The short answer
Fit steel screens or grilles to ground-floor and accessible openings, secure the main door with a steel door or gate, keep the property looking cared for, and check your insurer's conditions for unoccupied buildings.
Which openings need covering?
- Ground-floor windows and doors
- Basement lights
- Upper windows reachable from flat roofs, extensions or bins
- Side and rear gates
Screens, grilles or boards?
Steel screens are quick to fit, strong and let light and air in. Removable grilles suit properties that are visited regularly. Timber boards are cheapest but easier to remove and can make a property look abandoned.
What else helps?
Clear post and leaflets, keep gardens tidy, isolate water where appropriate and arrange regular inspections. Check your insurance policy, which may have specific conditions for empty buildings.
What happens when the property is reoccupied?
Screens come down and fixing holes are made good.
Sources
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules differ between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; check with your council, building control or insurer where it matters.
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