Smart apartment intercom: what you can change and what you cannot

Why this is different from a house doorbell

A house doorbell is yours. An apartment buzzer is part of a building-wide system: the panel at the front door, the wiring in the walls, the door release and the unit in your hallway all belong to the owner or the management company. Changing any piece can affect every tenant, and may break your lease. So the useful question is not “which smart gadget do I buy?” but “what does my building’s system already support, and what will management allow?”

Step 1: Identify your intercom type

Aiphone, a maker of apartment intercoms, describes analog video systems as suited to retrofits that use existing wiring, and IP systems as a fit for new construction and major modernization, with options such as routing calls to a mobile app, a phone number or an in-unit station. It also notes that building codes or accessibility rules may require physical in-unit stations. PointCentral describes a telephone-based system where a visitor enters a unit number and then an access code, and a retrofit that lets residents create, schedule and revoke temporary guest codes and see code usage for up to 60 days. That product was first available only for one intercom brand, so ask management what yours supports.

Step 2: Ask management, in writing

Send a short note to the property manager or the board of the co-op or condo (not the maintenance person at the front desk). Ask:

1. Does the intercom have a resident app, phone forwarding or temporary guest codes?
2. Can calls ring my cell phone instead of, or as well as, the in-unit handset?
3. Who maintains the system, and is there any fee?
4. May I install a doorbell or camera at my own apartment door? See cameras outside an apartment door.

Keep the reply. If the building offers nothing, you have your answer without risking your deposit.

What not to do

• Do not open the building panel or unit. It is not yours, and the release circuit may be connected to other equipment.
• Do not jumper or wire the door-release button to a relay or smart module. It may disable the system for the whole building, breach your lease and interfere with building equipment.
• Do not automate unlocking the building’s front door with a phone location trigger (geofence) or a voice command. A stranger in the lobby, or a phone that is lost, can open it for the whole building.
• Do not prop doors open for deliveries. It defeats the system for everyone.

What you can add at your own door

Inside your apartment and on your own door, you have more choice, but your lease still rules:

• A battery video doorbell with no-drill mounting at your door. See video doorbell without wiring.
• A peephole camera that replaces the viewer from inside. See video doorbell vs peephole camera.
• An indoor camera pointed at your entry, with privacy settings. See indoor camera privacy.
• A smart lock that keeps the existing key, if your lease allows it: smart lock for renters.

Deliveries: use the carriers’ tools

Most of the “let the courier in” problem is solved before the courier arrives:

• USPS Informed Delivery gives you a free daily preview of incoming mail and status updates on packages.
• FedEx Delivery Manager lets you save delivery instructions, hold a package at a retail location (free), or place a vacation hold of up to 14 days. Rescheduling and rerouting carry fees.
• UPS My Choice membership is free and lets you set delivery instructions or pick up at a UPS location; some change requests carry fees.
• Building package room, lockers or the front desk. Ask where couriers should leave packages.

Give couriers a temporary code or the front desk instead of your personal buzz-in code. If your system supports guest codes, delete them after use. See the package theft protection kit for apartment-friendly options.

If a disability makes the entry system hard to use

If the standard buzzer is hard for you to use, the Fair Housing Act gives tenants the right to request reasonable modifications at their own expense, and the landlord may ask you to restore interior changes at the end of the tenancy where that is reasonable. Make the request in writing, describe what you need and ask a tenant organization or a local attorney if the answer is no. Rules vary by state and city.

Security basics

• Never share a buzz-in code with a stranger, or in a public post.
• Use a separate password and two-factor authentication on any app that opens a door or shows your entry.
• Delete guest codes and shared access when someone moves out. See the moving-out checklist.