What To Expect During A Security Mobilisation At Your Vacant Property

Security at vacant properties is essential in so many aspects, from keeping insurance premiums low and protecting financial investments to mitigating the threat of trespassing and illegal squatting. But all security packages start somewhere. And understanding what to expect from the outset is key in building a partnership you can rely on.

Your Vacant Property Security Mobilisation – Beginning To End

All security at a vacant property begins with a site assessment, then proceeds to contract signing and the actual deployment of agreed-upon measures. But there’s much more to it under the surface that many don’t know about – here’s what you can expect.

Starting Off With A Site Assessment

Any successful mobilisation of security solutions at a vacant property starts with understanding the measures that work (and don’t) for your circumstances. Every premises faces unique threats, from the very real risk of trespassing and squatting at empty retail units, to water ingress and invasive pests at more rural properties.

Partnering with a security provider should always begin with them understanding your property on a deeper level. They’ll often be looking for key aspects of the property that can compromise security, such as:

• Proximity to public areas and pathways
• Proximity to major roads and motorways
• Risks in the surrounding area, like nearby nightlife spots or hospitality venues
• Possible influxes, like matchday foot traffic or events in the local area
• Challenges that could impact the effectiveness of services (like low-light conditions)
• “Blind spots” or areas where visibility could be impeded
• Uneven ground that could impact security fencing or perimeter packages

This security assessment can also uncover areas that might have previously caused an issue and that potentially could’ve gotten overlooked in a less in-depth analysis. That’ll be completed as a report that you can then use to supplement any vacant property insurance applications and ultimately go towards lowering your premiums.

Discussions Take Place – Finding What Works

Before mobilisation begins in earnest, you’ll have those first conversations with your chosen provider. That’s important for several reasons, but we’d highlight the biggest one as being the opportunity to put faces to names, and to understand how your provider intends to accommodate the measures you’ll have in place.

There’s little that trumps those initial relationships, but conversations can also open up new opportunities.

At ProFM Group, that’s been a constant for us.

We know there’s nobody who knows your site as well as you, so we’ve always sought to use your expertise in conjunction with our own to build a package that’s designed with you in mind.

For us, it’s also a chance to identify opportunities for security to be integrated seamlessly in your future. We know that a vacant property isn’t always slated to stay that way forever. It’s an investment, and most will look to capitalise on that by transforming it into something that can (and does) make money.

Initial conversations also function as an effective way to determine what your expectations are for how your security provider will integrate into your way of working. That could be fitting around your planned visitation so that your security officers are always on site with you. Or delivering more reports around busier times of the year (like Christmas).

Your Mobilisation Plans Are Cemented

Following those initial plans, your security provider will work in the background to design a mobilisation package that’s built to suit your schedule. We’ve alluded to different times of the year bringing different stressors for vacant properties, and your vacant property security provider should always consider those.

You’ll have final sign-off on all plans, and can make recommendations at any point to ensure you’re receiving a tailored approach to securing your assets and property, as well as mitigating the risks posed to vacant property by the Occupiers’ Liability Act.

Implementation Of Your Solutions

This is perhaps the biggest part of any vacant property security mobilisation.

Understandably so.

This is where your investment in professional security pays dividends, allowing you to rest easy in the knowledge that every aspect of site security is covered. There’ll be a few fundamental differences between a manned and tech-based solution deployment, though.

Manned Security At My Vacant Property

For a manned solution (which we’ve often seen utilised at some of the more at-risk properties, exemplified by our work with the NHS’s Royal Papworth Hospital), that’ll begin with meeting the officers and management team who’ll coordinate the security at your property.

It’s an area that we’re particularly passionate about, and it’s something we’d always advise looking to implement with your chosen provider so that you understand who’s delivering your protection. You’re also able to see the local knowledge they can bring to the table, too, and how they’re able to deliver that service that’s grounded in protecting your community as well as your property.

You’ll then be able to understand their duties better.

Vacant properties often have challenges that many other sites don’t. Mould, damp, water ingress, and fire risk all present issues for premises that have long been vacant, while trespassing and squatting are very real threats no matter the length of unoccupancy.

As part of that, RFID tags can be implemented to ensure that patrols of the property “tick off” the problem areas. For instance, if you’ve got a property that’s had historic leakage problems, you could ensure that your officer can spot those early-warning signs of damp or hazardous water damage.

Temporary Security Measures At My Vacant Property

With any temporary measures (like the VPOD systems or solar-powered CCTV towers), there’ll always be a specific set-up phase. Options like the VPOD are usually less onerous and can often be set up by a single person who understands the installation process and has the associated companion app already installed.

A solar CCTV tower will require more of a drawn-out installation process, and needs to be done by trained professionals to ensure safety and full connectivity through its built-in SIM card connection. That’s completed by our expert engineers at ProFM Group, as a frame of reference.

What both share, though, is they can often be done in a single day or part of the day, ensuring your site is protected from the get-go. That’s the first step of a tech mobilisation, and the most pivotal in the whole mobilisation, as it lays the foundation for those crucial first few nights of security at your vacant property.

From there, they’ll be connected to your monitoring company via a wireless connection. This will often be referred to as an Operations Centre or Control Room (at ProFM, that’s our NOC, or National Operations Centre), and they’ll receive instant alerts if anything triggers your camera’s detection zones, or sets off the visually-verified intruder alarms of the VPOD.

Consistent Monitoring & Reporting

A mobilisation doesn’t end with placing our officers or tech on your site. There’s also the implementation of reports, monitoring, and ongoing support from your provider. Most security companies will offer some form of 24/7 support (that comes in the form of SIA-licensed operatives in our NOC at ProFM Group), but it’s important to know exactly what that is.

You should ensure there are fleshed-out reporting patterns and methodologies in place. That could be logs of patrols, incident reports, or footage/photographs recorded by your temporary equipment. These not only go a long way towards reassuring you and any potential buyers that the site is secure. They can often be necessary for your insurance.

It’s also a good idea to ensure that, as part of the mobilisation process, you have a dedicated point of contact. Although they might not be the person directly responding to incidents, they’ll have direct oversight of security at your property, and should be as passionate about protecting your assets as you are.

As an example, ProFM Group’s client portal offers an easily accessible option for monitoring all site reports, communicating directly with your point of contact, and receiving in-depth reports for your premises.

An All-Encompassing Vacant Security Solution With ProFM Group

As a leading force in delivering security packages tailored to suit vacant properties nationwide, ProFM Group understands the importance of a successful mobilisation firsthand. We’ve built a firm reputation for delivering a mobilisation process that’s custom-built to suit the challenges your premises faces.

From an industry-leading suite of accreditations and partnerships that span everything from Constructionline Gold (essential for safe mobilisation at vacant construction projects) to our position as the ACS’s leading security provider for six years running, to a proven track record that covers city-centre vacant properties and rural premises at all stages of the vacant property lifecycle, we’re ideally positioned to be a partner in protecting your premises.

Don’t delay in starting that mobilisation. Contact our knowledgeable in-house professionals today on 0808 169 2406 to see how we can deploy a solution that’s tailored to suit you. Available when you need it.