Complete Guide to Securing Vacant and Occasionally Occupied Properties

Whether you manage a property undergoing development, one that needs to be unattended for urgent repairs, or one that’s subject to remedial building work, it must be kept secure. Vacant sites, and even those with periodic and occasional occupants, demand the same level of security as sites with permanent staff presence. If anything, they should be give more security consideration.

With no regular occupants present, these sites attract a range of threats and pose several vulnerabilities, including vandalism, theft, squatting, fly-tipping, vehicular damage, and more. If these sites are not addressed from a security perspective, these risks can escalate into larger, costlier problems that proactive maintenance and intervention would have avoided or prevented.

This helpful guide will outline the essential layered security strategies to protect vacant properties, construction sites and temporarily-occupied premises during transitional periods.

Understanding the Risks of Vacant Properties

Empty buildings and land attract all sorts of unwanted attention, leaving themselves vulnerable to criminal activity due to the lack of daily activity.

The longer a property remains dormant, the more likely criminals will suspect that it’s unmonitored and unprotected. Common threats include (but are not limited to): 

• Vandalism and graffiti
• Forced entry 
• Theft of valuable belongings
• Damage to property
• Squatter occupation (and associated legal complications)
• Excessive fly-tipping that incurs removal costs
• Arson attacks
• Weather-related damage to unsecured openings

Not only are there the financial costs of repairs, clean-up and removal, but property owners face potential liability risks for injuries sustained by trespassers. They could also be subject to insurance challenges if proper security isn’t maintained, not to mention planning delays if damage affects building work schedules. If sites suffer too much damage, it can create an unsightly experience and thus affect the property owner’s and business’s reputations. 

This is why robust security measures must be integrated from the outset to mitigate these risks exponentially.

Access Control Measures for Vacant Properties

Secure All Entry Points and Keys

Confirm that every external door and window locks securely, including those on garages, outbuildings and ancillary structures. Standard locks may not be sufficient for vacant properties, which is why it might be worth upgrading to higher-security solutions that resist picking, drilling, and forced entry with heavy-duty items. Additional internal barriers and bracing can offer additional resilience beyond lock strength.

Change all locks if previous occupants had access or if you cannot account for contractors who may possess copies of keys after work has finished. Whilst providing access to trusted professionals for maintenance or construction work is helpful in some instances, it’s vital to maintain strict control over key distribution. 

Install Steel Security Doors and Screens

For properties facing extended vacancy or heightened security risks, steel security doors with appropriate security ratings provide robust protection for primary access points.

Manufactured from steel with multi-point locking systems, these doors resist forced entry attempts that would compromise standard wooden or uPVC doors. Their expandable frames make them quick and straightforward to install across various sizes of openings without damaging existing doorframes. 

Steel door systems can be supported with Sitex security screens covering windows and secondary access points. These zinc-coated steel panels, machine-perforated for ventilation, create highly-resilient barriers that prevent entry whilst allowing light to filter through indoors, and air to circulate, which helps prevent damp or staleness. 

Implement Perimeter Security

Establishing clear, defensible boundaries around vacant properties and land creates multiple layers of protection. Boundary fencing, for example, defines legal landowner limits and property perimeter, whilst concealing valuable assets from plain view. Other quality fencing options include closeboard timber fencing if you need to maintain a cleaner aesthetic to passersby, steel palisade fencing for industrial sites requiring maximum security, and Heras temporary fencing for construction sites and short-term applications.

For sites vulnerable to vehicle threats and damage, such as fly-tipping, ram-raiding, or unauthorised access, heavy concrete barriers provide uncompromising protection. Jersey barriers, concrete bollards, and Kentledge blocks positioned at driveways and entry points prevent vehicle access entirely whilst still permitting pedestrian traffic if required. 

Control Site Access Points

If your site has multiple potential entry points, consider funnelling all necessary foot traffic through a single gated entrance equipped with robust locks. This concentrated access point simplifies monitoring efforts and makes unauthorised entry more difficult. Gate off driveways and secondary access routes with lockable barriers.

