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Be proactive and protect the value of your premises for future development or sale.
Vacant property risks
Unoccupied property is at risk from:
- Fire caused by arson or an electrical fault
- Vandalism, including malicious damage and graffiti
- Burglary, including damage to the building when gaining access, as well as theft of building materials and contents
- General deterioration caused by bad weather or water damage
- Squatters
Carry out a risk assessment of the vacant property to identify hazards and weak spots.
Securing vacant buildings
An empty property is seen as a soft target by criminals, but you can take measures to protect your premises:
- Deter intruders
Invest in additional security measures and visual deterrents like alarms and security lights. Maintaining the property shows that it hasn’t been abandoned. - Conduct regular inspections
Routine inspections can deter watching criminals and uncover illegal entry and occupation early, limiting damage. - Manage lawful entry
Review existing safety arrangements for the property and put controls in place to ensure the safety of visitors.
Further actions to consider
Every property is different, but the following steps may be useful:
- Undertake a new health and safety risk assessment that acknowledges the property is vacant
- Remove potentially combustible items like furniture, packaging and waste
- Move skips and external waste bins away from the property
- Control who has access and record visitors
- Check and maintain security fences
- Change locks on the doors, shutters and gates, and keep them maintained
- Seal letterboxes or fit a metal box inside and empty it every week
- Consider employing guards or installing CCTV or wireless sensors
- Use locked gates, security posts and concrete blocks to stop vehicles from driving into the property
- Board up windows
- If unguarded, carry out weekly inspections so any issues are dealt with promptly
Vacant property insurance
You should always let your insurer or broker know if your property is likely to be vacant for an extended period, typically 30 days or more. They will usually apply slightly different terms to your insurance and provide advice on how best to protect the property.
Vacant property inspections
Your insurance cover may require you (or your appointed representative) to inspect a vacant property on at least a weekly basis. We recommend that all visits are formally recorded.
Regular visits mean that, if damage has occurred, the cause can be identified and repaired quickly.
Water leaks are an example of a problem that can cause more and more damage over time if they’re not detected.
Where damage is due to crime, report it immediately to your insurers and the police. A vacant property inspection checklist template can be found in our unoccupied property guidance.