local Central Florida security business. We come across so many gated communities that suffer repeated gate repairs that the owner must pay out of pocket for, as well as a general lack of security on the premises when their presence would be a financial benefit. In this article, we’ll explain:
- How you can save a substantial amount of money in gate repairs
- Why security systems are an investment and not an expense
- Florida laws that make you liable for lack of security maintenance
- How most insurance companies will cover electrical storm damage to your systems
You’re at Fault for Unmaintained Security
In Florida, property owners have a legal obligation to maintain their security systems and ensure the safety of their tenants. If a property owner fails to maintain their security system and a tenant is injured because of it, or suffers a loss (like a car theft or other stolen property), due to malfunction, the property owner may be held liable. Florida law dictates that property owners have a duty to uphold a reasonable level of safety, and failure to maintain a security system can be seen as a breach of this duty.
However, these laws shouldn’t persuade you to avoid installing security systems. Some systems like fire alarms are mandatory, but other optional security measures like parking lot security cameras or security gate cameras can save you a lot of money in damages, or become an investment that increases your monthly income.
License Plate Gate Cameras
Apartment complex security systems (or gated communities in general) start at the gate itself. Installing license plate cameras at the gates to your apartment complex or community is a must-have. They increase general security by providing you with video recordings of every car that enters and leaves your community. The cameras work by capturing high-quality images of every vehicle’s license plate that enters, allowing security personnel to quickly identify any unauthorized or suspicious vehicles. By placing visible signs near the gate, you’ll also deter criminal activity.
More importantly, license plate cameras provide you with video evidence of accidents. Gates are expensive to repair, costing upwards of $10,000 dollars every time someone crashes into them. Without cameras, you’d need to eat that cost every time. However, with cameras, you can determine exactly who caused the damage and foot them the bill.
Finally, license plate cameras help to manage the parking situation within the complex. By monitoring the license plates of vehicles that enter and exit the complex, management can keep track of which vehicles belong to residents and which belong to visitors. This helps to prevent parking violations and ensures there’s enough parking space for residents.
Parking Lot Security Cameras
Gated community security cameras are some of the best tools you have to deter crime and make your residents feel safe. They reduce criminal activity towards your residents as well as your property, which is good because 1,400 crimes take place in parking lots every year. Ultimately, security cameras also save you money in the long run.
Additionally, with a safer environment, good tenants are more likely to stay, reducing turnover and the associated costs of finding new tenants. At the same time, security wards off bad tenants prone to causing disturbances and reducing the quality of your community for others. By installing security cameras, you can justify increasing the rent of all your residents to cover the maintenance costs and then some.
However, you must keep your cameras in working condition. For example, if a resident is assaulted in the parking lot and your camera wasn’t operating at the time of the assault you could be held liable.
Fire Safety
Depending on the size of your housing, you may be required by Florida law to install fire safety equipment. However, even if you find that you’re not required to, fire safety is essential. Fire alarms, smoke detectors, and sprinklers all serve to keep your property safe, your insurance costs low, and your residents safe, especially when it’s the residents, not you, who are likely to cause a fire.
In the event of a fire, a functioning fire alarm can mean the difference between life and death. If the fire alarms are not functioning properly, residents may not be alerted to the presence of a fire until it’s too late to evacuate. If it’s ever discovered that your equipment was broken at the time of the fire, you may be held responsible for any resulting harm or death.
Lightning Strikes Can Be Covered by Insurance
Florida is the lightning capital of the world which poses a great danger to both security cameras and fire alarm systems. A strike could knock down your entire gated community security system, which would be an expensive repair, but we have good news.
In Florida, many insurance companies offer coverage for lightning strikes, and that covers your security cameras and fire safety systems. Many of our clients are understandably worried about covering the expensive repairs of a full security system should their property be struck by lighting, but few of them realize their insurance should cover it. It’s important that you review your insurance policy to determine what’s covered in the event of a lightning storm.
Millennium Is Here to Help
Between all the cameras, fire alarms, and insurance, it sounds like a lot to wrap your mind around, but we’re here to take care of it. Millennium Fire & Security is one of the best Central Florida security companies out there. We’re local to the area, offering fast results and customized security solutions to all our clients. We offer:
- Security camera installation & monitoring
- Fire alarm, smoke detector, and sprinkler system installation & inspections
- Access control installations
Install Your Gated Community Security Systems Today
Security is never an expense; it’s an investment in your business. By making your community safer and disincentivizing criminals from taking advantage of your residents, you make your properties that much more attractive to reliable people looking for a home. As a Central Florida security provider, we at Millennium are proud to be of service to you and to strengthen the safety of our community.
Contact us today to learn more about what we can do for you!