Vacant Property Security in Epsom

An empty house, flat or shop is most exposed at its windows and doors. Our vacant property security service in Epsom boards those openings with exterior-grade sheet material and security fixings, so the building stays closed until you’re ready to re-let, sell, refurbish or reopen it. We work for landlords, letting and managing agents, executors, owners between tenancies and businesses that have closed a unit.

A person answers the phone 24 hours a day, so you can arrange empty property boarding around a tenancy ending, a completion date or a key handover. To get started, call 01372 656234 or email us with the address and a rough idea of the openings.

When void property securing makes sense

Vacant property boarding suits a building that will stand empty for a while and doesn’t need day-to-day access. Typical examples include:

• A rental between tenancies where refurbishment or a long void is expected.
• A probate property waiting for the estate to settle or a sale to go through.
• A closed shop or office with a glazed frontage and a rear door onto a service yard.
• A property awaiting works where the windows or doors are already damaged or due for replacement.
• A building that’s been broken into while empty and needs securing before anything else happens.

If only one or two openings are a concern, our window boarding or door boarding pages may suit you better. This page covers securing the property as a whole.

Which openings to board

Not every empty property needs every window covered. On the call we’ll work through the building with you, opening by opening:

• Ground-floor windows and doors are usually the starting point because they’re the easiest to reach.
• Openings reachable from a flat roof, extension, wall or bin store often need the same treatment as ground-floor ones.
• Rear and side access matters as much as the front, especially on terraced houses and shops with yards behind.
• Upper-floor windows may need boarding if they’re broken, if they can be reached from below, or if you’ve asked for the whole building to be closed.

The aim is to secure the openings that need it rather than board every pane by default. We’ll explain the reasoning so you can decide.

Materials and fixings

For most vacant property work we use exterior-grade plywood, typically 18mm, cut to fit each opening. It holds up to weather over the time a building stands empty and is hard to force. OSB can suit smaller openings where it does the job.

Boards are secured with security or anti-tamper fixings, which are much harder to remove from outside than standard screws.

Where the frame allows, we use non-destructive fixing, which limits damage to the window or door frame underneath. That helps if you plan to re-let or sell and want the frames to stay usable once the boards come off. If the property is listed or within the Epsom Town Centre Conservation Area, mention it on the call so we can talk through fixing methods that respect the existing frames.

When a frame is too damaged

If a door or window frame is split, rotten or has been forced, boards can’t always go on in the usual way. We’ll explain the options before any work starts. That might mean securing the damaged door or frame first, or fixing to sound structure around it. Because this changes the scope, it’s agreed with you in advance and doesn’t come as a surprise afterwards.

Access and getting back in

Talk to us early about how you, your agent or contractors will need to get into the property while it’s empty. A building that has to stay accessible for viewings, inspections or tradespeople may need one entrance treated differently from the rest. We’ll discuss what’s practical for your building on the call.

Also let us know about anything that affects the visit, such as:

• whether someone will meet us or keys need collecting
• parking or loading restrictions near the property
• upper-floor openings that need ladders
• broken glass or debris that needs making safe first

What happens on the visit

When we arrive, we go through the agreed openings, clear any loose glass or debris from those areas and make them safe, then measure, cut and fix the boards. The van carries boarding stock and fixings, so most work can be completed in a single visit.

When we’ve finished, you receive:

• Secured openings, as agreed on the call
• An itemised invoice for the work
• Time-stamped before and after photographs
• A written statement of the work done

Landlords and agents often keep these for their own records or pass them to the owner. If the property was damaged while empty and you’re claiming, our insurance claims guide explains how the paperwork is used. Your insurer decides what’s covered. We aren’t loss adjusters or legal advisers.

Boarding makes the building safe for now. When you’re ready to bring the property back into use, permanent glazing and door repairs can follow and the boards come down.

How the quote works

There’s no price on this page because empty properties vary so much. You get a free, clear quote on the call before any work starts. It’s based on:

• the number and size of openings
• height and access, such as upper floors, roofs, skylights and ladder work
• materials and board thickness
• the fixing method, including security or anti-tamper fixings
• whether a damaged door or frame needs securing first
• any debris or glass to make safe

More detail is on our pricing page.

Why landlords and agents use us

Boarding Up Epsom is an independent local boarding-up service with over 10 years’ experience. We’re fully insured, with a certificate available on request, and DBS-checked, which matters when you’re sending someone to a property on your client’s behalf. We attend at any hour, including nights, weekends and bank holidays. We’ll work out an arrival time with you on the call from the postcode.

We cover Epsom and nearby places including Stoneleigh, Langley Vale and Epsom Downs, subject to confirming the address on the call.

Arrange vacant property boarding

Call 01372 656234 or email us. It helps if you can tell us:

• the property’s postcode
• the type of property and roughly how many windows and doors need covering
• any upper-floor, roof or hard-to-reach openings
• whether any doors or frames are damaged
• how you’ll need to get in while it’s empty

If it’s safe to do so, send a few photographs of the openings. We’ll talk through access and give you a clear quote before any work starts.