When it comes to vacant property protection, many building owners turn to CCTV as their first line of defence. It seems like a straightforward option — just install some cameras and know that your building is being watched around the clock.
It’s easy, but in reality, it’s not effective.
While CCTV can play a role in a broader security strategy, it’s far from a foolproof solution. By relying on cameras alone, your building will be left exposed to many risks.
With the rise in commercial property vacancies across the UK, it’s time to take a more realistic view of how best to keep your site safe. The answer is a more proactive approach.
The Problem With CCTV for Vacant Property Protection
It’s easy to understand the appeal of CCTV.
Surveillance systems are visible, they run 24/7, and they give you footage that can be helpful after an incident. In some cases, simply having cameras installed can reduce criminal activity.
But CCTV is only as effective as the rest of your security plan.
Even high-end CCTV systems have blind spots. No matter how well your cameras are placed, there are often corners, entrances, or lower-access areas that they simply cannot see. That means vandals, thieves, or squatters can still access parts of your property undetected.
And if they do? A CCTV system only records the crime. It doesn’t prevent it from happening.
This is the biggest downfall of security cameras. Cameras are especially useless when it comes to squatters, as once they’re inside your property, they’re protected by complex legal processes that can be slow and expensive to reverse.
In the eyes of the law, the fact that you have footage doesn’t change the reality that your building is now occupied.
Why Passive Security isn’t Enough
Modern CCTV systems can include smart features like remote alerts, voice warnings, and integration with alarm services. But even with these snazzy features, a camera can’t physically intervene and stop a break-in.
There’s no one on site to make decisions, assess risks in real time, or notify emergency services at the first sign of damage or danger.
This means your CCTV is reactive, not proactive.
It documents a problem after it’s happened, giving you evidence for police reports or insurance claims. But if the damage is done, say squatters have moved in, or a burst pipe goes unnoticed for days, that footage offers little comfort.
Add to that the high cost of installing and maintaining quality CCTV, especially if your property has multiple entry points. The price of CCTV adds up quickly.
And even with the best CCTV system in place, you may not be getting the protection you really need.
The Property Guardianship Advantage
So if CCTV doesn’t work, what’s the alternative?
More and more property owners are turning to property guardianship as a smarter, more comprehensive solution for vacant property protection.
Property guardianship provides live-in guardians who actively secure and care for empty buildings. Guardians pay a small license fee to live on-site, and they offer an effective, cost-neutral way to keep your building safe and occupied.
Unlike CCTV, guardianship is proactive. Guardians deter intruders simply by being present.
Their occupation alone makes the property far less attractive to squatters or vandals.
And if an issue does arise, whether it’s an attempted break-in, a fire risk, or a maintenance concern, it can be dealt with immediately. There’s no waiting for a triggered alarm to be reviewed by a remote operator hours later.
Cost-Effective and Comprehensive Protection
Guardianship also offers financial advantages over other forms of vacant property protection.
Hiring full-time security guards is expensive. Leaving the property empty risks sky-high costs from vandalism, water damage, or council tax and business rate liabilities.
CCTV sits somewhere in the middle — it’s not cheap or particularly reliable.
Guardianship, however, costs property owners nothing. In fact, it can help reduce or even eliminate business rates.
It also supports reactive maintenance and ensures your insurance compliance is met by maintaining key safety protocols.
And at City Guardians, we go a step further. We carry out free initial inspections, conduct all the necessary safety compliance checks, and provide a 30-day hand-back guarantee. When you’re ready to regain full control of your building, we make it happen quickly and smoothly.
A Human Presence Makes the Difference
There’s one final factor that sets guardianship apart: it brings your building back to life.
Empty properties attract the wrong kind of attention, and they become targets fast. But occupied properties project activity, care, and community.
Guardians create a lived-in environment that supports the local area, adds value to the neighbourhood, and provides safe, affordable housing for key workers and professionals.
This human presence is something CCTV will never provide. Cameras can record a moment, but only people can prevent one.
A Smarter Choice for Vacant Property Protection
CCTV has its place, but as a standalone solution for protecting an empty building, it just doesn’t hold up.
When it comes to preventing unlawful occupation, damage, and loss, passive surveillance is no match for the real-time, human-focused protection that guardianship offers.
At City Guardians, we specialise in turning vacant spaces into safe, productive, and protected environments. Whether you manage commercial buildings, former public spaces, or disused residential stock, our live-in guardianship model offers a reliable, zero-cost way to protect your property.
Ready to replace CCTV with real protection? Get in touch with our team to discover how live-in guardianship is the smarter solution to vacant property protection.
