A property guardian is a carefully selected working professional who is licensed to live on-site at a vacant property. Each guardian living on-site will pay a small license fee to help maintain the property, plus they will take on certain responsibilities to look after the building.
The main duty of a guardian is, of course, to secure and protect your vacant building for the duration it is empty. For landlords and property managers, this is great news as the low-cost solution provides an effective alternative to traditional security methods.
But, beyond just keeping it safe, protecting a vacant property involves a few specific duties. These are the roles that a property guardian will commit to within their license to take up residence in your property.
Depending on the unique needs of your building, a property guardians’ duties can be varied and flexible. However, regardless of the unique terms of your contract, all guardians will share the following basic duties:
1. To Secure Your Asset
First and foremost, it is a property guardians’ job to protect your property. Although they will never be asked to put themselves in any danger – the guardians play a key role in warding off thieves or squatters simply by being present 24/7.
The property guardians will be in charge of ensuring that every window or entrance to the property is always secured. They will also have a duty to report any potential breaches or security issues as soon as they arise – meaning your property will remain safe.
2. To Keep Your Property Clean and Tidy
Property guardians also share the responsibility of keeping your property clean and tidy. This obviously includes cleaning up after themselves and keeping the space in a neat and hygienic condition. However, by living on-site, guardians are in an optimal position to identify and quickly fix any other issues that may arise.
For example, litter dropped around the external property will be immediately cleaned up - therefore deterring fly-tippers. Guardians will also be on the look for signs of pest infestation. Plus, they’ll be present to sort out any fire risks as soon as they appear e.g. junk mail and flyers.
3. To Make Regular Inspections and Patrols
Property guardians will perform regular health and safety checks in the form of patrols.
On their patrols, they will be looking out for any maintenance issues such as early signs of damp, leaks, or damage. This will then be reported immediately, helping us to keep your property in tip-top shape and avoid any larger issues down the line.
At Blue Door, we station one head guardian at each property who takes an active role in managing the patrols. We also make announced and surprised visits ourselves to check in on the guardians and offer our support if needed.
4. To Pay Council Tax and Utilities
Depending on the individual terms of your contract and agreement – it is often the guardian’s responsibility to pay the council tax for the property while they are in residence.
The guardians may also pay for utilities such as gas, electric, and water – and are responsible for installing their own WIFI should they need it. The level of contribution from the guardians can be customised to the needs of your property.
For most landlords, this flexibility really helps to keep costs down while the property is vacant. Leaving you with the important spare cash needed to help find your next tenant or use for the property.
5. To Bring Life to a Derelict Property!
Most importantly, a property guardians’ duty is to bring life and soul into what could have been a derelict building!
At Blue Door, we aim to support and bolster communities affected by economic downturn – which is why we are such strong believers in the property guardian model. Instead of letting vacant properties sit empty behind boards and chains, property guardians help support the local community.
The model works by offering affordable alternatives to rising rent prices, in towns that often need it most. Property guardianship can also nurture creative talent and skills in the form of large studio/living spaces like this one. In turn, this helps landlords to protect the value of their asset by investing in their local community.
To find out more about the specific duties of a property guardian, and how Blue Door could help keep your vacant property safe - then get in touch today and a member of the team will be happy to answer any questions.
