Is it safe to be a property guardian?

If you’re new to the concept of property guardians, the thought of living in an empty commercial property might sound strange, scary or even dangerous. But Live-in Guardians are committed to finding properties for our guardians that are not only 100% safe, but comfortable and completely habitable.

We look after a wide range of vacant commercial properties in central London, from banks and schools to churches and pubs. Once a property has been approved by Live-in Guardians, time and care are taken to completely transform the building interior to ensure it has everything required for residential living. All of our properties are outfitted with hot water and proper bathroom facilities, as well as electricity, comfortable bedrooms and shared living spaces. We do not give the go-ahead for guardians to move into a property unless we are confident and satisfied that is completely safe and liveable! If our guardians report any maintenance issues with the property such as damp or leaks, our team is on hand to quickly resolve these issues to keep the property in excellent condition.

Property Guardians pay a license fee when they live in our properties: a figure that is drastically lower than traditional rent costs. In exchange for this low cost of living, guardians perform the important task of keeping the property legally occupied and safe. The presence of guardians in a commercial property that might otherwise be sitting vacant acts as a deterrent for squatters, thieves and vandals. Squatters usually target empty buildings, meaning that guardians all but eliminate the risk of the building being squatted. In the rare occurrence of suspicious or suspected criminal activity, we ask our guardians to report it immediately to our 24-hour team who will take care of the problem, and we never ask our guardians to address the issue themselves or put themselves in the way of danger. The safety of our guardians is our number one priority.

As well as the benefit of reduced living costs, becoming a property guardian with Live-in Guardians comes with the opportunity to connect with other like-minded people. Our guardians are all young professions and often form close communities and support networks to look out for one another. No guardian is ever expected to inhabit and protect an entire property on their own! It is sadly true however that guardians are not legally considered to be tenants, and therefore are not protected by tenants rights, but this is an essential feature of property guardianship as it allows property owners to reclaim their property if it is needed for its intended purpose again. In which case, we always provide our guardians with plenty of notice and will endeavour to find another suitable property as soon as possible.

Guardianship isn’t for everyone, but if you’re feeling adventurous it does come with many benefits and is a truly modern and unique housing solution. Becoming a property guardian in London gives young professionals and mature students the chance to live and work in the capital without paying outrageous rent prices, and is a completely safe and viable option for those looking for London accommodation that won’t break the bank.