Any landlord or property manager is, at some point in their tenure, going to have to deal with a vacant property.
But what if those properties remain vacant for extended periods of time?
With the threat of vandals, thieves or even squatters on the rise, landlords are going to need to think about blocking any potential entry points. Still known as ‘boarding up’, regardless of the materials used, blocking windows and doors helps protect the building from becoming a playground for criminals.
In this post, we discuss how steel security screens can be a great solution to protect vacant properties and how, over time, these can save landlords money and needless stress.
Read on to find out more.
The Rise of Vacant Properties
The coronavirus pandemic has put a lot of landlords under additional pressure. While some tenants have experienced disruption to their income; others have lost theirs altogether and have been forced to vacate their properties. This has left landlords in a tough position – having to juggle between removing occupants and managing vacant buildings.
What’s more, with the pandemic having caused a significant rise in vacant residential and commercial properties, the number of premises being squatted, robbed or vandalised has also risen.
Landlords are looking for ways to act in order to preserve their assets while also gaining peace of mind. One of the quickest and most efficient means of achieving this is by protecting properties with steel screens.
Why Should I Use Steel Screens For Vacant Buildings?
When it comes to boarding up vacant properties, there are usually two options, plywood and steel.
But when compared to one another, plywood boards aren’t in the same league and can actually be more costly in the long run.
Get into the mind of would-be criminals for just a moment. Imagine coming across a vacant building boarded up with plywood.
While the landlord thinks its ‘job done’ by having the boards in place, these MDF or plywood boards are usually only screwed in place with Philips-head screws. This makes the removal of the boards easy for any DIY novice equipped with one of the most basic tools you can buy off the shelf.
Although it might have been a cost-effective solution up front, once a vandal navigates their way in, savings are going to be irrelevant when significant damage or theft occurs.
Landlords shouldn’t have to sit in constant fear that wooden boards ‘protecting’ their vacant property can be easily removed, which is why steel screens provide a much more effective solution.
Of course, steel is a much stronger material and non-combustible, and when you consider the risk of arson to a vacant property, you are going to want to use a material that will deter these attacks.
Steel screens are also fitted to properties using specialist ‘anti-tamper fixings’ which common criminals would be in-capable of removing. This instantly deters criminals from even attempting a break-in and means landlords can have peace of mind that their property can’t be accessed by using basic tools.
Can you afford to be complacent about your vacant property’s safety?
Protect Structural Integrity With Steel Security Screens
Vacant properties aren’t only threatened by vandals and other criminals, but by their own structural integrity, too.
If left vacant and without the appropriate boarding, properties that are already in a poor structural state can quickly fall into an ill state of repair, costing the landlord even more time and money.
This is particularly relevant when buildings are exposed to the elements for extended periods of time. Rain, wind and even sunlight can, over time, cause damage and become a preventable expense to landlords.
Ensuring that steel screens are in place not only helps fight potential damage caused by vandals, but also offers a durable solution against the elements, protecting the life of the building itself and any assets inside it.
Conclusion
When it comes to boarding up your vacant properties, all the signs point towards using steel. Although it can be a more expensive option, landlords need to consider the bigger picture ensuring they can have peace of mind.
With anti-tamper fixings, being incombustible and a generally much stronger material than others used to protect vacant buildings, steel screens should be any landlord’s only option.
As the number of empty properties continues to rise, along with the increase of vandalism, arson and squatters discussed above, can you afford to not be using steel screens?
Secure Site UK provide a variety of options for boarding up vacant properties, so get in contact with our team today and prevent any unnecessary stress.
