Apartment Security

[STElmoFranco]

Hi,

I was wondering if any of you guys do anything to secure your temporary rental apartments besides locking the door?

I may just be overly concerned, but I can't help but wonder what's stopping an ex-renter from making a copy of the key and coming back later and stealing all your stuff?

 

[sergio]

What you say is theoretically true. Changing locks after each guest would be very expensive and time consuming. I am sure that there is not a single rental agency that does this. Most renters are overseas visitors and not likely to be thieves. I think the chances of theft are remote.

 

[wreReynolds]

I had my apartment in Recoleta broken into (on new years eve!!). But suspect the Portero was in on it. No proof of course, but it all seemed rather convenient. He had seen me leave with food for a dinner elsewhere and there was no real signs of forced entry. In my experience I would worry more aout crooked porteros (who all think foreigners are rich) than former tenants, who are mostly back in europe or the US.

 

[Greg2231]

I have multiple locks one of which is from Panzer.com.ar which uses a exclusive key which can only be duplicated by them, also I only give the temporary tenants a key to one of the locks allowing me to use the other when the apartment is not rented. also I have a ADT security system which I use when no one is in the apartment as an additional level of protection.

 

[kikedeolivos]

Hi,

I was wondering if any of you guys do anything to secure your temporary rental apartments besides locking the door?

I may just be overly concerned, but I can't help but wonder what's stopping an ex-renter from making a copy of the key and coming back later and stealing all your stuff?

You can get renter's insurance with La Meridional - AIG in Argentina.

 

[irishvan]

My concern is the portero. My friend had things continually stolen from her apartment as the lease was running out.
How much is it to get the lock changed? Do you have to call a locksmith or can it be done by someone with handyman skills?

 

[jez]

My concern is the portero. My friend had things continually stolen from her apartment as the lease was running out.
How much is it to get the lock changed? Do you have to call a locksmith or can it be done by someone with handyman skills?

If you have more than one lock or someone who can stay at home, take a screwdriver and unscrew the lock from the door, take it to a locksmith and either get it replaced or the combination changed and new keys cut. A new lock will be about AR$ 100 - 140, (AR$ 80 to change the combination) and keys will be about AR$ 8 each depending on your neighbourhood.

 

[jenandj]

I'd like to revisit this thread as I've been having a similar problem lately. Similar in that we're renting a temporary apartment and it seems that the portero is coming in when we're out, though we've been shocked in that he doesn't seem to have stolen anything (yet.) However, as our lease is coming to an end we're starting to get worried that items may start disappearing soon.

We haven't moved out since we have been in Argentina for around a year now, and have come to agree that it's better the thief you know than the one you don't. However, we're feeling like our privacy has been violated and aren't happy with the situation.

Has anyone on the board tried changing the lock on a temporary rental? I'm worried that this will affect our security deposit in that we'll end up paying for the new lock twice (or more if you count in the markup the rental agency will apply, etc.) Any experiences with this?

Are there any other strategies for dealing with this type of situation, or any thoughts on why the portero would repeatedly enter and not stealing anything?

 

[va2ba]

I would think the easiest thing in that situation, if you feel that someone is breaking in (I would also suspect the maid if you have one, since they have keys as well) would be to turn on a webcam and hide it so when someone comes in, you'll know it.

I'm sure theres someway to record the webcam online so even if they steal it and your computer, you could still know who it was.

And I would NOT recommend changing the locks in a temporary rental without written permission from the owner. I could see some greedy porteño using it as an excuse to keep ALL of the deposit.

 

[HenryNisental]

It is a good idea to change the locks of anyplace you move into, even an apartment rental on the beach.
Locksmiths are very busy in this country in the Atlantic coast in the summer, everybody does it!!!!.