All properties are vacant at times, from primary residences during day trips and holidays, through to void periods on rental properties and sometimes much longer stretches of little to no use of second homes.
For property owners and landlords, extended periods of vacancy can represent a number of challenges and more serious risks that must be managed. A property left empty over the long term will inevitably be more susceptible to burglary and malicious damage, natural damage due to damp or leaks, and overall deterioration from an unkept environment.
Without taking reasonable steps to protect a vacant property you may also fail to comply with the terms and conditions of your insurance, leaving you without cover in the event of a broken pipe, arson attack or burglary.
For all of these reasons, many Black Brick clients choose to make use of our Vacant Care Service. Professional home management provides both security, upkeep and maintenance while nobody is home, and ensures you meet the minimum terms of your insurance, all without paying for a full-time housekeeper.
When it comes to more premium property management, a comprehensive risk assessment is a clever first step before implementing any specific security measures. It often involves a more holistic examination of the property’s vulnerabilities, such as environment and locality, and even any potential emerging threats within the surrounding area. A meaningful risk assessment goes a long way to set a benchmark for what security requirements will be most effective.
From neighbours to other local property managers, much of the findings from such a risk assessment can only benefit the wider property security community. A highly-aware and security conscious neighbourhood is an invaluable asset to have before thinking about active security solutions, like staffing or equipment.
Black Brick has exposure to a number of property agents across London, particularly those involved with prime properties. This network access bolsters the overall level of vigilance we provide our clients during spells of property vacancy.
Once any potential risks have been established, the physical environment can have more of a role to play. More than just a deterrent or system of alarms, physical security is most people’s favoured solution to real peace of mind with vacant real estate.
Updating or re-keying locks after ownership or occupancy transitions is a fundamental step and best practice for building that initial layer of security. Following this, access to any doors, shutters and windows can be professionally secured with both locking and alarms to withstand attempts at forced entry. Longer-term vacancies or vulnerable areas may benefit from security screens or boarding, providing robust, discreet reinforcement without compromising the aesthetic or raising too many eyebrows.
If you’re a landlord or private property owner looking for wider-scale security support on larger, secluded properties, these often require strengthened perimeter security, including reinforced gates, upgraded fencing, and managed access controls. Black Brick has connections to dedicated security teams that can support these measures and help establish a clear protective boundary, sending the message of presence despite the property being technically unoccupied.
With today’s prime properties largely equipped with modern smart systems, CCTV, video doorbells and strategically placed motion-activated lighting, there’s a host of options available to manage property security both in person and remotely. This layer of security is an effective and non-intrusive option for keeping tabs on exactly what’s happening around your property, without the triggering of false alarms and unnecessary emergency responses.
All vacant properties should be inspected regularly to check for insurance compliance, identify any repairs that are required, and detect signs of damage due to leaks, electrical faults and other contained incidents.
Black Brick’s property managers can thoroughly check your premises and will report back to you on any issues they identify, so you always know the condition of your property.
This also allows you to arrange any repair work if you wish, or you can allow us to take care of that for you, so you don’t need to worry about overseeing the work or finding a suitable local contractor.
Starting with the very basics, our property management teams will remove rubbish and any combustible materials, especially if renovations or other building works have recently taken place. This significantly reduces fire risk and mitigates any issues with insurance, as well as a first step in pest control.
Our teams can offer services that work on the exterior just as much as keeping a pristine interior. Maintaining gardens, such as trimming branches, clearing leaves from gutters, and generally managing any overgrown areas all help show a respectable and occupied environment.
Moving inside, our access to cost-effective contractors means we can maintain and if necessary, repair issues with heating and boiler systems ensuring everything is ticking along as efficiently as possible. This is more crucial for longer periods of vacancy, where fire alarm tests are also part of the upkeep checklist.
Cleanliness is an ongoing challenge in empty properties, which can suffer from surprising amounts of dust and dirt, damp and mould due to excess humidity, and risks like legionella due to poor ventilation and standing surface water.
All kinds of dirt can be harder to remove the longer they are left, which is why Black Brick’s Vacant Care Service includes regular cleaning – walking into your property should feel like arriving home, not walking into a damp, stale and stuffy old building.
We can even prepare the premises for your return. This includes simple steps like airing it out, stocking the fridge with essentials, putting out fresh flowers and making sure the heating is working and the thermostat is set.
Uncollected mail is a red flag for vacant properties. Whether it’s envelopes visible and sticking out under your door, takeaway menus hanging out of the letterbox or an accumulation of all kinds of mail in your pigeonhole, this can make your property a target for opportunistic thieves.
Black Brick’s vacant care managers can act as your primary point of contact for porters and managing agents, going beyond a simple mail collection service to remove any letters and parcels that have arrived at your property.
We can then forward your mail to you, pay bills on your behalf (with your permission) and importantly, pay any service charges due on your property, so that you comply with ground rent and management fees at all times.
A vacant property service is a great middle-ground option between leaving your spare key with a neighbour (which is probably not a good long-term solution in any case) and facing the expense of a full-time housekeeper.
Indeed, Black Brick’s Vacant Care Service goes beyond the scope of a housekeeper, from services like 24-hour alarm response to contractor coordination in the event of any necessary repair work.
This is ideal for property investors who prefer their second home to be empty and ready for use, rather than occupied by a long-term tenant; however, if you decide you’d like to generate income from your property, we can find a suitable tenant and manage the premises as a rental on your behalf.
For more information about the Black Brick Vacant Care Service or our rental property management services, contact us today.
We would be delighted to hear from you to discuss your own property requirements. For a non-obligatory consultation, please contact us.
