Squatters, Thieves, and Vandals: How to Secure Your Empty Property Fast

A situation can develop very quickly which results in a commercial property becoming vacant. It can literally happen overnight. A business may cease trading, a tenant may come to the end of their lease and move out, or a potential sale of a property could fall through. Being the owner and guardian of a commercial building is fraught with this kind of unexpected occurrence, which then presents another immediate issue, which is security.

An empty building is vulnerable to squatters, thieves and vandals, which can result in unauthorised occupation, assets being stolen and damage and nuisance. In addition to the cost of repairs and insurance there is the public profile of your organisation to consider. As the owner of the business, regardless of why it is empty, if it is in a state of disrepair and neglect it reflects badly on you as an owner and makes it harder to subsequently reoccupy.

Why do you need fast security measures for a vacant building?

Implementing fast and reactive security measures for a vacant property is therefore essential in order to:

• Secure the building and prevent occupation and criminal activity.
• Provide some breathing space so that you can take some time to seek a longer term future for the building.
• Provide temporary security while you implement more semi-permanent measures.
• Maintain the building in a safe, clean and orderly state in readiness to lease, sell or re-occupy as soon as possible.
• Ensure your insurance and regulatory compliance obligations are met.

Fast and reactive security controls for a vacant building

As soon as it is confirmed that a commercial building is to be unoccupied for a significant period of time, i.e. longer than an extended weekend, you can install a number of security controls to prevent unauthorised access, to act as a deterrent to vandals and to identify security issues as soon as they occur. These measures include:

• Temporary CCTV systems – Portable and quick-to-install HD quality cameras for monitoring the building or open space, and for evidence gathering.
• Steel security screens and doors – Comprehensively restrict entry through access points.
• Perimeter bollards and barriers – Strong and robust obstacles to prevent people and vehicles gaining access to a vacant building.
• SIA Licensed Canine Security Teams – Security professionals who can carry out regular canine patrols, both internally and externally, this is particularly useful for high risk sites.

These security controls can be implemented quickly and provide an immediate obstacle to prevent squatters, thieves and vandals from taking advantage of a vacant building. In some locations, a vacant building can become very obvious very quickly, for example if people can see that doors and windows aren’t being opened and employees and customers aren’t coming in and out. A commercial business transitioning from a busy enterprise to no activity at all can be very visible and very quickly becomes an obvious attraction to criminal activity.

Medium term security management of a vacant property

Now that you have installed reactive security measures and defended the property against immediate threats, you can start to consider longer term security. The picture can quickly become much clearer in many cases, and you may soon be able to conclude that the property will remain vacant for the foreseeable future, or you may be able to confirm a situation where a sale or lease will go through on a defined date in the future, say in a few weeks’ time. Medium term vacant property security can eventually also become long term security, and therefore can include:

• Vacant Property Inspections – Comprehensive visual patrol and inspection, including health and safety checks and structural building checks. This is most often a requirement of your insurance.
• Perimeter intruder detection – Hi-tec systems for detecting movement and raising awareness of intruders around the perimeter of a site. The strategic use of external CCTV and advanced perimeter protection technologies can significantly enhance early warning capabilities, allowing for threats to be identified before any physical entry is made to the asset. This proactive approach strengthens overall site security, enabling faster response times and reducing the risk of damage or loss.
• Clearance and cleaning – Maintaining standards of organisation and cleanliness internally.
• Drone surveys – Overhead monitoring to check areas that aren’t usually visible, for structural, safety and security issues.
• Utilities checks – Draining down, taking readings and inspecting utility supplies.

Professional vacant property security with First Response Group

With First Response Group you can be assured of a fast and reactive supply of vacant property security. We have the resources to be responsive to your needs and to work with you to find effective, short-term security solutions. These can be flexible to your situation and can be adapted to more appropriate vacant property security controls as the landscape develops and your security needs change.

So ensure your vacant property is secure against the various security threats that are attracted to an empty building, and contact First Response Group for effective vacant property security.