Your business is your livelihood, and it deserves to be protected, no matter if you own the property or if it’s leased. When you own a commercial property, you’re free to do with it as you please. When you rent your space, however, you need to think about strategies around business security for a leased property.
From installing a security system to ensuring that points of entry are well-secured, there are things you can do to make your business less of a target and protect your assets.
Special Considerations for Leased Properties
When you aren’t the owner of the building where your business is located, you’ll be subject to restrictions on the types of things you can do there. Some landlords are happy to let their tenants modify the space any way they please, but if you are a short-term renter, you may not be able to make the same modifications. Before even considering a security system, talk to your property manager and see what you can and cannot do.
Business Security for a Leased Property Shouldn’t Depend on Length of Lease
Whether you’re leasing for the short-term or the long-term, there are ways to keep your business, employees, and customers safe and secure.
First, it’s essential to ensure that all access points into the space are secure. Flimsy doors or broken locks need to be replaced. If you’re renting for the short-term, see if you can work with your landlord to have these items addressed, as having a more secure property is a good investment for them, even with future tenants.
If you’re renting for the long-term and your landlord is hesitant to foot the bill to replace doors and windows, see if they’ll allow you to pay to have it done. The increased security is well worth any up-front cost.
More importantly, ensure your building’s exterior and interior doors are protected with access control. Key fobs or cards are programmed to grant access only to selected individuals at specified rooms and pre-defined times of the day. An intuitive user interface allows you to quickly add or disable users. Management reports are available to see who accessed or tried to access your doors. ProTech Security’s access control system can be integrated with our security system.
Another item to cover with your landlord is making sure that the exterior is clean and well-lit at night. There shouldn’t be any dumpsters or landscaping that provide good hiding places for thieves to lurk near doors and windows. Because a safe property is an asset to both of you, hopefully, they’ll be willing to work with you on this.
One of the most important aspects of securing any commercial space is installing a security system. Many short-term renters are hesitant to do so for the reasons discussed above: they don’t want to pay to install a system they’ll be leaving behind.
Thankfully, many of today’s security systems work on wireless technology. This means that they install without a lot of modification and mess, and you can easily take them with you should you move to another location. These wireless systems are perfect for people who rent apartments or business space.
Build the System You Need
The great news about business security for a leased property is that it needn’t be hampered at all because the space is rented. A comprehensive security system will protect against threats such as intrusions, fire, as well as carbon monoxide, but you can have additional functionality installed to truly maximize your system. From traffic-counting systems to video surveillance, to access control solutions, you can customize your security system to increase business, reduce shrink, and stay connected at all times via your smartphone.
Big or small, owned or leased — all businesses and properties deserve great security. What are you doing to guard your livelihood?
At ProTech Security, we have a strong history of experience, innovation, and customer service. The ProTech Security Advantage is more than 30 years of service in Northeast Ohio and a strong commitment to providing quality, cost-effective protection for homes, businesses, educational institutions and government facilities. To see what ProTech Security can do for you, contact us today.
