Vacant residential and commercial buildings are vulnerable to a host of threats that not only damage your asset but can cost a lot to rectify. If you’re thinking of leaving your building unoccupied for an extended period, our list of the Top Ten Threats to Vacant Properties will give you an idea of what to expect, so you can take preventative action.

1. Squatting

Since 2012, squatting in residential buildings has been illegal in the UK. Unfortunately for commercial landlords, this law does not apply to commercial property. That means, if your vacant commercial property is taken over by squatters, you have a massive problem on your hands because the law is not on your side. Squatting in commercial buildings is a pervasive issue in the UK, particularly in London and the South-East. Even so, there’s no sign of a law change on the horizon. If your empty building is residential, squatting could still be an issue. While you would have legal recourse if you discovered squatters in your empty building, the process of having those individuals removed could still be lengthy, complicated and expensive.

2. Arson

Put simply, an empty property is a fire waiting to happen. Unoccupied properties are choice targets for arsonists, of which, if the number of deliberately started fires recorded by UK insurance companies is anything to go by, there are many! Not all fires at unoccupied properties are started deliberately, of course. Even if you take arsonists out of the picture, an empty building is still more likely to go up in flames than an occupied building—just ask your insurance company! This is because an accidental fire in an unoccupied building is unlikely to be discovered in time to put it out.

3. Fly Tipping

If you feel like you need a degree and a trust-fund to correctly dispose of rubbish in the UK, you are not alone. Well-meaning councils across the country have made the disposal of rubbish a fairly expensive and complicated business for many residents. For those who can’t get onboard with the rubbish disposal system, the temptation to get rid of rubbish by illegal means can be great. An unoccupied property is seen as an ideal place for dumping. Since there’s nobody home, offenders are unlikely to be spotted.

4. Vandalism

It is unfortunate that there should be people who go around damaging property for no good reason—be it by smashing windows, causing structural damage, or spraying graffiti—but it’s true. Vacant buildings are ideal targets, as there are generally no adverse consequences for the destruction of unoccupied property. (Of course, you could report the incident to the police, but they are unlikely to do anything for you after the fact. Likewise, your insurance company may not cover the damage, unless you have vacant property insurance and can demonstrate that you took steps to prevent the occurrence of vandalism.)

5. Theft

Depending on your reasons for leaving the property vacant, you may not be able to remove all your possessions from the building when you vacate. If you’re closing up shop, for example, you might have nowhere else to store your valuable stock or machinery. Or, if you own a home that is newly empty following a death, you may not be able to remove the contents of the home until the estate has been finalised. Whatever your reasons for leaving furniture and other belongings in the building, it’s important to put precautionary security measures in place, as they will be attractive to thieves. It never takes long for word of a vacant property to spread, so if you leave your belongings in an unsecured vacant home, it is only a matter of time before a theft occurs. And it’s not only the contents of the home that will attract thieves—the very structure of the house, everything from metal work to radiators and copper piping, are vulnerable.

6. Criminal Behaviour

Criminals of all stripes are constantly on the look-out for places from which to conduct their operations, whether that be selling illegally obtained goods or manufacturing and distributing drugs. Not all illegal behaviour is meant to be harmful—for example, it’s common for large vacant commercial properties to be used as locations for raves—but unfortunately, as the property owner, you will be left to deal with the damage, no matter how peaceful and well-intentioned the illegal activity!

7. Damp

When you’re closing up a building that you don’t intend to use for an extended period, the natural (and prudent) thing to do is close all doors and windows. For the sake of security, it’s imperative that you seal off every nook and cranny. That said, even if you reduce the likelihood of a break-in, closing up your property can spell disaster for the interior climate, as buildings left without adequate ventilation and heating can quickly become damp and mouldy. How do you get around this catch-22 situation? You could try leaving open a small impossible-to-reach window, but this may not be adequate as you won’t get a draught, and you could let in the rain. You’d be better off not leaving the property vacant in the first place—Blue Door Property Guardians can take care of that for you—but if you must, try to visit the property regularly and give it a good airing once in a while.

8. Maintenance Nightmares

Every building needs a regular schedule of maintenance to stay on top of wear and tear. But even if you keep up with routine work, the key to avoiding the need for large-scale repairs is being ready to fix a problem as soon as it arises. For obvious reasons, this is not possible in vacant properties. This means you’re much more likely to find yourself paying to rectify a burst pipe or some similar disaster which you weren’t able to head off in time.

9. High Insurance Premiums

If this list has made you aware of anything so far, it’s that vacant properties are much more vulnerable to threat than occupied properties. And if you’re aware of this added risk, your insurance company certainly is! Greater risk equals higher premiums in the insurance world, so if you’re planning to leave your building vacant for a while, it’s important that you contact your insurer to discuss changes to your premium. Vacant property insurance can be quite complex. If you need a quick run-down, check out our blog post that covers all the ins-and-outs.

10. Pests

Don’t read this paragraph if you’re about to have your supper! Forewarned, read on… Even if you hire an expensive security company to protect your property from theft and squatting, they won’t do anything to keep the rats out. Rats and other vermin make their homes in vacant buildings, especially when owners neglect to keep the building and surrounds clear of rubbish. Unless you regularly run your the taps and flush the loo, you may notice an unpleasant smell from the pipes. The smell might be stagnant water trapped in the plumbing, or it could be a tell-tale sign that the pipes have become highways and breeding grounds for vermin. Rats can pose a significant health threat, so the property won’t be habitable until pest control has been through.

11. Ghosts

Yes, you counted right—this is the 11th item on what is supposed to be a 10-item list. At Blue Door Property Guardians, we like to go the extra mile for our landlords, so we’ve added a bonus item, just to be thorough! Vacant properties play home to uninvited guests of all kinds, but none so infamous as the poltergeist. So do watch out for ghosts, especially on dark stormy nights.

Property Guardians For Vacant Buildings

If you’re keen to avoid these 10 (11!) threats to your empty house or commercial property, you can go the expensive route and hire a full-time security company, install CCTV and alarms, and board the place up. The zero-cost route is live-in 24hr security from Blue Door Property Guardians. Get in touch to learn more! (…who you gonna call?)