Property Types We Secure in South East London

We provide professional boarding up and emergency securing for all property types in South East London – from small flats and family homes to busy high street shops and long-term vacant buildings. Our experienced, DBS-checked technicians work across SE postcodes every day, delivering fast, non-destructive securing wherever possible.

Whether you manage a portfolio of properties or just need help with your own home after a smashed window or forced door, we’ll help you board up and secure your building quickly, safely and in an insurer-friendly way.

Residential Boarding Up in South East London

Our residential boarding up service is designed for homeowners, tenants and landlords across South East London, including areas like Lewisham, Greenwich, Catford, Peckham, Woolwich and beyond.

Typical reasons people call us for residential boarding up in South East London include:

  • Burglary or attempted break-in
  • Smashed or cracked windows
  • Damaged doors after a kick-in
  • Storm damage to windows, doors or roof lights
  • Fire or flood damage where the property needs securing
  • Vacant homes awaiting sale, probate or refurbishment

We understand how upsetting it is when your home is damaged or at risk. Our team focus on:

  • Making the property safe quickly
  • Using non-destructive securing methods wherever we can
  • Keeping mess and disruption to a minimum
  • Providing clear paperwork for insurers

For homes, we work with:

  • Windows – front, rear, bay, sash, tilt-and-turn, patio doors and balcony doors
  • Doors – front doors, French doors, sliding doors, communal doors in blocks
  • Outbuildings – sheds, garages, garden rooms, lean-tos
  • Roof windows & skylights – boarded and weatherproofed where access allows

We frequently combine window boarding in South East London with door boarding up after a burglary so the whole property is secure while you arrange permanent repairs.

Commercial Boarding Up in South East London

Shops, cafes, pubs, takeaways, offices and light industrial units all have different risks and needs. Our commercial boarding up service supports business owners, landlords, facilities managers and local authorities throughout the SE postcode area.

Common reasons to use our commercial boarding up in South East London include:

  • Smashed shopfront glass after impact, theft or vandalism
  • Security shutters damaged or jammed open
  • Doors forced during burglary or attempted burglary
  • Accidental vehicle impact to a frontage
  • Fire damage where the unit needs to be secured

We regularly secure properties on busy high streets such as:

  • Peckham High Street, Deptford High Street, Rye Lane
  • Old Kent Road, Walworth Road, New Cross Road
  • Greenwich town centre, Lewisham town centre, Woolwich town centre

For commercial properties we can:

  • Board up large plate glass shopfront windows and doors
  • Work around roller shutters, grilles and signage
  • Provide temporary steel doors where a more robust, lockable solution is needed
  • Install medium-term steel security screens on vulnerable or vacant units

Where required, we can coordinate with your existing contractors (e.g. glaziers, shutter engineers or insurers’ repair teams) so your premises stay secure while permanent work is arranged. For many businesses, our shopfront boarding goes hand-in-hand with vandalism repair and smash damage boarding.

Vacant & Void Property Boarding in South East London

Empty buildings are particularly vulnerable to trespass, squatting, vandalism, arson and metal theft. Our vacant property boarding solutions are designed for medium to long-term void property security across South East London, helping landlords, housing associations, local authorities, developers and asset managers.

Our vacant property boarding in South East London typically covers:

  • Empty residential properties awaiting sale, let or redevelopment
  • Former commercial units and offices
  • Properties part-way through refurbishment
  • Fire or flood-damaged buildings standing empty
  • Properties subject to probate or legal processes

We offer a range of options, including:

  • Plywood / OSB boarding (typically 11–18mm, depending on risk and opening size) fixed with anti-tamper fixings
  • Sitex-style security screens and anti-vandal security screens for higher-risk sites
  • Temporary steel doors with robust locks for managed access
  • Combination approaches: e.g. steel screens on ground floor, timber boarding to higher levels

We can also help with:

  • Securing rear alleys, yards and side access
  • Boarding roof lights, skylights and easily accessible flat roofs
  • Adjusting access over time as works progress

Where possible we use non-destructive securing techniques that grip internal structure or frames, rather than damaging brickwork or leaving unnecessary screw holes. In rare cases of serious structural damage, fire, or unstable frames, we may need to use more invasive fixings – we’ll always explain this clearly and agree the approach with you.

How We Secure Different Property Types

Although every site is unique, our general approach is consistent whether we’re working on a flat in Bermondsey, a shop in Camberwell or a vacant house in Woolwich.

Assessment and Safety First

On arrival, our technician will:

  • Assess the damage and check for immediate safety risks
  • Identify all vulnerable points, not just the visibly broken area
  • Agree with you which openings need securing and how

If we have any concerns about structural stability, gas, or electrics (particularly with fire or flood damage), we’ll advise you to contact the relevant emergency services or qualified contractors before or alongside boarding up.

