A Site Secure access control approach places the emphasis on the community within a building rather than on the individual. Such systems are hard-wired within the block, meaning entry panels are directly connected to handsets inside individual flats. Residents must be physically present in the block to answer a door entry call and allow entry to the visitor. This design principle reflects a core perspective: in shared living environments, security is a collective issue. Decisions about who enters a building affect not just one household, but everyone who lives there.
In shared-occupancy social housing, access control therefore plays a critical role in shaping how residents experience safety, accountability, and shared responsibility. As housing providers explore new technologies, including remote access solutions, it is important to consider not only cost and convenience, but also how access systems support sustainable communities and effective housing management.
Designing for Shared Responsibility
Site Secure systems are designed around the shared space and the community that occupies it, rather than around personal devices or individual lifestyles. By requiring physical presence, they reinforce the idea that granting access is an active and considered responsibility, not a remote or automatic action.
In contrast, remote access solutions enable doors to be opened from anywhere. While this may appear convenient, it can unintentionally weaken the sense of shared accountability that underpins successful communal living. When access decisions are made off-site, residents may not be aware of the wider context or the potential impact on neighbours.
By keeping access decisions on site, Site Secure systems support clearer expectations around behaviour and responsibility, which is particularly important in blocks where residents may not all know one another.
Supporting Tenancy Management and Enforcement
Most social landlords include clear obligations within tenancy agreements relating to maintaining building security and preventing nuisance or anti-social behaviour. Site Secure access control aligns closely with these expectations.
Because door release can only occur when a resident is present, there is a clearer connection between action and responsibility. This clarity is valuable for housing officers and tenancy enforcement teams when addressing repeated security breaches or ASB concerns.
Hard-wired systems also provide robust, building-level evidence. Call logs, door release events and fob usage can be accurately recorded and associated with specific flats. This information supports proportionate, evidence-based interventions and helps ensure that enforcement activity is fair, transparent and defensible.
Inclusion and Reliability in Everyday Use
Site Secure systems also support inclusive service delivery. They do not rely on residents owning or managing personal devices, maintaining contact details, or having reliable network coverage. This is particularly relevant in social housing, where residents may have varying levels of digital access, confidence or support needs.
From an operational standpoint, these systems are resilient. They continue to function independently of external networks and are less vulnerable to issues such as call forwarding, number changes or unauthorised third-party access.
Maintaining Meaningful Access Control
Ultimately, access control systems exist to regulate who enters shared spaces. If access can be granted remotely, without presence or context, it becomes harder to maintain meaningful control over communal entrances. Over time, this can undermine resident confidence and contribute to wider management challenges.
Site Secure access control does not seek to limit innovation, but to ensure that technology supports the outcomes social landlords are working towards: safer neighbourhoods, stronger communities and sustainable tenancies.
By prioritising physical presence, shared responsibility and clear accountability, Site Secure systems help reinforce the collective nature of living in multi-occupancy housing, an approach that remains central to effective housing management.
By ensuring that access decisions are made on-site and with the community in mind, CAME Entrotec and CAME KMS systems exemplify true Site Secure solutions, supporting safer, more accountable and cohesive social housing communities.