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Protecting your commercial property can be stressful for property owners, but this concern is heightened when your property is vacant. With Christmas fast approaching and many workplaces closing for anything from 48 hours to 14 days, you need to take action now.

Vacant properties increase the risks of safety and security such as:

• Burglary and theft
• Vandalism
• Fire and Flood

Any of the above can be extremely distressing and cause great financial loss, so being prepared and taking proactive steps to secure your property now, can significantly reduce your property risks over the vacant period.

We have put together 5 simple and cost-effective tips to protecting your commercial property.

1) Securing your property.

Ensure you have the most effective locks on your window and doors. Some insurance companies require a certain standard of lock for commercial premises, which complies with BS 3621 regulations. Make sure only designated keyholders have access to keys for the premises and they are not labelled with anything such as company keyrings that may identify the property if they were to be lost/stolen.

Also consider additional reinforcement in the form of additional Sitex screens/bars and fittings on doors and windows during longer term vacant periods. Or additional fencing with barbed wire, chains, and consider using anti-graffiti paint on areas that could easily be targeted.

Ensure that bins etc. are not left near fencing that could be used to climb onto to get access over the outside perimeter and be aware of any suspicious behaviour.

2) Install CCTV.

CCTV can literally be your eyes and ears, when your property is vacant. IT can provide valuable evidence if an incident was to occur, but is a valuable deterrent especially if accompanied by an alarm system.

The best deterrent is to have manned secure guards but having your property guarded 24/7 can be expensive. A remotely monitored security system can be convenient as it can cover all areas of your property and can be logged onto any time of day. If you couple this with ad-hoc physical inspections, it would provide extra security.

3) Make sure you have good lighting.

Lighting is a very effective security measure. Especially when combined with the above elements.

Set up motion sensor lighting; to keep costs down and save energy by using LEDs. Pay particular attention to entry and exit points, car parks and secluded areas.

4) Keep up to date with maintenance.

Make sure that you have completed your winter maintenance property check list, to ensure that any possible leaks have been rectified from pipework, roofs etc. so there are no unexpected floods where water damage could have been prevented.

Make sure that trees/bushes have not overgrown and hence block security or could become a danger if broken by a storm.

Check lighting in case anything is damaged or needs replacing. Test your alarm system to ensure it is in working order, regularly change the code and always change the code if an employee has left the organisation.

Confirm everything is turned off and locked securely when the property becomes vacant. A Christmas decoration could easily be a fire risk if near a heater that has been left on or an overflowing bin can soon become a rat infestation, try to eliminate all vulnerabilities.

5) Protect your most valuable assets.

Do not have valuable equipment/stock on display. If possible safeguard your most valuable assets to a more secure place or take extra precautions with regards to using locked cages, fixed to the floor for instance.

Always check your insurance, that you have the correct cover and procedures in place should an incident occur.

Contingency plan should the worst happen. Do you have a fire risk assessment, do you have an emergency flood procedure, who is your immediate point of contact etc. – be prepared!

Rob Cant, Associate Director of Commercial Building Surveying at GJS Dillon, comments “We don’t want to scare anyone, but if you are responsible for managing property you need to be particularly vigilant when the property is vacant. A few adaptations could really make the difference in protecting your commercial property. Don’t be complacent, make sure your business premises are checked now and that Christmas is remembered for all the right reasons.“

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