Property inspections certainly aren’t the most exciting of tasks for many businesses, but they are an essential part of property compliance. Within this blog, we will take a quick look at some key benefits of business property inspections and the advantages that they provide for both businesses and public sector Landlords.
What is involved with a business property inspection?
Put simply, during a property inspection, an inspector will perform a walk-through survey of the property, noting key observations, before generating a comprehensive report. The inspection report should include a detailed summary of findings to provide the customer with an overview of any potential issues, which could also include maintenance recommendations.
The information contained within the report is usually based on the following checks – Property condition, utility systems, property security, hazardous issues and exterior checks.
Businesses and public sector property owners are often required to perform property inspections as part of their insurance terms, this is particularly the case with vacant properties and it is the owners duty to ensure that they are compliant with both the Defective Premises Act and the Occupiers Liability Act. If an issue were to happen on your premises, and you did not have the required inspection report, then this could void your insurance claim leaving you with a very costly situation.
The frequency of a property inspection is really down to the individual insurers’ requirements, but usually this is required at least every 6 months. The positive news is that regular property inspections can actually reduce your insurance premium with a wide variety of providers.
Property inspections can certainly affect the value of the property itself, particularly if you’re looking to sell. Not only does it provide potential buyers with the peace of mind that the building has been well maintained, it also allows owners to rectify any issues that may have been flagged on the report. These instances could involve structural issues, plumbing, electrical, building damage, mould, the list is almost endless, but it is certainly better to catch these problems sooner rather than later.
Property inspections should also provide current meter readings for gas, electric and water where applicable. By regularly supplying your service provider with this type of information, they are able to better predict your future requirements and assess your future charges more accurately.
With any thorough property inspection, security should certainly be listed as a factor on the report. This can help to prevent costly break-ins by installing preventative measures such as CCTV security systems, alarms, guarding or other devices to deter criminal activity. This also gives any occupiers additional peace of mind, knowing that their safety has also been taken into account.
Orbis have been an approved Property Risk Management partner with leading insurance firm Aviva for more than 10 years. During this time, we have helped many companies manage risks and maintain insurance and health & safety compliance.
We asked our Client Relationship Director, Louis Fordham, to answer a simple question – ‘Why choose Orbis?’ Here is what he had to say –
“Orbis are a nationally recognised and approved Property Inspection company, with over 20 years’ experience in carrying our detailed external and internal property inspections.
Our inspections are designed around the property owners’ insurance policy, to ensure that they are fully compliant. This not only gives complete peace of mind, but can retain or in some cases, increase the value of the property itself. We carry out diligent inspections and report back on required repairs, security recommendations, as well as removing consumables. By offering all these services as a ‘one-stop shop’, we can reduce our customers hefty insurance premiums. We can also tailor these checks to meet any client needs, and can offer other services like utility meter readings, and drain downs.”
Our range of inspection criteria covers over 60 individual checks, categorised into 5 key areas –
We also provide photographic evidence of all key findings within our reports, which makes our property inspection service one of the most comprehensive available.
Our truly national reach of over 20 locations ensures that we can cover all regions across the UK and N Ireland and operate a rapid response service for any emergency requirements.
We can arrange a free consultation to answer any queries you may have, so please get in touch if you would like to discuss your requirements with us.
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