We recently spoke with Jill, the owner of a lovely little bungalow in need of securing. Her property, on a larger piece of land, had been empty for a while. We stepped up to secure the space, and asked Jill to tell us a little more about her experience with City Guardians and guardianship in general.
Could you tell us a little about the property and your connection to it?
I own a 3 bed bungalow situated on quite a large piece of land, within a garden centre and nursery which is no longer trading.
What was the situation that led to you deciding to secure it with City Guardians?
We approached 3 different companies to see what they had to offer and liked how straight-talking City Guardians were. They were clear in what they had to offer, clear on how it would work and could answer all questions. They were positive and seemed experienced in the process.
What were your main concerns about leaving the building vacant?
We needed someone to live on site to make sure it was safe from intruders or anything else.
How important was it to you to preserve the cottage rather than leave it standing empty?
I never thought of letting it all deteriorate, that was not an option.
What made property guardianship the right solution for securing the property?
When trading we employed two different security companies over the years to keep an eye on the place, but this could not be truly monitored in how good their service actually was. We had a burglar alarm inside and out. By having someone live on site, just by being there, they would be able to observe, hear, protect. So our land was far more secure. What we liked about City Guardians was that the two people we met in the beginning were the people we would have contact with during our agreement. We would not be passed on to someone else we did not know, who did not have an idea of our situation.
How did you find the process of setting up guardianship with City Guardians?
We had not done this before, and the process was relatively easy for such a serious decision.
How has having guardians in place helped give you peace of mind?
Having the guardians in place has certainly helped alleviate so much stress and worry of what could happen to our vacant building and land.
Have there been any unexpected benefits to having the property occupied and cared for?
Yes, City Guardians did some decorating before people moved in, have serviced different things within the property keeping them in good order, kept us informed, are at the end of the phone if and when we have had queries. They’ve sorted problems we did not know answers to, all at no additional cost to ourselves.
Has it helped you maintain flexibility for future plans (sale, development, etc.)?
The pressure of time in our other plans has also been alleviated with the land and bungalow being cared for.
Looking ahead, what are your hopes for the future of the cottage and the remaining land?
This may go on for some time depending on what occurs.
What would you say to another owner considering this solution?
Highly recommend this process.
