How we secure your property
From large regeneration sites to a decommissioned youth club, from residential to commercial projects, bringing new purpose to empty buildings has taken on a variety of forms since we launched in 2011. And we don’t just work in London: we’ve worked across England, in places like Cambridge, Letchworth, High Wycombe and Manchester too.
We know that every building is different, and so is every client, which is why we will deliver a tailored plan to suit your needs. If you have an empty building, we’d love to hear from you.
A step-by-step guide to using our service
A member of our team visits the site to determine your specific needs, inspect the property and discuss potential occupation and management plans.
If the property is suitable for property guardianship, we will make a proposal detailing the set-up work required, timescales, finances and how we will manage the site. If agreed, legal and contractual agreements are signed. We’ll also check to see what local causes are important to you, and direct our guardians’ volunteering efforts towards them.
We know that taking a ‘one size fits all’ approach will not deliver the best results. We will call upon our previous experience across a variety of projects, and work closely with you to create a tailored management plan that suits your specific needs.
Health and safety checks are carried out. All of our clients can be safe in the knowledge that our guardians live at a standard that meets or exceeds legally required standards, and maintained in this condition whilst the property is still under our management.
We are proud of our selection process, which makes sure only the most responsible and conscientious people become guardians with us. When vetting applicants, we assess finances and conduct reference checks.
Our carefully selected guardians move into the property. We aim to do this within two weeks of being given the keys.
Each guardian has a dedicated services coordinator, who checks in with them regularly. Routine, detailed inspections of the property by our field team and proactive guardians allow us to quickly identify and correct issues early.
“Our experience with the guardians has been very positive. Once the void properties have been accepted there is very little involvement from our side. Having the guardians in the void properties has given us the peace of mind we needed whilst preparing to redevelop the estate.”
Fiona Taylor
Intensive Neighbourhood Manager, A2 Dominion
We will keep you updated on the property, the guardians and our social impact, and provide regular written reports. One of our service coordinators will be your day-to-day contact; they’ll also get to know and manage the guardians in your property.
When you need your property back, we will manage the guardians’ departures within 32 days. We have an excellent track record for vacant possession. Head to our property owner FAQs to find out more.
Mark Lehay
Area Housing Manager, Thames Valley Housing
A commitment to quality and safety
Part of our mission is to push up standards in the property guardian sector. All of our clients can be safe in the knowledge that our guardians live at a standard that meets or exceeds legally required standards, and maintained in this condition whilst the property is still under our management.
Like everything we do, our approach to repairs and maintenance serves to remove the barriers to housing good people in good buildings, for the benefit of property owners, guardians, and the local community.
As well as acting on repair requests from guardians, we identify maintenance needs through our inspections. Our team conducts monthly, unannounced inspections in all properties, during which repairs are flagged when necessary. We also conduct a more in-depth annual inspection in the winter, and make sure to look out for issues such as mould and damp.
Our proactive approach to property maintenance and repairs enables us to spot property issues and repairs needed early, reducing their severity.
We maintain a full compliance system to ensure that properties are safe at the start to house guardians, and continue to be maintained in ways that ensure safety. We use the Housing Health and Safety rating system as the backbone of our standards, the same standards that all landlords including housing associations and local authorities are expected to adhere to.
Get in touch about securing your property
Do you have a building that will be empty for a minimum of three months or more? Get in touch with our team to discuss whether we can offer the right security solution for your asset.