If you’re between offices, you will know that it can be stressful leaving a commercial space unattended. Maybe you’re kitting out an office space before you make the final move to make the transition as seamless as possible, or maybe you’re renovating your office building to accommodate more staff or to modernise the working environment. Either way, you should know how to keep your property safe.
The main problem with vacant commercial properties is that burglars, vandals and trespassers know that they will be empty outside working hours. The same applies to your neighbouring businesses. Nobody will be around to make sure that nobody is breaking in or stealing any of your equipment, so it’s down to you to keep your building protected.
The main difficulty with an office space is that it will probably contain lots of expensive electronic equipment which is very attractive to thieves. In case the worst does happen, make sure you’ve marked all of your electronics with Smart Water, which the police can see in certain lighting conditions, but is otherwise invisible. This means that anything stolen can be identified and retrieved at a later date.
Unauthorised vehicle access can also be a worry for owners of vacant commercial properties. Make sure nobody can access your property in their vehicle by hiring a concrete barrier system to place across any driveways or loading bays. This is much harder to move than a traffic cone, and will ensure that nobody is able to gain access to your property.
An essential element of your office security system should be a burglar alarm. If this is not included in the building as a whole, make sure you get one set up for your own office space. This way, even with nobody around, you know that the police will be informed should any intruders gain access to your property.
If you have any confidential information which needs to be stored on the premises, lock it away in a secure, fixed locker system, or keep it in a safe. It’s paramount that private information remains private, so don’t compromise the privacy of your employees or clients and make sure it can’t be accessed by anyone unauthorised.
While it can be a stressful time moving offices, don’t feel as though you have to constantly worry about your vacant office. As long as you take the time to put the right measures in place, your property should remain safe and secure.
Karen Barnes is a specialist commercial property security consultant who advises business owners on the best methods to keep their premises secure
Originally posted on May 9, 2013 @ 11:10 am