One of the biggest challenges when owning a commercial property is security, and that is increased significantly if the property is vacant for any length of time. Naturally, this means that normal operations have ceased and the building is unoccupied, and this can quite quickly become very obvious to people within the vicinity of the building.

An empty building raises the potential for vandalism, theft and trespass, it may even attract people who are intent on illegal occupation, and evicting these people can become costly for the business, both in terms of legal fees and also damaging public relations for the business. A vacant building also presents health and safety risks, because normal checks and routine maintenance isn’t taking place and so leaks or damage isn’t being detected or monitored and the building’s infrastructure could quickly become affected.

Why do you need vacant property security?

There are many reasons why a commercial property might become vacant:

• The property is leased and there is currently no tenant
• You are preparing the property for sale
• You have just bought the property and not moved into it yet
• There is business uncertainty and you have had to cease operations
• You are on a summer shutdown for a couple of weeks
• Abnormal events like the pandemic when people are forced to work from home for long periods

In all these situations, as a commercial property owner you need plans and procedures in place to monitor security issues and maintain vital utility and health & safety checks while the property is empty. Increasingly, canine security is being seen as an effective method of ensuring adequate security for a vacant property, because of the flexibility it offers. Commercial property owners need a robust system in place that is adequate and reliable, and dog security patrols can offer benefits that more costly security measures can’t.

What are the benefits of dog security patrols?

• Mobility – K9 security patrols are able to monitor an entire site, both inside and around the perimeter of a building, therefore monitoring key areas which a CCTV system, for example, might miss due to a blind spot or malfunction.
• Visual – Anyone watching a vacant property with the intentions of causing a criminal offence will be deterred by the sight of a K9 security patrol. Many CCTV systems are deliberately discreet so that people don’t know they are being watched, but most businesses want a visual deterrent, so a handler and a dog patrolling together are a very effective method of keeping criminals away from your site.
• Trained – Canine security patrols involve trained handlers and dogs who are professional in their approach and who are qualified to deal with potentially dangerous situations. This involves de-escalating confrontations peacefully and legally and also negotiating with trespassers or site occupiers to vacate the property. This has to be done in the right way or a property owner may themselves face prosecution.

SIA-qualified canine security patrols

React K9 can provide trained and SIA-qualified K9 security patrols to ensure your vacant property remains safe and secure. We can offer 24/7 patrols, and can also incorporate internal health and safety monitoring with formal reporting procedures. Taking utility readings are still a necessity for a commercial property owner and health and safety checks will be a requirement for insurance purposes, and added to thorough and comprehensive site security patrols, means that canine security is the best way to ensure your vacant property remains safe and secure. We can provide professional dog security patrols on a flexible basis to suit your short, medium or long term property management situations, so get in touch with React K9 today.