Criminal damage to vacant properties has been predicted to increase during this extended lockdown period. Security experts have warned that while many of us stay at home, streets and industrial complexes are becoming easy targets. While London (and the rest of the UK) is looking quieter than normal, organised and opportunistic crime rates are rising.

There are lots of reasons why criminals could have an interest in your vacant property. Last week on the blog, we spoke about the spike in illegal raves taking place due to the lockdown. Another common concern for landlords is the risk of squatting and vandalism. Costing potentially thousands in damage repairs and legal fees, squatting is a landlord’s worst nightmare and for good reason, too. Commercial properties are not protected by law in the event of squatting – making it all the more important to take preventative action to protect the property. Read more about that here.

Less spoken about, but just as devastating is the risk of metal theft. Vacant, isolated industrial units are often targeted by metal thieves looking for valuable materials to gut and steal from the building. Brass, aluminium and copper are among the most valuable scrap metals and are often found in abundance in industrial buildings. Not only can it cost thousands to repair the damage when a property is stripped for its materials, but while the property is damaged it is at greater risk to non-criminal threats such as leaks and rodents.

As the way we live and work changes, the rising rates of criminal property damage is alarming. Vacant property managers are being urged to take further action to protect their properties, so we’ve put together a guide to help you secure your building and keep it safe.

Step 1. Consider the potential threats.

If you own or manage a vacant property, the first step should be to assess the risks posed to the building. This is so you can build a picture of the kind of protection you need.  

Questions to ask yourself include:

• How long will the property be vacant?

• Where is the property? Is it in a well-visited, busy location or tucked away on a quiet industrial estate?

• What security measures do you already have in place?

• What kind of building is it? Industrial, commercial, or retail? How does this affect the protection you need?

• What would criminals want from this building? Valuable metal? Stored goods? Somewhere to squat, or hold a rave?

Try and think about your property from the perspective of a criminal. Protecting an industrial building in a tucked-away part of town is different from securing an empty retail lot in the middle of a high street.

Step 2. Short Term Security Preparations.

Regardless of the type of property you are securing, there are a few quick and easy short-term measures you should take immediately. These are not necessarily long-term solutions, but they will help keep the vacant property safe while you work out a permanent solution.

We recommend that you:

• Secure all access points and board up the property.

• If you have CCTV in place, make sure it is working properly before leaving.

• Let your insurance provider know the property is vacant. If it is staying empty for more than 4-6 weeks, you will need to upgrade to Vacant Property Insurance.

• Make regular visits to check on the property and collect any mail that may be building up. (Piles of uncollected post are a big signifier to criminals that the property is vacant.)

• Leave lights on timer switches, so the property looks less vacant in the short term.

Step 3.  Find a long-term solution.

You have 2 options for long term vacant property security:

The first is more traditional. Hire a security firm to provide 24-hour security, a CCTV system and manned guarding. This is a reliable method. However, it comes with a high price tag. Using a security firm (or putting in traditional security methods yourself) can cost upwards of £100,000 a year. This is a huge expense for a vacant property that is not contributing anything in return (e.g. profits, business, or even community value).

The second option, property guardianship, is far cheaper. In fact with Blue Door Property Guardians – it’s completely free. Instead of paying a private firm to maintain an empty building, property guardianship tackles the problem from a different angle. First introduced in the early 2000s, the scheme allows guardians to move into a vacant property in their capacity as a temporary resident to provide 24 hours a day security, 365 days a year.

Property guardianship is a ‘2 birds, 1 stone’ solution to the growing number of vacant properties in London. Professional, vetted guardians enjoy the benefit of lower than market rent prices, while landlords enjoy peace of mind as they know their vacant property is fully & safely looked after. For a more in-depth explanation, we have a full blog post that explains how property guardianship works here.

If you are managing a vacant property and are concerned about the high crime rates and threats posed to your empty building, we highly recommend taking preventative action. Following the steps in this guide should help you to put an action plan in place for this lockdown and beyond. If you would like to know more about our property guardianship solutions, you can contact us today or register your property to find out how we can help. We look forward to hearing from you.