Materials and Fixings

We typically use:

  • OSB or plywood sheets cut to size, usually 11–18mm thick depending on:
    • Size of the opening
    • Height above ground
    • Risk level (busy high street vs quiet cul-de-sac, vacant vs occupied)
  • Anti-tamper fixings designed so they cannot easily be removed from outside
  • Timber bracing or internal support battens where needed for strength

For higher-risk or longer-term vacant sites, we may recommend:

  • Steel security screens (Sitex-style)
  • Anti-vandal security screens for ground floor windows and doors
  • Temporary steel doors with proper locks and keys for controlled access

Non-Destructive Securing Wherever Possible

We prioritise non-destructive securing methods, which might include:

  • Using existing frames to clamp boards from the inside
  • Fixings that pass through strong points with minimal damage
  • Avoiding unnecessary drilling into brickwork or uPVC

Occasionally, due to severe damage (e.g. burnt or smashed frames, collapsed lintels), non-destructive methods aren’t feasible. In those cases, we:

  • Explain the issue and the options clearly
  • Choose fixings that balance security and future repair ease
  • Keep any additional damage to the absolute minimum required for safety and security

Support for Insurance and Landlords

Many of our calls for board up and secure work come after an insured event such as burglary, vandalism, storm, fire or flood. We aim to make the process as simple as possible.

For all property types, we can provide:

  • Time-stamped photos of the damage and completed boarding
  • An itemised invoice showing labour and materials
  • A brief work statement describing what was secured and why

This makes it easier for you to claim against your insurance. For more detail, you can also see our dedicated page on insurance support for boarding up in South East London.

If the police have attended (for example after a break-in), keep your police reference number – insurers almost always ask for this.

Why Property Owners Across South East London Choose Us

Whether you’re dealing with an emergency at home or managing a portfolio of mixed-use buildings, you need reliable and professional boarding up specialists you can trust.

Key reasons clients choose us for residential, commercial and vacant properties:

  • Local presence in South East London – working daily across SE1–SE28, including Greenwich, Lewisham, Southwark, Woolwich, Peckham, Catford and beyond
  • 10+ years’ experience securing all types of property in the area
  • DBS-checked technicians and public liability insured for your peace of mind
  • Non-destructive securing wherever possible, with clear explanations when more invasive fixings are unavoidable
  • Familiarity with insurer expectations for emergency securing and evidence
  • Clean, tidy working – we remove our waste materials and clear up broken glass in the immediate work area where safe to do so
  • Options for short-term emergency boarding or longer-term security solutions like steel screens and temporary steel doors

We’re used to dealing with distressed homeowners, busy shop owners, housing officers, estate agents and facilities managers. Our focus is always on safety, security and clear communication.

What Happens Next?

If you know the type of property you need help with, you can go straight to:

If you’re currently facing an urgent issue – such as a smashed window, forced door or storm damage – it may be more helpful to look at:

You can also browse all our boarding up services in South East London to see exactly how we secure windows, doors, shopfronts and roofs for different property types.

Once you get in touch:

  1. We’ll ask a few quick questions about the property type, location and damage.
  2. We’ll explain your options and provide a clear, no-obligation quote.
  3. If you’d like to go ahead, we’ll arrange a suitable visit – urgently for emergencies, or at a convenient time for planned vacant property securing.

Property Type FAQs

Do you cover both houses and flats?

Yes. We secure:

  • Terraced, semi-detached and detached houses
  • Purpose-built flats and converted houses
  • Maisonettes and duplex flats

In blocks of flats, we can board individual units, communal entrance doors and ground-floor windows as required. For more detail, see our residential boarding up service.

Can you board up my shopfront without damaging the frame?

In many cases, yes. We aim for non-destructive securing wherever possible, using fixings that clamp to the structure with minimal impact. If the frame itself is badly damaged, we’ll explain your options. Our approach is tailored to each frontage; you can read more on commercial and shopfront boarding up in South East London.

How do you secure empty properties long-term?

For longer-term void property security, we usually recommend a mix of:

  • Plywood / OSB boarding with anti-tamper fixings
  • Sitex-style or anti-vandal security screens
  • Temporary steel doors with robust locks

We’ll discuss the risks, likely duration and any access requirements, then propose a suitable combination. Our vacant property boarding service explains this in more detail.

Is boarding up different for insured and non-insured properties?

The practical work is similar, but for insured properties we make sure you have insurance-ready paperwork: photos, itemised invoice and a brief statement of works. For uninsured or self-funded work, we still provide clear paperwork, but you won’t need to involve an insurer. Our page on insurance support for boarding up in South East London sets out the typical claim process.

Do you operate across all SE postcodes?

Yes. We cover the whole of South East London – including SE1 (South Bank and Borough), SE8 (Deptford), SE10 (Greenwich), SE13 (Lewisham), SE15 (Peckham), SE18 (Woolwich), SE23 (Forest Hill) and surrounding areas. For a full list, see the areas we cover in South East London.

Need help securing your property?
Whether it’s your home, shop or an empty building, our team can help you choose the right boarding up solution for your property type.
Need help now? Call 020 4538 1506 or Email us.

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