Live in Property Guardians offer an innovative solution to vacant property protection.

The conventional means of vacant property protection are fast becoming outdated due to their inefficient costs and an increasing demand for homes.

To simply board up a property, and leave it vacant without protection, is a risky course of action for anyone in the property management industry. The threat of criminal damage, squatters and natural decay in vacant properties can be a deterrent for property investors who do not have an immediate purpose for their investment.

There are of course simple solutions to these problems, but these do not come without pitfalls. Monthly maintenance and insurance provides a quick answer, but profit seeking companies will naturally seek the maximum return on any work they do. Similarly security companies may seem to provide safe protection, but the price of this can be staggering. For example the cost of hiring a security company (and the insurance associated with this) to oversee a property of 2,000 square feet for 12 months comes to a figure just shy of £100,000. This trend seems likely to continue with the profits of private security companies continuing to rise.

Therefore what Ad Hoc delivers is a smart, cost efficient solution to a stagnant problem. Ad Hoc creatively reimagines properties of all types and sizes to make them a suitable place for someone to live. Carefully vetted guardians are then able live there as a permanent or part time dwelling for them. This means that ensuring the maintenance of the property is in the interest of the Guardian, rather than just the property owner. Furthermore, a presence in the property provides security and surveillance without hiring a private security firm.       

This alternate option of property guardians can be up to 80% cheaper than conventional methods of security; the only costs for the property owner being a small fee, minimal insurance cover and monthly utilities. A housing shortage already exists, and with demand for housing increasing in the UK due to a rising number of residents, and with house prices expected to rise, live-in guardians provide an innovative and potentially lucrative choice for both those looking for homes, and property owners.

Vacant property protection remains a key aspect in the decision making of any property owner. But what has traditionally been seen as a tedious, and costly burden for property owners could now become a positive, financially sound way of ensuring properties remain maintained and secure. Ad Hoc’s inventive take on vacant property protection could potentially bring an evolution in the way the property management sector operates.