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Owning a vacant property can be beneficial if you are waiting for the perfect moment to sell, or the property needs to be empty so it can be refurbished.

However, there are some dangers attached that put many people off from leaving their home or business empty for a prolonged period of time.

In this article, we are going to examine some of the biggest and answer some common questions that many of our clients have about how to protect themselves.

Why is owning a vacant property a risk?

Criminals love the idea of vacant properties as they tend to be easier to get in and out of without arousing suspicion. For this reason, statistics show that vacant properties are far more likely to be the target of theft or vandalism than occupied ones.

Will my insurance go up?

Very possibly, lots of home and business property insurance policies can come with a built in clause that increases in the event that the property is left unattended for a prolonged period.

If you are unsure if this applies to you it is certainly something that is worth checking if you think you are likely to own such a property in the future or your property is already vacant.

The last thing that you need is for the devastation of criminal damage to be compounded by finding out that you aren’t covered by your insurance either.

Will a property being vacant affect its value?

Potentially. If someone has just moved out and you are looking to sell, the effect on the value of the property will probably be pretty limited. However, if the property is neglected and allowed to deteriorate, this will change pretty quickly.

Similarly, there could well be a knock on effect on the value of the surrounding properties, as the neighbourhood itself becomes less appealing.

What do I do about squatters?

One of the biggest concerns of any vacant property owner is the risk of squatters moving in. Squatter’s rights can be devastating for vacant property owners, leading to lengthy legal battles that can quickly escalate into the thousands of pounds in legal fees.

Fortunately, there are security companies such as https://select-solutions.co.uk/security/property/security-guards/ who offer a squatter removal service but this can only be used once you have the legal permission to remove the squatters in the first place.

The easiest thing to do is simply to make sure that squatters are unable to access your site in the first place and that they are identified in an instant if they do manage to do so.

What is the best way to prevent vacant property issues?

Prevention is always better than attempting to find a cure for vacant property security issues as by the time you discover a security breach it is often already too late to do anything about it.

Owning a vacant property brings a number of unique challenges and only by taking them seriously will you be able to tackle them effectively.

Lawyers, we all need them at some point in our lives whether it’s when starting a new business, buying a property, or filling a personal injury claim.

The number of tasks that ‘lawyers’ perform is so extensive that boiling the job title down into a single profession is far too simple.

In reality, there are many different types of lawyer, all of which are experts in a slightly different part of the law and perform different duties on behalf of their clients.

Throughout your life you will almost certainly deal with at least a few of the lawyers on this list.

Criminal lawyers

Perhaps the first thing that springs to mind when you picture a lawyer in your head. A criminal lawyer Edinburgh is responsible with defending their client against criminal charges, ranging from anything as minor as a road traffic offence to the most serious crimes such as murder.

To be successful in this role you need to be able to keep calm under pressure, deal with highly emotive situations, and have an exceptional knowledge of criminal case law and existing legislation.

Real Estate Lawyer

Real estate lawyers are the lawyers that most people are most likely to deal with. They specialise in all things property law and will help to oversee the transaction of buying or selling a home.

If you intend to be part of a property transaction in the near future, you should make sure to consult with a lawyer at the very least before proceeding.

Family lawyers

Family lawyers deal with things such as divorce settlements, child contact agreements, and adoption proceedings.

They are less likely to appear in court than other lawyers on this list as mediation is often preferred in cases that are incredibly emotional and stressful for all involved.

Personal Injury Lawyer

If you have been injured in the workplace you could be eligible for compensation and personal injury lawyers are the ones that will help you get the justice that you deserve.

Without personal injury lawyers, victims of employer negligence would be far more likely to be swept under the carpet, especially when larger companies with extensive in-house legal teams are involved.

Employment lawyers

Employment lawyers work with both employers and employees, overseeing contractual agreements and guarding workers against workplace discrimination.

They will often be involved in unfair dismissal cases and help protect the employment rights of their clients.

Human Rights lawyers

You guessed it, human rights lawyers ensure that the fundamental human rights that we are all legally entitled to are not breached by companies, individuals, Governments, or anyone else. They will also often work with Human rights groups, Government agencies, and NGOs to ensure human rights are protected globally and as many safeguards are in place as possible.

Extradition Lawyers

Extradition lawyers are experts in international law and protect those subject to an extradition request from a foreign nation to the UK. They will represent their clients in extradition hearings and help to file appeals if required.

Security guard is a highly underrated job role. The number of different tasks that these highly trained professionals do on a daily basis is significant, all whilst under the huge pressure of being responsible for the safety and security of people and property.

Furthermore, this is one of the professions with the highest risk of physical confrontation or assault. Sounds great? Well, security guard can actually be an incredibly rewarding job role, with plenty of opportunity for progression and the knowledge that you are making a real positive impact in the lives of other people every single day.

In order to succeed as a security guard, you need a certain skillset that many people do not possess. If you are highly vigilant, patient, have a great attention to detail, love communicating with strangers, and enjoy working both alone and as part of a team, security guard could be the perfect role for you.

With the proper training and skills, security guards will be able to keep themselves, and those under their observation safe, and any security company Newcastle worth the name will ensure that training is constantly being updated and provided to ensure that their guards are aware of the latest developments and technologies within the security sector.

If you have got this far and think you could be the perfect fit for a role as a security officer, read on to discover what this job entails on a day-to-day basis.

Some of the tasks that a security officer will perform on a daily basis include:

Conducting mobile patrols

Most security guards will be asked to patrol a certain area of a property, keeping an eye out for any suspicious activity, security breaches, or unforeseen threats. Whilst it is unlikely that a random patrol will result in an intruder being caught in the act, the information that these patrols provide is the foundation of the security strategy on the site, and is of the utmost importance.

Following their patrol, the security guard will deliver a report detailing their findings and recommendations that will then be used to make alterations to the security plan where required.

Watching CCTV

There is a common misconception that modern security guards spend the whole day sitting around watching CCTV screens. Whilst this is far from reality, CCTV is a valuable tool for security guards to use and will allow them to identify ongoing threats in real-time and take the correct action.

Customer Service

You would be amazed how much of being a security guard is customer relations. Security guards are often stationed at front doors, front desks, or in the entryway to a property and will often be asked for directions or assistance. A great attitude and friendliness is an important part of a great security guard’s responsibilities.

Whether or not security guards are asked to provide such customer facing service or not will depend on the employer in question but they are certainly tools that the modern security officer needs to have in his box.