Strata Charging $110 for Replacement of Their Flimsy Plastic NFC Keycard

Truthbe on 16/11/2020 - 09:56

So we have these small NFC keycards we use to operate the elevators into my apartment - they have a small keyhole which seems like they're made to snap off and get lost. Utter cheap trash. So my keycard snapped off and is now lost, I went to management to ask for a replacement and they said it will cost a whopping $110 to replace! I complained about the exorbitant fee and the management officer said they get complaint all the time and even showed me his keycard which is also broken in the same spot!

Do I have any rights to complain to Fair Trading. Seems like a ongoing scam to milk money

Home & Garden

Comments

  • isthatallyougot on 16/11/2020 - 10:05
    +3

    Why dont you raise this with the strata first ?

  • eek on 16/11/2020 - 10:06
    +10

    Hop onto Aliexpress and buy a card reader/writer and a pack of 100 replacement cards. Start duplicating cards and selling to tenants for $100. Win!

    • Truthbe on 16/11/2020 - 10:08

      It might be protected as I tried to clone it with my android - if anyone knows any tricks I'm very interested

      • eek on 16/11/2020 - 10:11

        Hmm, I wouldn't expect an android phone to be overly powerful at cloning NFC devices. Mine tries to scan the cards in my wallet every time I put my phone on top of my wallet, and says it can't be read (Samsung Galaxy S10 5G)

      • No Username on 16/11/2020 - 10:27

        What protocol is the card using. Some phones have limited support. Also note that most of the apps on the Google Play Store have to comply with Googles Store Policy so you better off using an App from a third party store to have unrestricted access. I've had success cloning my Myki on the S20 Ultra. You could also buy this.

        https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/RFID-Desktop-USB-Reader-125khz-P…

        Cheap little tool, supports many protocols and can parse passport data.

        • Truthbe on 16/11/2020 - 10:28

          NXP Mifare Ultralight - NTAG213

          • No Username on 16/11/2020 - 10:33
            +1

            @Truthbe: The NXP Mifare Ultralight - NTAG213 should be easy to clone. NTAG213 is not suppose to be used for Security Access.

            • Truthbe on 16/11/2020 - 10:34

              @No Username: I found an app that seems to have cloned the data properly to my NTAG215

              I'll give it a test this afternoon

            • Truthbe on 16/11/2020 - 14:35

              @No Username: Looks like it didn't work - could it be the serial number?

              • No Username on 16/11/2020 - 14:44

                @Truthbe: Download the NFC Tools app on the Play Store and read the card.
                Then take a screen shot and censor the serial and other sensitive data.

                What error message are you getting?

                If you have a case try removing it. It may take a couple of taps.

                When you clone the card make sure you do a full backup and save the file. Then open a new project and import the file then write to the card.

                Make sure you memory sectors match and the Size is the same.

                To make things easier you could always use your phone to emulate the tag as it will apply the same serial number.

    • bobbified on 16/11/2020 - 10:27

      Most of the apartments use iClass keys and they are very difficult to clone without the predetermined key coding.

      If you've got any sort of programming ability or are technical-minded, look into a Proxmark3.

      • No Username on 16/11/2020 - 10:35
        +1

        The iClass has a buffer overflow vulnerability that allows you to dump the data by rewriting part of the partition.

        • bobbified on 16/11/2020 - 10:56

          Thanks! I'll look into that - it's something I was playing with for months last year and couldn't get it to work. Then I gave up. I'll have a look at the buffer overflow and see what I can do with it.

          I actually started off playing with it because of the cost of my own apartment keys!

        • ily on 16/11/2020 - 11:00

          where do i read more about this vulnerability and how to rewrite the partition? Any guides or videos?

          • No Username on 16/11/2020 - 11:55
            +1

            @ily: There are some guides on Hackaday and some Uni Research paper from Tufts. They aren't step by step guide, but give you the general idea of how to accomplish the task. You also need to know what type of reader the card is assigned to as well.

            I don't think you'll be able to find a video as someone might exploit the tool for evil purposes.

  • Seraphin7 on 16/11/2020 - 10:36
    +8

    The $110 is about standard pricing via strata/building manager arrangements.

    While you can probably acquire the card itself for about 50c, the strata/building manager will claim their costs include proprietary coding, the need to source cards, time spent deactivating the existing card, time spent encoding the new card, time spent in getting the card to you, etc., etc.

    You've now basically got two choices … either find a way to clone the card yourself, or pony up the $110. You can go the Fair Trading all you like. If they are even interested in your case, they'll ask the strata/building manager for a justification, who will give something along the lines of what I've outlined above and the finding will be in their favour.

    Yes, it's a sting, we all know that. But, equally, that's just the way it is.

    • GG57 on 16/11/2020 - 10:49
      +10

      And there would be a 'disincentive fee' component in the costs. People tend to be more careful with things they know will cost them to replace.