For sites requiring occasional access by contractors or inspectors, digital access control systems enable you to grant temporary entry codes that expire after a while. This also removes concerns about unreturned keys whilst maintaining detailed access logs.

Active Monitoring and Surveillance for Vacant Properties

Deploy CCTV Camera Systems

High-quality CCTV equipment delivers multiple security benefits. Visible cameras act as powerful deterrents for most criminals, who would actively avoid sites with overt surveillance. This type of protection provides active real-time monitoring and evidence gathering to cover a property, which will be reassuring during extended periods of vacancy. Position cameras to capture all entry points from all directions, and install those in vulnerable sections of the property, such as rear access points or poorly lit areas. Link CCTV systems to your smartphone and a mobile alarm system for instant notifications in the event of suspicious activity or break-ins. High-resolution footage will help the police identify perpetrators after violations occur on your premises. 

Employ Professional Security Patrols

Professional security patrols can be a worthwhile investment when you consider the potential losses suffered as a result of a break-in, vandalism, or squatter occupation. Security patrol teams conduct regular inspections, checking for breaches, damage, or unauthorised activity. Their visible presence actively deters trespassers who wish to avoid confrontation. Flexible or overnight surveillance proves valuable, covering times when most break-ins take place. For enhanced protection, consider patrols augmented with security dog units that expand detection potential. Always employ licensed and bonded security services that follow proper protocols and operate within legal frameworks. 

Post Visible Warning Signage

Clear signage warning around the area alerts trespassers that the space is being monitored by 24/7 CCTV, security patrols or dogs, and that trespassers will be prosecuted. These warnings give pause to potential intruders who fear being discovered and charged. Even if your security measures are modest, signage creates uncertainty that may redirect criminal attention elsewhere. Ensure signage is weatherproof and positioned where approaching individuals cannot miss it.

Other Security Measures for Vacant Properties

Immediate Measures

Whilst comprehensive security systems deliver optimal protection, property owners can implement several immediate measures that significantly improve security at modest cost.

• Change all locks immediately upon acquiring your premises
• Install timer switches on internal lights to create the sensation that the property’s occupied
• Secure or remove valuable items from sight
• Board broken windows until proper repairs can be arranged
• Clear sight lines by removing obstructive vegetation
• Establish regular inspection schedules to check for damage or breaches
• Document property condition with timestamped photographs
• Instruct regular waste removal services to prevent litter build-up
• Collect postal deliveries to avoid visible pile-ups that suggest nobody’s home
• Arrange for lawns to be mowed and hedges to be trimmed to provide more visual deterrence

These straightforward steps create baseline security whilst you arrange more robust measures. Should your site have suffered damage, such as broken windows, graffiti, forced entry to doors, repairing them immediately and thus leaving no visible trace of trespass, essentially prevents the likelihood of further violations, even if the first incident was spur-of-the-moment. Prompt repairs demonstrate active ownership and monitoring. 

Engage Your Neighbours

Your neighbours represent a solid defence layer when a property sits vacant for extended periods. Provided that you have a solid relationship with them, kindly ask adjacent homeowners or neighbouring businesses to keep watch and report any suspicious activity or criminal damage to your site or its surrounding environment. If neighbours are willing to keep an eye out, this will provide invaluable peace of mind, and you can then offer to return the favour if they ever find themselves in similar circumstances. This communal approach deters prospective perpetrators who fear a watchful community.

Tailored Vacant Property Protection Solutions

Every vacant property presents unique security challenges based on factors ranging from duration of vacancy, accessibility, and proximity to public areas to property type, size, and value of contents.

The most effective approach involves assessing your current security posture honestly, identifying vulnerabilities specific to your site, and implementing layered protections that address identified risks proportionally.

At Maltaward, our security specialists provide bespoke vacant property protection systems for public sector, industrial and commercial premises nationwide. We design tailored solutions that balance your security requirements with available budget, combining physical barriers, surveillance technology, and where needed, active monitoring services. Our product range accommodates both purchase and hire arrangements, offering flexibility for short-term construction projects or long-term vacant holdings. Contact Maltaward today to discuss customised security solutions that match your needs and budget.