Last year, the London Fire Brigade were called to just over 150,000 fires across the UK. Ranging from small incidents to large and devastating events, the Home Office estimates that around 60 of these fires per day occur in, or near, empty properties.

This is a potential problem for all empty property owners, especially as landlords have a legal duty of care to prevent and protect fire in their building. Introduced in 2005, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order states that, regardless of how and why the fire started, the owner of the property has a legal responsibility for the fire safety of the property.

When it comes to empty property management, it’s important that you take the appropriate precautions to protect your vacant building from fire. So, we’ve put together a list of the 5 most common causes of fire in empty property.

1. Arson

One of the most common causes of fire in vacant property is arson and anti-social behaviour. Derelict and unoccupied buildings are like a magnet to criminals who are looking for sites where they can deliberately start fires.

We got in touch with a spokesperson from the London Fire Brigade who said:

“Criminals who deliberately start fires are putting lives at risk and put a strain on emergency services. These fires can destroy homes and businesses and quickly spread out of control.

One of the best ways to reduce the risk of an arson attack is to make sure your property is secure, including any derelict buildings.”

Although you may think it is unlikely that someone would target your building just to burn it down, in 2017/18 arson accounted for over 50% of all incidents attended by Fire & Rescue Services across the UK. So, we recommend finding an empty property management system that will make your property as unappealing to arsonists and criminals as possible.

2. Pests & Rodents 

Vacant properties can be very tempting for rats and other rodents because there is little to disturb them setting up home and staying for the long term. And, with over 20 million rats living in our capital city, vacant properties based in London find themselves at an increased risk.

For vacant properties with poor empty property management, rodent infestations are a leading cause of fire. As rats search for food, they will gnaw through almost anything – including electrical wires.

Exposed wiring is a fire risk, particularly in an empty property full of dust and flammable objects. So, it’s important to make regular patrols and visits to your building to make sure that no rodents are setting up home in your vacant property.

3. Negligence

Another leading cause of fire in vacant property is landlord negligence e.g. not taking the right steps to secure your building and protect it from fire. Big fires are often caused by small mistakes that could have been easy to fix.

Common mistakes include faulty fire alarms and malfunctioning sprinkler systems. Just like you would with an in-use building, it’s important to make full and regular checks of your vacant property.

To see our fire safety checklist for landlords with vacant property, head to our Complete Guide to Protecting Your Property from Fire & Arson. 

4. Fly-Tipping & Waste Accumulation

Next up on our list of fire hazards is fly-tipping and waste accumulation. Having an excess of flammable materials around your vacant property not only provides an arsonist with all they need to create a damaging and reckless fire, but it also increases the chance of an accidental fire.

In conversation with the London Fire Brigade, a spokesperson told us that

“Rubbish and abandoned vehicles are ready sources of fuel for an arsonist and can cause fires to spread quickly to nearby buildings, putting lives at risk, so be mindful when disposing of rubbish and report any illegal fly-tipping, abandoned vehicles or buildings you may be concerned about to your local council.”

As per standard empty property management recommendations, we suggest removing all flammable materials off-site for the duration the property will be empty. Additionally, the RISC suggests sealing and post boxes to avoid the build-up of junk mail.

5. Sunlight & Glass

And finally, although this may seem unlikely, a surprising number of fires have been accidentally caused by intensified sunrays filtering through windows and glass.

Over a five-year period, the London Fire Brigade reported 125 fires caused by sun rays reflecting onto flammable materials. In one article, Charlie Pugsley from the Brigade's fire investigation unit said:

"These sort of fires are not as rare as you would think. I’ve seen everything from sparkly door knobs to crystal balls starting fires… This shows these fires are not an urban myth.”

It is worth doing a sweep of your empty property to make sure there are no glass objects e.g. mirrors or panes in close proximity to flammable objects.

Protecting Your Empty Property from Fire with Blue Door Property Guardians

One solution to protect your vacant property from the risk of fire is to use a property guardian protection service.

This effective solution combines security and maintenance by moving professional guardians onsite to protect your property 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. And, at Blue Door Property Guardians, we offer our service at zero cost to the landlord.

With this method of empty property management, our guardians live on-site meaning they can make regular patrols to ensure your property is in good shape. This involved presence makes it easy for us to help you maintain your property and protect it from arson or accidental fire.

Plus, the scheme helps give back to the community by providing affordable housing for young professionals, key workers, and artists.

If you would like to know more about our property guardian protection service, get in touch today and we’d be happy to discuss your personal requirements and needs for your vacant property.