Quite simply, a residential security team (RST) is as it says, a security team or operative that is assigned or employed to protect a residential property. Generally, the residential security service will be 24 hours a day, maintaining a property’s security. This property can be residential or business such as a hotel; it may be vacant or occupied. Guards, usually private security contractors, are employed to protect and secure the property.
The protection can be from attempted break-ins, unwanted attention from fans or paparazzi, and squatters in vacant properties. Some clients of security companies may have multiple properties in and around London or across the world. However, the properties may not always have permanent household staff in residence. So a residential security team may be required to fulfil this duty.
The residential security team may also manage fire alarms, burglar alarms and the monitoring of CCTV. They will also patrol and monitor the properties for maintenance issues and report faults or defects. For example, our residential security teams have saved our clients tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of pounds just by the residential security guards being observant and reporting water leaks, electrical faults, and fire hazards. Other unrelated duties such as feeding the fish or letting in the cat may also be conducted by the residential security team, giving added service value.
Access control plays a huge role in residential security. Security team members will vet guests to ensure that they grant only expected welcome people access to the property. The RST will maintain records of visitors and tradespeople. Tradespeople often being escorted throughout the property, reducing the opportunity for theft, unreported damage, trespass, and unfounded allegations.
Client requirements may also involve the enforcement of non-disclosure agreements for everyone who enters their property. After all, they may not want the whole world to know what goes on within the privacy of their home or what artwork and assets they may have.
How many residential security guards are required will be dictated by the size of a property or estate, the client’s budget, and the level of threat and risk posed towards the client and their property.
At the lowest end of the risk/threat scale, the residential security team may be a single operative who only observes from a vehicle on the street in front of a property. Although this can also act as a visual deterrent to undesirable opportunists, it offers a minimum protection level. It is tough to ensure that the operative remains alert, observant and committed to the assignment if they are stuck in a car for 12 hours at a time. It can also attract unwanted attention from passersby.
Other properties and estates require much larger teams placed around several locations and buildings covering both day and night shifts. The team may also utilise drone technology to patrol large open areas or investigate potential perimeter breaches or alarm activations.
Ideally, the residential security team will be positioned within the property within a designated security control room to monitor any alarms and observe the CCTV images, maintaining access control and answering the door or phone, escorting tradespeople and visitors if required.
In order to provide personal security, especially for high net worth (hnw) families, close protection operatives may be part of residential security teams.
In most cases, the RST work around the clock 24 hours a day with different shifts and operatives covering 12-hour day and night shifts. In some cases, an RST member will stay and sleep within the property if the threat and risk assigned to the client or property dictates. Domiciled RST members became more commonplace during the global Covid-19 pandemic.
Westminster Security provides residential security services in London, throughout the UK, Europe and Worldwide.