Managing your vacant property is essential in preventing cases such as theft and vandalism, but the process can be a tough job for any owner, more so if they have a busy schedule. One of the top reasons why vacant properties need proper management is that they are easy targets for criminal activities since there are fewer chances of getting caught.

Since most renters would check the quality of your property before striking any deal, it is important to properly manage your vacant property to prevent deterioration that can damage the appearance and lower the general quality. The cost of renovating a deteriorated is also high and requires some time.

In this article, you will get some guidelines to help appropriately manage your vacant property. Here are some of the tips for the proper management of your vacant property.

Secure the Property

Securing the vacant property is necessary for restricting access by intruders. You can use padlocks to secure the entrances to the property. Before securing the entries, you need to check inside the property to ensure no dangers such as dripping water taps and leaky sinks. Also, ensure that you have fixed any other hazards that can lead to damages once you leave the property.

Ensure devices such as smoke detectors are working correctly. Fire breakouts can be catastrophic in a vacant property since no one would notice until significant damages have occurred.

It is essential to make sure the property is legally vacant before accessing it. You should seek legal direction before accessing the property if a tenant left before their lease period expired.

Once you check and ensure there are no hazards, lock all the open doors and windows. If the property has password protection, ensure you change the combination before locking them. Change the locks and padlocks to ensure the previous tenants cannot access the property using old keys.

Get Vacant Property Insurance

If you plan or expect your property to be vacant for an extended period, you need to get vacant property insurance. Your home insurance provider can offer you vacant property insurance as a supplement.

Most insurance service providers are well aware of the risks that vacant properties face. That is why they may be hesitant to offer you vacant property insurance, meaning you might have to shop for a while before you get the best insurance company that can provide you vacant property insurance at friendly terms.

It would also help if you researched before choosing an insurance company since vacant property insurance can have conditions and time limits. First, you should check if your current homeowner insurance provider can offer it as an add-on. If not, you may have to find another insurance company since vacant property insurance is a speciality product.

It is good to research in advance about the vacant property insurance providers to ensure you make an informed decision.

Make Your Property Appear Occupied

Any vacant property can be an easy target for intruders, especially if it looks unoccupied. To keep away intruders that can cause damages and steal, stage the property to look like someone is home.

There are plenty of ways that you can stage your house to look like someone is home. First, ensure that the blinds remain closed at all times to prevent a potential thief from peeping into the property. If your property is a storey building, you can open the blinds upstairs to create an impression that the owner is around.

You can also ask your neighbour to park their extra car on your driveway, or you can place light timers on random to create an impression of someone moving from one room to another. Fake TV lights are also useful when combined with random light timers.

If you have a lawn, ensure you maintain it. Overdue lawn maintenance can raise the interests of a potential thief. Ensure you visit the property often to check around the house and inside to ascertain no developing hazards that can cause damages and stay as long as possible around the property during your occasional visits.

Hire a Vacant Property Management Company

Vacant property management services such as https://thelondonmanagementcompany.com/vacant-property-management can be the best way to ensure your empty house stay safe, especially if you have a busy schedule. Some of the services that a vacant property management company can offer you are:

• Regular visits to the property to check if everything is in order.
• Scheduling and overseeing maintenance and repairs.
• Attending to emergencies, if there are any.

Some people shy off from hiring a vacant property management company since their services are a bit expensive. However, this is one of the best ways to ensure that you keep your vacant property secure at all times.

Parting Words

Vacant property management should not be a stressful job, provided you implement the best method. Since you are protecting the property from theft, vandalism and damages caused by accidental fires and water leaks, it is important to ensure that everything is checked before you leave the house.

Other security features like padlocks and having an insurance cover for the property can also help, but hiring a property management service provider can be of greater help, especially if you don’t have time to visit the property frequently. The list above provides some top ways of protecting your vacant house, but there are many more strategies that an owner can use to manage their vacant property properly.