Preparing for winter is crucial, especially during the festive season. Seasonal closures mean that emergency services are under pressure, working hours differ and contractors are not as readily available as they usually would be. Here’s some things to consider when it comes to preparing for this time of year:
- Reactive Security – have a plan in place to re-secure your property as break-ins happen all year round. Our team can manage this end-to-end, ensuring the relevant team is despatched ASAP and your property is fully resecured within hours
- CCTV – spot potential intruders and deter those tempted to break in. Have clear signage and visible systems in place to alert intruders may go a long way in preventing disruption.
- Alarms –these act as a deterrent and do their job when a break in happens. Install an alarm as they are likely to prevent intruders from continuing with their plan
- OOH Call Handling – you may require additional help with your 24/7 call handling this festive season.
- Reactive Repairs – heating/hot water issues often arise at this time of year and finding contractors to attend a property last minute can be difficult. SPS can provide call-out teams across the UK.
- Steel Security Screens – vacant property is always at risk but don’t make it easy for them. SPS Steel screens can be installed to existing window structures without damage and provide a reliable and sturdy solution to secure your property.
- Fencing/Barricades – construction sites need fencing perimeters and SPS fencing will stop intruders when tradespeople finish up for the festive season.
- Seasonal Closures – what hours are you open for the festive season? Will you be shutting down for the holidays or will your staff work on rotating shifts to allow the business to operate during this time? Will staff work in your premises or from home? It’s important to make these considerations now and ensure your commercial property is equipped for a full closure or longer periods of time left unattended.
- Guarding – if your business is operating with different working hours or closing entirely, you may consider guarding services to allow for increased property security.
- Property Inspections – Add a property inspection before the end of the year or at the beginning of next year for health and safety and security reasons this festive period. Your insurance may also call for regular property inspections so it’s important to know when you are due another. Inspections identify potential gaps in your security/safety measures and reports can be provided in real-time, allowing fast movement on actioning the necessary updates/changes.
- Steel Security Doors – secure entry points to vacant properties/units by installing SPS Steel Doors, which again, cause no damage to existing structures and are tamper-proof. During the festive season, you may have less time to attend vacant properties so installing the necessary measures will give you peace of mind.
- Grounds Maintenance – while usual gardening requirements may be a lower priority at this time of year, more socialising means more rubbish and in order to keep the area surrounding your property both clear and clean, grounds maintenance work is crucial.
- Lone workers – do you have workers operating in isolation during the festive season? SPS can assist with lone worker monitoring, which adds a health and safety measure but also tracks the progress of the task.
- Communal Door Maintenance – resident safety and building security is increasingly important at this time of year. Footfall in residential properties increases due to social aspects and an increase of delivery workers and contractors attending properties. It is therefore important that communal doors systems are maintained, and immediate access is restricted to full-time residents.
- Clean and Clear –preparing to re-let in the new year, make sure its booked in for a clear and clean with SPS. Delays to this can prolong the viewing/leasing process and have an immediate effect on your rental income.This applies to both commercial and domestic properties.
- Opportunist intruders – intruders like to do their Christmas shopping too, just in a less conventional way.Whether they are residential or commercial, be sure that entire buildings are secured in the best way possible to avoid disruption.
- CCTV Towers – another effective measure for vacant sites, with 360 degree view, sound and motion sensors and fence line detection.
- Outsourced Call Handling Services – increased support for call handling services may be needed with staff taking annual leave and increased demand/calls from customers during the festive season. Consider an outsourced solution to ease the pressure on your existing staff and cover the necessary workload. Our teams can be trained on your internal processes and alleviate the stress tied to operating amidst increased seasonal demand.
- Adverse weather – unpredictable weather conditions can lead to frozen pipes, leaks/flooding and the need for emergency call-outs. SPS can provide teams 24/7, 365 days a year to attend to weather-affected properties.
- Anti-social behaviour – large seasonal events in the calendar often lead to an increase in anti-social behaviour and emergency services are often too busy to attend quickly. SPS can resecure and board up affected properties.
- Residents in isolation – be aware that many of your residents have been living in isolation for an extended period and will be throughout the festive period. Your out of hours calls can be redirected to our team to ensure that even during busy periods, your residents are taken care of. Many residents experience anxiety, illness or are vulnerable to break-ins/attacks so it is important to always consider their welfare.
- ARC support – our dedicated ARC can respond to calls and despatch teams quickly, whether it’s to attend a break-in or assist a resident in need.
- Fly tipping – Christmas presents leads to larger levels of disposal and often not in the correct way. Walkways and alleys in residential and commercial areas can often be a dumping ground for packaging or unwanted possessions. It is important, if only for health and safety reasons and to minimise fire hazards to have these items removed ASAP.
- Vandalism – nothing to do, want to make a statement, boredom can often lead to pointless acts of vandalism. That is not to say vandalism cannot be intentional too but either way it has an effect on the appearance of your property and can be avoided with the relevant security measures, such as fencing or steel security.
- Peace of mind – call on teams with decades of experience to give you peace of mind this festive season. SPS has over 35 years of experience in securing properties and providing solutions for real people. Call us today and prepare for winter NOW.