Residential and Concierge Security Course: Lessons 2026

Lesson 1: The concierge role

In condominiums, apartment towers and gated communities, security staff often work as concierges. You are the face of the building. Residents expect friendly service, and they also expect you to keep strangers out and act fast in an emergency.

• Greet residents and visitors and control entry at the front desk.
• Sign visitors, contractors and movers in and out.
• Receive and log packages.
• Patrol common areas, garages and amenity rooms.
• Answer alarms and respond to emergencies.
• Keep an accurate daily log and hand over clearly at shift change.

Your post orders come from the property manager or condo board. They tell you what you may and may not do. When in doubt, follow them and ask management.

Lesson 2: Access control and keys

Access control keeps unwanted people out. Most buildings use key fobs, intercoms and cameras. The weakest point is often people holding doors open.

• Tailgating: an unauthorized person follows a resident through a secure door. Politely ask who they are visiting.
• Lost fobs: report them right away so they can be deactivated.
• Visitors: call the resident to confirm. Never give out unit numbers.
• Contractors and movers: confirm the booking with management before giving access, and supervise propped doors.

Entering units

Tenancy and condo laws set strict rules about when a landlord or its staff may enter a unit, and the rules differ by province. Only open or enter a unit when your post orders and management authorize it, or when police, firefighters or paramedics need access in an emergency. Never open a unit just because someone says they are family.

Key control

• Store keys in a locked cabinet.
• Log who took each key, which key, and the time out and back.
• Report missing keys at once.
• Never lend master keys to contractors without approval.

Lesson 3: Packages, privacy and cameras

Package rooms are a common target for theft. Log every package as it arrives and when it is picked up. Confirm who the person picking up is, as building policy requires.

Residents' names, unit numbers, schedules and visitors are personal information. Share it only as your post orders allow. Federal privacy guidelines for video surveillance say:

• Post clear notice where cameras record people.
• Do not aim cameras at places where people expect privacy.
• Keep recordings only as long as needed.
• Store recordings securely and let only authorized people view them.

Patrolling common areas

Garages, storage rooms, gyms, pools and party rooms are where most break-ins, vandalism and accidents happen. Walk these areas at different times. Check that doors close and lock, lights work and nobody is hiding. Note vehicles parked in fire routes or visitor spots too long, and report broken equipment, spills and smells of gas or smoke right away.

Lesson 4: Fire and building emergencies

Every multi-unit building should have a fire safety plan. Fire codes based on the National Fire Code, such as the BC Fire Code, say:

• Supervisory staff must be trained in the plan's fire emergency procedures before taking on fire safety duties.
• The plan covers sounding the alarm, notifying the fire department and evacuating occupants, including people who need assistance.
• The plan is kept in the building for the fire department, and in high buildings at the central alarm and control facility.

When the fire alarm sounds

1. Make sure the fire department has been called.
2. Check the fire alarm panel for the location.
3. Follow the plan for your building; do not silence the alarm unless the plan says you may.
4. Tell residents to use the stairs, not the elevators.
5. Meet firefighters with keys, the panel information and the list of residents who need help.

Other building emergencies

• Stuck elevator: keep talking to the people inside, reassure them and call the elevator service company or 911 as your post orders say. Never pry the doors.
• Water leak: call the on-call manager, keep people away from water and electrical hazards and follow the plan.
• Power failure: check for people stuck in elevators and follow the plan for emergency lighting and doors.

Lesson 5: Residents, conflict and wellbeing

Many calls to the desk are about neighbours: noise, smells, parking or pets. Stay calm, polite and neutral. Do not take sides. Follow building procedure and record each complaint so management can deal with it.

When someone may be in danger

• If you hear sounds of violence or someone calling for help, call 911 right away.
• If a resident has not been seen and family are worried, follow post orders, which usually means calling 911 for a wellness check and telling management.
• Do not enter a unit alone unless your post orders allow it.

People who do not live in the building

Treat every person with dignity. If a person experiencing homelessness is sheltering in the lobby, speak respectfully, check whether they need medical help and share information about local services. You can ask them to leave under building policy. In Ontario, a person who does not leave right away when directed by the occupier or a person they authorize commits an offence under the Trespass to Property Act.