A property does not close in a single moment. One tenant leaves while another works late, a cleaner needs access, a delivery arrives at a shared entrance, and an empty unit remains unattended until morning. After-hours property security needs to connect those activities to clear responsibilities.
The practical question is simple: who checks the property after people leave, who acts when something changes, and who confirms it is ready to reopen? This guide brings lock and unlock services, keyholding, mobile patrols, vacant spaces, shared areas and security handovers into one operating plan.
1. Define what closes, what stays accessible and who is responsible
Start with a site map and an operating schedule. Mark public entrances, tenant doors, vehicle gates, loading areas, service corridors, vacant units and restricted rooms. Assign each area an expected condition at closing, overnight and opening.
A retail plaza with several tenants needs more detail than a single closing time. A late-opening store can require an accessible walkway while neighbouring units are locked. Cleaners, delivery drivers and approved contractors can also need access after public hours. Record those exceptions before the closing officer arrives.
For every area, identify the person responsible for authorizing access, reporting damage and arranging repairs. Shared-area security does not automatically include entering individual stores, inspecting tenant stock or responding inside leased premises. Those duties need an agreed scope and authorized access.
Turn these decisions into written site instructions, often called post orders. Give officers a current version and a clear contact for questions or changes.
2. Make closing and keyholding a verified process
A lockup service should confirm the agreed condition of the property. Turning a key at the main entrance is only one part of that task.
- Check the approved late-working, cleaning and contractor schedule.
- Complete the assigned closing sweep without entering areas outside the authorized scope.
- Check designated doors, gates and accessible windows for damage or unsecured openings.
- Confirm that doors and gates close and latch as intended.
- Follow the approved alarm-setting procedure and record any fault or unresolved zone.
- Record completion, exceptions and the person notified about anything left unresolved.
Closing instructions must preserve required emergency exit access. A tenant still inside, a failed door latch or an alarm that will not set needs an escalation decision, not an inaccurate “site secured” entry. State who can approve delayed closing, temporary coverage or a repair call.
Keyholding supports this process by making authorized access available to the assigned responder. Maintain a controlled record of keys and credentials, who holds them and what each permits. Keep alarm codes and sensitive access details in the approved secure system rather than routine reports distributed to a wider audience.
The keyholding arrangement also needs instructions for lost keys, missing credentials, failed access and changes to locks or codes. A responder cannot complete an interior check if the supplied access no longer works.
3. Use overnight checks to find changes that need action
Build patrols around defined conditions. Depending on the assignment, checks can cover entrances, the perimeter, shared walkways, loading areas, accessible service corridors and specific interior locations.
Officers should look for unsecured access, fresh damage, unusual activity, failed lighting, visible water accumulation and changes to previously reported problems. Exact locations matter: a report identifying water beside the east service-corridor door gives management a useful starting point for action.
The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety outdoor inspection checklist identifies lighting, walking surfaces, drainage, access and security-system condition as areas to review. For a security assignment, translate relevant observations into specific patrol duties and a maintenance notification process.
Security checks establish what an officer can safely observe. They do not replace technical inspections or repairs by qualified trades. Officers should avoid unsafe spaces and follow the site's emergency procedure for suspected gas leaks or other immediate hazards. Electrical and mechanical equipment should be handled only by personnel authorized and qualified for that task.
Set patrol frequency around the property's exposure, operating pattern and assigned duties. Fixed attendance is useful for scheduled lockup and opening; other visits can follow an agreed patrol plan. Mobile patrols provide checks at intervals, so any duty requiring continuous presence needs dedicated coverage.
4. Add specific instructions for vacant spaces and shared areas
An empty unit needs its own plan even when the rest of the property is occupied. Establish who controls access, which checks are authorized and how often the space is attended under the agreed arrangement.
Before coverage begins, document the starting condition: secured entrances, known damage, existing leaks, retained equipment and any temporary works. This gives subsequent checks a clear reference and helps distinguish a new problem from one already assigned for repair.
During authorized visits, check for signs of forced entry, unsecured openings, visible water damage and changes around entrances or accessible interior areas. Keep a record of approved contractor attendance and confirm the required condition after contractors leave.
Chubb's guidance for vacant business premises emphasizes inspections and maintaining essential protective systems. Owners should confirm the requirements that apply to their own property and policy when setting the inspection scope.
