Insurer releases guidelines for empty buildings

by David Masters

Story link: Insurer releases guidelines for empty buildings

Norwich Union – soon to be rebranded Aviva – has released guidelines for anyone leaving property empty for extended periods.

The Code of Practice for the Protection of Empty Buildings, put together with input from the Research, Insight, Strategy and Control Authority, gives practical advice on preventing damage to empty buildings from theft, vandalism or fire.

Every year the fire brigade is called to around 9,000 fires in empty buildings. This, in addition to the damage from theft and vandalism, costs insurers £100 million every year.

Allister Smith, Norwich Union’s property risk manager, said: “As businesses face challenging times surviving the economic climate, with production down and workplaces closing, there are rising numbers of commercial properties left empty.

“Evidence shows that the prospect of damage or injury arising from empty buildings can be high, even if only temporarily vacant.

“To reduce these risks it is absolutely critical that they are properly secured and managed throughout this period.”

Smith warned that property owners risk forfeiting insurance payouts if they fail to properly secure empty buildings.

“Although empty, these buildings contain a lot of value in fixtures and fittings and we are seeing an increasing trend in the theft of building fixtures, such as plumbing, electrical cabling and even floorboards,” Smith said.

Norwich Union’s advice includes boarding up points of access, removing rubbish from within the building and around the building’s perimeter, and making sure the building doesn’t look neglected.

If necessary, security patrols should be put in place, and any installed water sprinklers should be retained to protect against the risk of fire damage.