Whether it be a commercial property or residential building, the number of vacant properties is growing. A property may be vacant for a variety of reasons for instance if it’s undergoing renovation the building may not be fit for habitation and can retain an element of danger if not managed properly. Without staff on site, each day the risk of damage to the building increases. The main steps to managing a vacant property would include contacting your insurance company to see what their requirements are and secondly assessing the building to establish what services you may require moving forward.

Managing a vacant property has its dangers and consideration should be given as to how you protect your asset. The main problems that are faced by property owners are…

Vandalism

One problem that property owners face when managing a vacant site includes unauthorised entries and the occupation of squatters. This often leads to vandalism and damage to the property and in return will be an added expense for the property owner. As well as vandalism the building is at risk of fly-tipping, which is the illegal dumping of waste.

Fire & Leaks

Without proper management of a vacant building, it’s highly likely that the lack of maintenance will cause damage to the building. Vacant buildings are prone to fire and floods as no one is around to spot the problems when they first arise; fire hazards and small leaks may not be spotted or resolved.

Injury

If a person is injured during your management or ownership of a building due to negligence on the site it may result in you being liable for the injuries. Being liable for another person’s injury may result in having to pay a fine or other penalty.

How can RISK Management Security Services help?

At RISK Management we conduct vacant property inspections either daily or weekly so that you don’t have to make your own regular visits to the building. Property owners will be alerted of any problems at an early stage to allow instant action to be taken. This ultimately saves time and money.
RISK Management will survey and review the environment to identify which areas of the site are vulnerable and consider if further action needs to be carried out based on the current state of the property. Regular health and safety checks will be made to highlight any hazardous areas that need to be solved. To dramatically reduce the risk of a building being targeted by criminals it is important to make sure it is maintained in a good condition so that there isn’t any initial damage to encourage further vandalism. The broken window theory suggests that if one window is broken it will invite more damage to the building. This also applies to graffiti, litter and other building damage. A review will be carried out to establish which services are needed. Keyholding is often one solution that helps to manage vacant buildings as it includes a 24-hour response from a local security company.

RISK Management’s routine inspections will help prevent potential injuries when re-visiting a vacant property after some time, help to fend off any vandalism or damage caused by squatters and help to keep the site secure. Following the inspection, we provide a full report that outlines what issues the property is facing. We can also put in place further preventative measures if required. Similarly, if there is a location in need of more frequent mobile patrols or security staff on site, this can be arranged through our experienced management team. To contact us today and make an enquiry click here.