For retail plazas and buildings with several tenants, connect vacant-unit checks to the shared-area plan. A vacant storefront, an active neighbouring business and a common loading bay can have different access rules during the same patrol. The instructions should make those boundaries clear.
5. Give every exception a contact and a next step
A useful after-hours plan identifies what happens when the property cannot be left in its expected condition. Include instructions for failed gates, doors that will not secure, alarm faults, unauthorized entry, visible leaks and urgent tenant calls within the agreed scope.
For each issue, name the first contact, the backup contact and the action permitted if neither answers. Explain who can authorize a contractor, approve extra attendance or arrange temporary on-site coverage. Emergency calls take priority over management notification and written reporting.
Record the discovery time, exact location, observed condition, contact attempts, instructions received and remaining action. For the dispatch and attendance process, see our alarm response guide for property managers. For documentation standards, see what a security guard report should include.
Keep unresolved items visible until the responsible person confirms the outcome. A recurring door fault should carry forward to the next patrol and morning handover.
6. Reopen the property with the overnight picture in view
Opening begins with the handover. Review overnight incidents, outstanding repairs, access changes and any area that could not be secured or checked.
The opening officer then checks the agreed approach and entry points, follows the authorized alarm and unlocking sequence, and confirms which doors and gates are available for staff, tenants and visitors. If there are signs of forced entry or another immediate hazard, follow the response procedure before continuing normal opening.
Confirm completion to the designated contact and identify any restriction or follow-up that remains. The purpose is to give the incoming team a clear account of the property's condition and the issues needing attention.
7. Keep the same plan intact when changing security companies
A provider change should transfer the working instructions behind closing, patrols and reopening. Set the outgoing and incoming coverage times so there is no unassigned period.
- Provide the incoming team with the current map, schedules, post orders and emergency contacts.
- Reconcile keys and credentials, confirm new access works, and arrange return or removal of outgoing access.
- Confirm the alarm-response contact arrangement and the exact time responsibility changes.
- Transfer open incidents, recurring faults, approved contractor visits and temporary instructions.
- Walk the first assigned officers through the site and the closing and opening sequence.
- Assign a supervisor to check the first handover and review early reports with management.
A written handover is especially useful when a property includes vacant units, several buildings or tenants with different hours. Review the plan after the first shifts and whenever the property's operation changes.
One checklist for the full after-hours period
- Before closing: confirm schedules, late occupants, contractor access and the condition expected in each area.
- At lockup: complete the assigned checks, secure authorized access points, follow the alarm procedure and escalate exceptions.
- Overnight: attend the agreed areas, document observed changes and act through the contact sequence.
- For vacant spaces: use authorized access, compare conditions with the starting record and carry forward unresolved concerns.
- At reopening: review the handover, check for overnight changes and confirm the authorized opening sequence.
- When providers change: transfer responsibilities, instructions, access and open issues before the first shift begins.
Frequently asked questions
Can one security arrangement cover lockup, patrols and morning opening?
Yes. These duties can form one service plan when the schedule, access, areas to check and reporting requirements are agreed. Each duty needs a defined attendance window and instructions for exceptions.
Does common-area security include the inside of individual stores?
Only when interior duties and the necessary access are expressly included. A shared-area assignment should state how officers handle tenant requests and who can authorize additional attendance or entry.
How often should a vacant property be checked?
Set the schedule around the property's condition, access, incident history, agreed duties and applicable owner or insurer requirements. There is no single patrol interval suitable for every vacant building.
What should happen if an officer finds a leak or a door that will not lock?
Immediate hazards require the site's emergency procedure first. Otherwise, the officer records the exact location and observed condition, follows the escalation procedure and documents the instructions received. Unresolved problems need an assigned follow-up and a clear handover.
Build the coverage around your property
Grit Security can develop property-specific coverage using mobile patrol security and uniformed security guards. The agreed plan defines lock and unlock duties, keyholding, patrol areas, access permissions and escalation.
Grit uses TrackTik to support time-stamped patrol activity, checkpoint records and incident reporting. For commercial buildings and shopping centres, those records help management connect completed work with open issues and the next action.
To discuss coverage, share the property's opening and closing hours, tenant schedules, vacant areas, current access arrangements and the duties you need covered. Speak with Grit Security about your property.
Service areas
Grit Security serves properties across the Lower Mainland, including Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond, Surrey, Langley, Coquitlam and Delta. Coverage and attendance requirements are confirmed for each site.