by Shane Henson — December 23, 2011—If there were one thing facilities managers would like to take off their plates, it is probably vacant properties. According to a recent survey by vacant property experts SitexOrbis in association with the British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM), some 70% of the 205 FM professionals who responded consider vacant properties a “hassle”—five or above on a 10-point scale, while 35% consider them a “big hassle”—seven or higher out of 10.
The survey, conducted in autumn 2011, also found that 46% of facilities professionals have seen the number of vacant properties in their portfolio increase over the past two years, with 32% predicting that they will increase further over the next two years. When asked about their biggest concern about vacant properties, 68% considered it to be the security of empty buildings, 51% said it was the loss of income, and 48% claimed it was keeping the buildings in a ready-to-let condition that kept them awake at night. Site visits/property inspections (35%) and complying with insurance (33%) were also key issues.
When securing vacant properties, 66% of respondents reported using mains-fed alarms, 48% use CCTV, and 31% employ security guards. Just 24% use security screens or boarding. BIFM expressed concern that many FMs said they are not aware of alternative, cost-effective and efficient vacant property security solutions like battery-powered, 24/7 monitored temporary alarms that capture short video footages when triggered. Nor did 14% know that when a property becomes vacant the insurance company must be informed, and 34% were unaware of the health and safety obligations around vacant property.
The results of the survey will be fed into the upcoming BIFM Good Practice Guide to Vacant Property Management, written and sponsored by SitexOrbis.
