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2nd Sem Accommodation Operations Notes

Key Control

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Last updated: 7 July 2023

Key Control

The control of guestroom keys is one of the cornerstones of the hotel security that guests have a right to except under common law. Key control is the process of reducing guest property theft and other security-related incidents by carefully monitoring and tracking the use of keys in the hospitality operation. If there is no key-card lock system, the following policies should be considered for key control:

Coding

A few precautions to take while coding is as follows:

  • Room keys must not have any form of a tag that identifies the hotel.
  • Keys must not have the room number on them.
  • Keys must be identified by a numeric or alphanumeric code. That code should not, in any way, directly correspond to the building or room numbers.

Issuing Keys

Apart from the basic precautions for all the keys, there is more stringent security for keys with higher access.

1) Guestroom Keys: These are the keys with minimum access, unlocking just the one room. When keys are given to guests upon registration, the guest’s room no. must not be spoken aloud if there are others within hearing range. Room Nos. should be shown to the guests in writing with a reminder that they should note it down if a guest check-in packet is not used. Explain to the guest that the coding system is their protection. GRA’s and others who find keys in unoccupied guestrooms or elsewhere should place them in their pockets or in the locked key boxes provided, not on their carts (where they are accessible to others), and turn them in to their supervisor to be returned to the front desk.

2) Master and sub-master keys: All section master keys, room master keys, grand master keys, and emergency master keys (normally kept in a safety box) should be signed out each time they are taken and their return noted in a key control sheet. All the keys should be stamped ‘do not duplicate’.

 

KEY REGISTER
Sr.No. Date Key ID Floor No. Room No. Time of Issue Status at the end of shift (Returned/ missing)

Custody of Keys

These are the precautions to be taken while the key is with a guest or employee after being issued as per the correct procedure.

  • Employees should not be allowed to loan the keys assigned to them to one another.
  • Employees should hand over keys whenever they leave the property, even the meal breaks.

 

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Syllabus BHM154 (T)

01 Room Layout and Guest Supplies

  1. Standard rooms, VIP ROOMS
  2. Guest’s special requests

02 Area Cleaning

  1. Guest rooms
  2. Front-of-the-house Areas
  3. Back-of-the house Areas
  4. Work routine and associated problems e.g. high traffic areas, Façade cleaning etc.

03 Routine Systems and Records of Housekeeping Department

  1. Reporting Staff placement
  2. Room Occupancy Report
  3. Guest Room Inspection
  4. Entering Checklists, Floor Register, Work Orders, Log Sheet.
  5. Lost and Found Register and Enquiry File
  6. Maid’s Report and Housekeeper’s Report
  7. Handover Records
  8. Guest’s Special Requests Register
  9. Record of Special Cleaning
  10. Call Register
  11. VIP Lists

04 Types of Beds and Mattresses

05 Pest Control

  1. Areas of infestation
  2. Preventive measures and Control measure

06 Keys

  1. Types of keys
  2. Computerised key cards
  3. Key control