      • SF3 on 16/11/2020 - 10:53

        You are right. A way to fix bad design is to train the user to be more careful whilst using it otherwise the user pays for the damage 🤣 its sad but true.

        • Truthbe on 16/11/2020 - 11:03
          -2

          I didn't know it's $110 before I lost it

          • Chandler on 16/11/2020 - 11:39
            +1

            @Truthbe: Somebody didn't read the Terms & Conditions…

          • Euphemistic on 16/11/2020 - 13:57
            +1

            @Truthbe:

            I didn't know it's $110 before I lost it

            And then you lost it again after you found out the cost?

      • bobbified on 16/11/2020 - 10:59
        +1

        Agree - this is what I thought too. However, it it's the case, they should be charging a much smaller fee for the replacement of damaged keys rather and the higher fee for "lost" keys. I guess, similar to the way the passport fees work.

        • GG57 on 16/11/2020 - 11:29

          Many things that they should be doing differently.
          As others have said, OP should lobby the strata for changes, not just complain on here.

          • Truthbe on 16/11/2020 - 11:43
            -3

            @GG57: I'm not just complaining here.. Gosh 30% of ozbargainers are (mod: removed inflammatory remark), alright my fault I lost it but jesus I've seen threads where someone is obviously scammed over even warrenty issues and a third of the posters were ripping into the OP

            Heaven forbid anything with dodgy rules/down right scams hits your timelime..

  • SF3 on 16/11/2020 - 10:45

    Join your strata meetings and lobby for a change.

  • tsunamisurfer on 16/11/2020 - 11:30
    +1

    Go to Fair Trading for what?

    Ultimately OP you lost the key.

    If you knew it was flimsy, do something about it.

    I have had this issue before and I put it in a card pouch or protector.

    • bobbified on 16/11/2020 - 12:22

      If you knew it was flimsy, do something about it.

      Like what though? For the cards, they're thin enough to them in your wallet, but over time, they will still bend and crack, although they still seem to work after that.
      The key-fobs are designed with a hole to be put onto keyrings with the bunch of keys. Where else can you put them? They're small enough to be easily lost if you keep them separate and too thick to be in a wallet.

      It would be real good if they came up with a way to add them to your phone NFC, but that might be too high-tech for most strata managers to understand!

      btw - i didn't neg ya!

      • Quantumcat on 16/11/2020 - 13:01
        +1

        It could be put in a holder like kids with their bus passes.

        • bobbified on 16/11/2020 - 13:27

          If they're like what I'm thinking - these soft plastic ones or a similar one that folds in half - then they'll bend in the pocket too. It eventually cracks. Not unlike being in your wallet.

          These are the ones I've got. The blue rubber wears out in about a year and the rest of it starts cracking not long after.

  • Ryanek on 16/11/2020 - 12:59
    +1

    Part of that fee is kind of an "inconvenience" fee. It deters people from ordering new keys all the time and encourages people to take better care of them.

    Your strata company probably handles dozens of units and hundreds of tenants. Imagine all the lost key requests if they were cheap.

  • Hardlyworkin on 16/11/2020 - 13:55

    $110 is about double what I've paid in the last few years.

    If in hindsight you didn't already ask the building manager could you buy a keycard that looks the same and scuff it up to look old one or do they have a serial number or similar on them? Not sure if the 'my card stopped working' excuse would work in this case? The goal being a free replacement card rather than having to buy a new one.

  • FreeUyghur on 16/11/2020 - 17:35

    yes happened to me unfortunately they see us as a cash cow

  • brad1-8tsi on 16/11/2020 - 21:36
    +2

    The $110 is probably because you lost it.

    Our Strata charges $100 for a $20 key. It's to keep the number of keys low and reduce the security risk.

  • RockmanRock on 17/11/2020 - 10:52
    +1

    My security fobs kept doing this, so I ended up getting some epoxy putty (steel version) from bunnings and moulding a more secure loop on the tag, and drilling out a new hole for the keychain. Works great so far. Stuff dries like concrete! If you are feeling adventerous, put a washer underneath the putty first for more strength.

  • OzHunterNSW on 17/11/2020 - 13:10

    You should sit on the board.

  • AS2035 on 17/11/2020 - 20:00

    My building charges $90 to issue a new key to the building..

  • GeorgeJETson6 on 17/11/2020 - 20:03

    Don't go strata property simple

  • Myone888 on 18/11/2020 - 12:37

    Ya the management strata charge exorbitant amounts for the cards and the keys as well. This is something they don’t tell you when you buy o rent these apartments. I had totally bad experience with Docklands apartments. Paid a pile got annual fees as well.

    • GG57 on 18/11/2020 - 14:58
      +1

      Did you buy or rent?
      My understanding is that buyers can review the Strata Management documentation prior to purchasing.
      And if renting, I'd be surprised it isn't covered in the lease that is signed; maybe the $ are not specified but that is just a question to ask.

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