[ItDepends]

The cleaners do not latch my office door in my building.

I've complained before, but it keeps happening.

I've asked each cleaner nicely and patiently, explaining how to close the door behind them, but it keep happening.

We have a consulate for a poor pacific island nation next door and the hallway is often filled with homeless sitting around waiting for the consulate to open. I've even come to my office in the morning to see the door open and them sitting in my offices instead of the hallway.

Do I have to move and find another building? How can I get my landlords to get the cleaners to comply?

[CathysTaxes]

Fire the cleaners. This is outrageous!

I would also call the police on the trespassers. Identity thieves could easily mix in with them.

[ReckedCPAEA]

Does your office not lock, or are these your office cleaners?
I would fire them immediately. Install a deadbolt and just lock up when you leave.
That's crazy.

[ItDepends]

They are cleaners employed by the building management - who give me the same story every time. (it wont happen again, etc). It's happened 4 times.

I cant have my own lock.

[Webster]

Can you hire your own cleaners and request the building's cleaners do not enter your office?

[ATSMAN]

I am assuming you are renting your office space? What does your lease agreement say? Does the rent cover utilities and office cleaning?

If you hired your cleaners then you MUST Fire them immediately before you have a serious issue with property or ID theft.

If your landlord is responsible for cleaning your office via their agent, the cleaning crew then they may be liable for gross negligence of their agent, once you have pointed out the problem and it has not been addressed.

Perhaps a letter on "attorney" stationery will get some action!

[sjrcpa]

Landlord needs to fire the cleaning crew/company. This is outrageous as has already been said. Once could be excused, maybe. Not multiple times.
If landlord won't act, then you probably should move..

[ATSMAN]

They are cleaners employed by the building management - who give me the same story every time. (it wont happen again, etc). It's happened 4 times.

I cant have my own lock.

Do you know if you are the only tenant that has this problem or other tenants have the same issue?

What action did you take after the second time it happened? You said it has happened 4 times.

May be folks in HI are laid back but in my neck of the woods a lawsuit would be in the making

[Webster]

I really wonder what the consulate thinks if their door is left open.

[Frankly]

Install self-closing hinges on the door.

[ManVsTax]

The first time that you walked into your office and found homeless people camping out in it unattended, you should have informed the building management company of how severe a risk this is not only for you and your livelihood, but for your clients.

That would have given you the opportunity to ask them how they intend to prevent that incident from ever happening again. And, to make double sure they understand the severity, you could have informed them that if it ever happens again you'll be looking for a new office building.

Or maybe you want to switch if your clients have to walk past homeless people in the halls to get to your office.

I'm not dispassionate about those individuals. I'm just saying it's a huge risk and perhaps not the image you want to convey.

[CathysTaxes]

They are cleaners employed by the building management - who give me the same story every time. (it wont happen again, etc). It's happened 4 times.

I cant have my own lock.

I'd install my own lock anyway. IRS requires that we take steps to safe guard our data. Your irresponsible landlord is preventing that from happening. Send landlord a letter demanding reimbursement for the lock and your own cleaning crew.

[ATSMAN]

ItDepends this is a very bad disaster ready to happen anytime and because you were aware of it and did not take any concrete action to mitigate the danger, if there is a data breach or some taxpayer privacy breach your E&O carrier will not take it kindly.

I could not sleep at night if I knew that homeless people are squatting in my office and I have tax data related files there. It is a nightmare!

[CornerstoneCPA]

I would have zero tolerance on this. The building manager was already notified. Given the confidentiality of information we all possess, I would have a lawyer write ASAP and indicate intent to void lease for whatever valid reason the lawyer can identify under HI laws and relocate. Every tenant still has a right to reasonable privacy and protection of their business affairs. Also use it as a learning experience to not ever rent an office space that does not have a lock for each suite or office.

[Beagle]

Move. Why do you want an office with homeless people sitting in the hallway?

We had this happen to us and I met with the cleaning people, treated them well and it never happened again. The guy down the hall told ownership he didn't want cleaning (does it himself) and they aren't allowed in his offices (he has inventory he's protecting). With covid, about half the building refuses to allow the cleaners in their space anyway.

[ATSMAN]

Often times the lure of low rent gets you into unpleasant situations. I still remember my first internship job when I was a student. The 100 year old building had all sorts of nooks and crannies, blind corner dead space and it would stink of urine because there was one restroom at the end of the hallway and you needed a key! We had extension wires running all over the place to power electric heaters because the steam heat in the winter was as bad as luke warm water.