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Available Across Victoria – Contact Us Now!
Moving into a new space is busy. There are boxes, phone lines, furniture and staff to settle. Security often waits until after the first break-in scare, or until the insurer asks about it.
It is easier and cheaper to plan security at the start. You can raise points with the landlord before you sign, fit systems before stock arrives and set habits from day one.
We're a full service security provider in Australia, and this checklist is built for Melbourne businesses taking on a new lease, whether it is an office, a shop, a workshop or a warehouse unit. Use it alongside advice from your lawyer, because lease terms vary.
Your best chance to shape security is before the lease is final.
Inspect the premises, and take photos. The Victorian Small Business Commission's retail lease brochure for tenants asks whether you have completed an inspection report and taken photos before taking possession. Note the state of doors, locks, windows, roller doors and fencing.
Ask who owns what. Find out who is responsible for locks, doors, fencing, lighting and any existing alarm or cameras. Ask whether existing equipment works, and who services it.
Check alterations. If you plan to install an alarm, cameras, access control or extra locks, check what the lease allows and whether you need the landlord's consent. Raise it before you sign, not after.
Think about make good. Many leases require you to restore the premises at the end. Ask what that means for any security equipment you add, such as cabling or fixings.
Get legal advice. The same brochure advises having a lawyer experienced in leasing review the proposed lease before you sign anything.
Visit the premises at different times, including dusk and after dark if you can. Ask yourself the questions an offender would ask.
Write down what you find. This list becomes your plan.
The first day sets the tone.
Change the locks or codes. Previous tenants, agents and contractors may still hold keys. Rekey or replace locks, or reset any access system, before you move valuables in.
Check every door and window. Make sure each one closes and locks properly.
Start a key register. Record every key and who holds it. If you plan to use electronic access, decide that before you fit hardware.
Reset passwords. Any existing alarm, camera or Wi-Fi equipment should have its default passwords changed.
An alarm only helps if it is set up for your layout and monitored.
If the premises already has an alarm, find out whether it is working, whether it is monitored and who holds the monitoring contract. Do not assume the old settings suit your business. Changes in layout, stock or hours can leave sensors in the wrong places.
If there is no alarm, plan one before your stock arrives. Our guide on CCTV and alarm upgrades explains how a site assessment checks coverage, monitoring and expansion.
Cameras work best when they cover entries, loading areas and cash or stock points, with clear views and good lighting. Place them before furniture and shelving go in, since layout affects what a camera can see.
Tell staff and visitors that cameras are in use, and keep them away from private areas such as toilets and change rooms. Victorian privacy rules apply, so get advice if you are unsure.
Fix the lighting at entries, rear doors and car parks. It costs little and makes every other measure more effective.
Tell your insurer about the move. Policies often depend on the address, the contents and the security in place. Ask what they expect, such as locks, a monitored alarm or cameras, and get the answer in writing.
Your broker can confirm what applies to you.
Think about who will be on the site when you are not. A new site often has fewer eyes around it, especially in industrial estates and quiet strips.
A mobile patrol can check the site at varied times, report what it finds and back up your alarm. Our guide on how mobile patrol pricing works explains the factors that shape a quote, and a site assessment can set visit numbers for your site.
New premises settle in over a few weeks. Use that time to test your setup.
Week one: Test the alarm, cameras and locks. Train staff on opening and closing.
Week two: Check how the site looks at night. Are there dark corners or open doors?
Week three: Review the alarm log and any false alerts. Adjust sensors if needed.
Week four: Review keyholders, contacts and visit times. Fix anything that has changed.
Keep a short record of what you find. It helps if you need to explain an incident later.
Equipment helps, but daily habits matter as much.
Set a closing routine: the last person checks doors, turns off equipment, locks up and sets the alarm. Use a checklist and sign it. Brief new staff, casuals and agency workers on the routine. Make sure everyone knows who to call and what to do in an emergency.
In an emergency, call Triple Zero (000).
A new site is full of deliveries, installers and tradespeople. Decide who can enter, and how long they can stay. Keep a simple visitor log. Do not leave keys with contractors without a record.
When fit-out work ends, collect keys and cancel any temporary codes. Then check the doors and locks again.
Before you sign: inspect and photograph, confirm ownership of locks and equipment, check alterations, understand make good, take legal advice.
Day one: rekey or reset, check doors and windows, start a key register, change default passwords.
Systems: monitored alarm, cameras, lighting.
Cover: insurance update, patrol plan, keyholders.
First 30 days: test, observe, adjust, record.
Different premises need different mixes. An office with a few staff may need an alarm, a few cameras and good locks. A warehouse unit may need perimeter checks, roller door sensors and yard lighting. A shop may need cameras at the till and rear door, and a monitored alarm.
Our mobile patrol team and CCTV and alarm team can both visit a site and explain what suits it. Systems can be matched to the site, budget and how simple you want daily use to be. Every client has a dedicated account manager, so you describe your move once and the same person follows it through.
Leaving the old keys in circulation. Anyone from the last tenant to a cleaner may still have one.
Assuming the old alarm is monitored. Check, in writing.
Moving stock in before the alarm works. The first week is when many sites are most exposed.
Fitting cameras before the layout is final. Shelving and furniture change what a camera can see.
Forgetting the rear and side. Front doors get attention. Back doors do not.
Not telling the insurer. A gap here can cause trouble at the worst time.
Landlords and agents are often glad to hear security questions, because secure buildings are easier to let and to keep. Ask politely and in writing. Find out about existing keys, who services the fire and security equipment, whether there have been past incidents and what the building's after-hours arrangements are.
Keep a copy of every answer. If you later need to prove what was agreed, a short email trail is far better than memory.
Picture a small trade business taking a lease on a warehouse unit. Before signing, the owner photographs the roller door, side door and fence, and asks the landlord about an old alarm panel. On move-in, the locks are changed. A site assessment adjusts the sensor layout, and a patrol is arranged for the first month.
This is an illustration, not a client story.
No checklist guarantees that nothing will happen. A new site, a good alarm and a patrol reduce risk, but they do not remove it. The goal is to make your premises harder to target than the next one, and to know quickly if something goes wrong.
Security is cheapest and easiest to plan when you move in. Inspect and photograph the site, secure keys, set up a monitored alarm and cameras, tell your insurer and plan after-hours cover. Then test it all in the first month.
If you're about to move and want a second pair of eyes on the site, you can get a quote or talk to our CCTV and alarm team.
What security should I sort out before signing a lease?
Inspect and photograph the site, ask who is responsible for locks and equipment, check what alterations are allowed and understand make good. Take legal advice.
Should I change the locks when I move in?
Usually yes. Previous tenants and contractors may still hold keys. Check the lease for what you may change.
Can I install an alarm or cameras in leased premises?
Often, but you may need the landlord's consent. Raise it before you sign.
Do I need to tell my insurer about a move?
Yes. Cover often depends on the address, contents and security measures.
Do I need a patrol for a new site?
Not always. It depends on risk, location and how empty the site is after hours. A site assessment helps you decide.
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