How do you audit a condo’s access points quickly? Walk every entry point with a checklist in one afternoon: the main gate, car park barriers, pedestrian gates, block lobbies, lift lobbies, service gates and the perimeter. For each one, check who can get in, how they are verified, whether entries are recorded, whether the hardware works and whether CCTV covers it. Score each point, then turn the findings into a short, prioritised action list for the MCST council.
Most condos have never done a structured access audit. Problems are discovered one complaint at a time: a broken side gate here, a camera pointing at a wall there. A planned audit finds them all at once and gives the council a clear picture before the next budget or AGM.
Before you start
Prepare these before the walk-through:
- A site plan showing every entrance, gate and lobby.
- The list of security equipment: barriers, readers, intercoms, door stations, LPR cameras and CCTV.
- The last 12 months of incident reports and resident complaints.
- The current visitor, contractor and delivery SOPs.
- The security supervisor, who knows the daily reality at each post.
Allow about three to four hours for a medium-sized estate. Visit once in daylight and, if possible, return briefly after dark to check lighting and camera night performance.
The five questions for every access point
- Who is allowed in here? Residents, visitors, contractors, deliveries, staff?
- How are they verified? Card, face, QR, plate, guard check, or nothing?
- Is every entry recorded? Digital log, logbook, or no record?
- Does the hardware work properly? Do doors close and lock, do barriers come down quickly, do readers respond?
- Is it covered by CCTV? Can you identify a face or plate on the footage, day and night?
Audit template by location
Access point audit checklist
| Location |
What to check |
| Main guardhouse |
Visitor registration method; NRIC handling; logbook security; guard visibility of gates and screens; phone and intercom working |
| Car park barriers |
Barrier closing speed; tailgating risk; LPR or card working; plate readability day and night; visitor parking signage |
| Pedestrian gates |
Self-closing and locking; reader working; door-held-open alarm; CCTV view of faces |
| Block lobbies |
Door closers; reader or door station; intercom to units; CCTV at entrance; parcel drop-off risk |
| Basement lift lobbies |
Access control between car park and lifts; CCTV; lighting |
| Service and loading gates |
Who opens them; contractor pass checks; gates left open; CCTV |
| Perimeter fence and walls |
Gaps, damage, climbable points; overgrown landscaping; lighting |
| Facilities |
Pool, gym and function room access controlled; booking checks |
| Bin centre and back-of-house |
Doors locked; access for cleaners and refuse collection controlled |
Score each access point
Use a simple three-level score so the council can see priorities at a glance:
- Red: a serious gap, such as a gate that does not lock, no verification or no CCTV at a main entrance. Fix immediately.
- Amber: works but has weaknesses, such as slow barriers, manual logbooks or poor night images. Plan to fix within the year.
- Green: controlled, recorded and covered.
Example scoring sheet
| Access point |
Verification |
Recording |
Hardware |
CCTV |
Overall |
| Main gate (vehicles) |
Guard check |
Logbook |
Barrier slow |
Plates unreadable at night |
Amber |
| Side pedestrian gate |
Card |
Card log |
Closer broken |
None |
Red |
| Block A lobby |
Card and intercom |
Card log |
Working |
Covered |
Green |
Common findings in Singapore condos
- Side gates with broken closers that stay open for hours.
- Old proximity cards that are easy to copy, and many cards still active for former tenants.
- CCTV pointed at the wrong area, or unable to read plates at night.
- Visitor logbooks left open on the guardhouse counter, sometimes with full NRIC numbers.
- Contractor access that does not end when renovations finish.
- Barriers that stay up too long, allowing cars to tailgate.
Turning findings into actions
Group the actions into three buckets:
- Quick fixes (this month): door closers, camera angles, barrier timing, signage, deactivating old cards, securing logbooks.
- Process changes (this quarter): updated visitor, contractor and delivery SOPs; PDPA-friendly visitor registration; regular audit reviews.
- Upgrades (next budget): digital visitor management, licence plate recognition, smart door stations and CCTV improvements.
For upgrades, list the problem each one solves. For example, LPR cameras from Dahua Technology or Hikvision address slow barriers and unreadable plates; smart door stations such as the Akuvox X915S, with QR, face, card, PIN and Bluetooth access, address shared cards and propped doors; and a video platform such as Milestone XProtect links access events to footage for faster investigations.
Presenting the audit to the council
Keep the report short:
- A one-page summary with the number of red, amber and green points.
- Photos of the main problems.
- The prioritised action list with estimated costs where known.
- A recommendation for what to approve now.
Repeat the audit every year, or after any major incident or upgrade, so the council can see progress.
How myCondo helps after the audit
Many audit findings come back to one issue: there is no reliable record of who entered, when and how. myCondo provides digital visitor, contractor and delivery management with a resident app, a managing agent web app and guardhouse tools, and integrates with barriers, LPR cameras, door stations and CCTV from partners including Dahua Technology, Hikvision, Akuvox and Milestone. Our engineers can join your audit walk-through and advise on which existing equipment can be integrated, with local after-sales support afterwards.
Frequently asked questions
How often should a condo audit its access points?
At least once a year, and after major incidents, renovations of common areas or security upgrades.
Who should do the audit?
The managing agent with the security supervisor. Council members are welcome to join, and a technology partner can advise on equipment.
Do we need special tools?
No. A site plan, the checklist, a phone camera and access to the CCTV monitor are enough.
What should we fix first?
Red items at main entrances, then anything that lets people in without verification or recording.
Can we audit CCTV footage quality?
Yes. Ask the guard to show live and recorded views from each camera, day and night, and check if faces and plates are identifiable.
Get a second pair of eyes
Our team can join your access audit and recommend practical fixes and upgrades, with no obligation.
WhatsApp or call: +65 8812 3888
Email: [email protected]
Address: 8 Ubi Road 2, #07-13 Zervex, Singapore 408538
Related reading: How to Write a Condo Security Upgrade Proposal and Tailgating at Condo Gates
