Why should I use Live-in Guardians as opposed to a traditional security option?

The prospect of leaving your property vacant, in an urban area, in the middle of a housing crisis and an increase in crime-rates, is a daunting one to say the very least. Only a few years ago, the Home Office published a study stating that the annual costs of crime targeting commercial property (including vandalism, arson, theft and other crimes) to commercial properties in the UK was up to almost nine billion pounds1 (£8.7b). Consequently, security among owners of commercial lots and structures is a priority concern.

Let’s talk traditional.

When first setting up Live-in Guardians – we wanted to find out how much so-called ‘traditional’ security services were costing landlords. Anything from boarding up the windows and securing all access points, to having a dedicated security team at the property 24/7. You can find a chart of our figures here: The Cost of vacant property services.

Here's what we found (all costs averaged over a 12-month period):

• Mobile Private Security Patrol - £33,000 or £635 per week.
• Securing Property Windows and Entry-ways – £51,000 or £981 per week
• Full Alarm System with active monitoring - £64,800 or £1246 per week
• A Private Security Guard on-site 24/7 - £129,000 or £2481 per week

No matter how you try to spin it, that is a lot of money. But, then again – you can’t put a price on peace of mind, right? Of course you can, and that price is zero.

What is a property guardian?

Property guardians are individuals who will occupy your property residentially, keeping it safe, secure, clean and in good repair. Live-in Guardians is an agency that connects guardians to properties, at no cost to the landlord whatsoever. Our guardians live in your properties on license (meaning that they cannot acquire tenancy rights), are required to live in the property full-time, and fulfil their duties as a guardian.

‘To Protect and Preserve’

Our property guardian scheme gives you a de-facto security team, a full (human) alarm system, and any potential intruders, burglars or other criminals will be reported by the occupants instantly. That’s three out of the four traditional security options combined (we’re not counting a mobile patrol as our guardians as full-time residents) – meaning a combined saving to you of £4,708 every single week. Additionally, your council tax liabilities (which skyrocket after a property has been empty for three months) will be kept under control as your property is no longer empty!

Our guardians are not just run-of-the-mill flatmates either. Each is carefully screened and vetted to make sure that they’re up to the task of keeping your property safe, and in many cases – you’ll find your property in a better state than how you left it! Guardians will go out of their way to make the space their living in nice, as well as safe and secure. So expect your property to not only stay in good repair, but be kept spotless, safe, and secure.

Live-In Guardians is one of the foremost providers of guardian property management in the UK, and is a founding member of the PGPA, the association for property guardian providers. We can’t wait to hear more about your property, and how we can save you tens of thousands of pounds! When you’re ready, give us a call!

Sources:
[1] The economic and social costs of crime Second edition | Matthew Heeks, Sasha Reed, Mariam Tafsiri and Stuart Prince | © Crown Copyright July 2018