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Leaving any property vacant can be risky, but if your property’s commercial, then there are additional risk factors to consider. So what are all the risks you need to look out for, and how can you protect your empty commercial property, your investment – and the commercial community?
Theft from empty properties is a prime reason for break-ins and commercial properties are no exception, particularly as they are seen as a profitable target for metal theft. Currently, both commercial and heritage properties are providing an easy target for organised, as well as opportunist, criminals (The Telegraph), who are likely to cause the following problems:
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Removing anything which has potential value before securing the property. If the vacancy is temporary and fixtures need to stay in situ, then shut off utilities (to help prevent water damage, or the risk of fires from electric cables or gas pipes being interfered with) and board up using solid screens so that it’s not possible for opportunist thieves to see inside the property.
It’s also the case that some individuals break into an empty property just for the chance to vandalise. ‘Tagging’ and graffiti can be common forms of vandalism which aren’t just costly to remove, but their presence can also act as a highly visible signal for …
For some groups of individuals, finding a vacant premises away from prying eyes can lead to antisocial activities such as substance abuse and even horrendous illegal activities such as dog-fighting, which has been linked to empty properties in urban areas (Liverpool Echo, 2017).
Even someone deciding to use the premises as an on-the-go toilet stop, or a convenient-for-them place to fly-tip rubbish and waste products can have a detrimental impact on the immediate environment and can quickly lead to significant health hazards. Even if those making the mess are caught, it’s still down to the property owner to meet the clean-up costs of hazardous waste (as reported by the BBC).
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Arson is another form of wanton destruction of property and is also an action which carries an increased risk of harm to others. Whether there are flammable materials still laying around or not, many premises are vulnerable to arsonists, just because they’re empty. As such, fire is a particular danger not only to your property and investment, but also to neighbouring areas which may well be occupied.
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Squatters are individuals who inhabit and occupy a property without permission. The major risk lately comes from the fact that although squatting in residential property was made illegal in 2012, this legislation does not extend to commercial property. So, since 2012 commercial properties have been a prime target for squatters and literally any empty commercial building is at risk – from shopping centres, to clinics and public houses to individual business premises and even ‘lock-ups’.
The act of breaking-and-entering is of course illegal but if the property is not well secured, some squatters find that even the illegal entry part doesn’t require much work on their part. In fact, the police will only get involved with the problem of squatters in commercial property if criminal damage results from their forced entry into the property – and even then police involvement relates only to the entry and not the occupation.
Evicting squatters from commercial property requires significant effort – and costs – for commercial property owners and has to be done through the civil, rather than criminal, court system – something which can take a considerable amount of time, during which squatters can potentially cause a tremendous amount of costly damage to the property.
Another type of risk here comes from the fact that ‘illegal occupation’ can also apply to the overall plot – for example illegal occupation by travellers onto land surrounding the property, an issue for outlying commercial premises such as factories, warehouses and rural public houses.
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An empty commercial property, particularly one which isn’t inspected or repaired regularly, can run the risk of costing you significantly:
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Remember that even if your premises isn’t going to be completely vacant, ie: is undergoing refurbishment prior to being used for a new business, it is still vulnerable, so make sure you know who is coming and going.
Of course, it’s impossible to state every risk for every empty commercial property so conducting a thorough risk assessment on your own property is always advisable. If you need any help and support with any aspect of site security raised in this article, please contact us.
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