Situations Requiring Emergency Boarding Up in South East London

When you need emergency boarding up in South East London after sudden damage, it can feel overwhelming and unsafe. This page explains the main situations where boarding up and emergency securing are needed, how we help, and how to get fast, practical support when your property is at risk.

We provide boarding up services across all SE postcodes, covering homes, shops and commercial sites with a calm, professional response – 24/7.

Need help now? Call 020 4538 1506.

Common Situations Where Boarding Up Is Needed

From smashed shopfronts on Walworth Road to broken windows in Brockley terraces, boarding up is usually required when glass, doors or access points are damaged or compromised.

Below are the key situations we deal with every day. Each heading links to a detailed page with more guidance.

Burglary & Break-In Damage

If you’ve suffered a break-in, the first priority is to secure the property after a burglary so nobody can get back in easily.

  • Doors kicked in or forced
  • Locks damaged or missing
  • Windows smashed to gain entry
  • Frames or panels split or loose

Our dedicated page on post-burglary boarding up in South East London explains:

  • What to do immediately after a break-in
  • How we can board up and temporarily secure doors and windows
  • How we provide photos and itemised invoices to support an insurance claim

We can also coordinate with our door boarding up service and temporary steel door options where a standard timber board is not enough.

Vandalism & Malicious Damage

Graffiti is one thing; smashed glass is another. When vandals damage windows, shopfronts or doors, you may need vandalism boarding in South East London to stay secure and open for business.

Typical vandalism situations:

  • Smashed shop windows
  • Broken residential windows
  • Damaged entrance doors or side panels
  • Risk of further vandalism or trespass

Read more about our fast, safe vandalism repair and boarding service including:

  • Making broken glass areas safe
  • Cleaning up accessible glass debris where needed
  • Boarding up with plywood or OSB and anti-tamper fixings

Storm & Weather Damage

High winds and storms can leave windows, roofs and doors unsafe or open to the elements. Storm damage boarding in South East London helps protect your property from further weather damage and unauthorised access.

Typical storm scenarios:

  • Windows blown in or cracked
  • Doors wrenched open or damaged
  • Roof lights or skylights broken
  • Tiles or roof sections exposing the inside of the property

Our storm damage boarding service covers:

  • Temporary weatherproofing using plywood/OSB sheeting and tarps where appropriate
  • Roof and skylight boarding in coordination with roofers
  • Securing doors and windows until full repairs can be arranged

Fire Damage

After a fire, many properties are left with broken glass, warped doors and exposed interiors. Once the fire brigade has confirmed the building is safe to enter, fire damage boarding in South East London helps prevent trespass, theft and further damage.

Common post-fire issues:

  • Windows blown or cracked by heat
  • Doors warped, broken or forced by emergency crews
  • Frames and openings left exposed
  • Vacant properties needing temporary security

On our fire damage boarding page we explain:

  • How we prioritise safety and work only once the site is signed off as safe
  • How we secure empty or damaged properties with temporary steel doors and anti-vandal security screens where appropriate
  • What we can provide for insurers and loss adjusters (we’re not loss adjusters or legal advisers, but we can support with clear paperwork)

Note: We do not handle soot removal or odour treatment, but we can work alongside your fire restoration contractor to secure openings.

Flood & Water Damage

Floods can leave doors swollen, windows cracked and frames unstable. In many cases, you need to balance ventilation (to help the property dry) with security (to stop unauthorised entry).

Typical flood-related securing needs:

  • Doors that will not close or lock properly
  • Windows that are cracked, loose or unsafe
  • Damaged ground-floor access points
  • Need to secure the property while drying equipment is in place

Our flood damage boarding service focuses on:

  • Non-destructive securing wherever possible
  • Sensible choices about what to board vs what to leave open for airflow
  • Care around electrics and safety hazards

Accidental Breakage & Impact Damage

Not every emergency involves crime or severe weather. Everyday accidents and impacts also lead to accidental breakage boarding in South East London.

Examples include:

  • Ball or object through a window
  • A vehicle nudging or colliding with a shopfront
  • Workplace accidents that crack or shatter glass
  • DIY or building works causing structural damage to doors/windows

Our accident damage boarding page covers:

  • How we safely cordon the area if needed
  • When temporary steel doors may be more appropriate than timber boarding
  • How we support vehicular impact to shopfront boarding with insurers and landlords

How We Secure Your Property in an Emergency

Whatever the situation, we follow a clear, safety-first process when providing emergency boarding up in South East London.

  1. Initial assessment

    • We assess the damage, type of opening, height and access.
    • We check for structural or electrical hazards and work only where it’s safe to do so.

  2. Non-destructive securing first

    • Wherever possible, we use non-destructive securing methods.
    • This often means fixing boards to existing frames or brickwork in a way that is strong but does not cause unnecessary extra damage.

  3. Materials matched to the risk
    We typically use:

    • Plywood or OSB (oriented strand board), usually 11–18 mm thick depending on risk and opening size
    • Anti-tamper fixings designed so boards cannot be easily removed from the outside
    • Braces or framing where larger shopfront windows or doorways require extra rigidity

    For higher-risk or longer-term situations (e.g. vacant properties after fire), we may recommend:

    • Temporary steel doors with proper locking systems
    • Steel security screens or Sitex-style perforated screens

  4. Tidy, insurer-friendly finish

    • We aim to leave the property safe, secure and as tidy as circumstances allow.
    • We provide time-stamped photos, an itemised invoice and a brief work statement – all helpful for insurance support for boarding up.

Why People in South East London Trust Us

  • 10+ years’ experience
    We’ve been providing boarding up services in South East London for over a decade, handling everything from small flats to large retail units.

  • Local and mobile across SE postcodes
    We cover all SE areas – from Greenwich and Woolwich to Peckham, Catford, Camberwell and Southwark – with a mobile team ready for emergency dispatch.

  • DBS-checked, insured technicians
    All operatives are DBS-checked, and we carry appropriate public liability insurance for boarding up and make-safe works.

  • Non-destructive approach wherever possible
    We always look for ways to secure your property without causing unnecessary additional damage. If we must cut or remove something for safety or structural reasons, we explain why before we proceed.

  • Insurance-ready paperwork
    We understand what insurers typically expect:

    • Time and date of attendance
    • Clear photos of damage and completed works
    • Itemised costs
    • Simple statement of cause and actions taken

For a broader overview of what we offer, you can read about our boarding up services in South East London.

What Happens Next When You Call Us

When you contact us for help with emergency boarding up near you in South East London, we aim to keep everything as simple and calm as possible.

  1. You call us with the basics

    • Where you are (postcode and area, e.g. SE10 Greenwich, SE15 Peckham)
    • What has happened (burglary, storm, vandalism, fire, flood, accident)
    • What’s damaged (window, door, shopfront, roof/skylight)

  2. We advise on immediate safety steps

    • Keep people and pets away from broken glass
    • Do not touch potentially unsafe structures or electrics
    • Note any obvious hazards for when our technician arrives

  3. We attend and secure the property

    • Technician carries suitable boards, fixings and access equipment
    • We board up, fit temporary doors or screens as agreed
    • We take photos and notes during and after the job

  4. You receive paperwork for insurers

    • Itemised invoice and simple work statement
    • Photo evidence available on request
    • For more detail about claims, see our dedicated insurance support page.

If you’re not sure which situation applies to you, you can always contact us directly via our South East London contact page, or browse our main situations overview and emergency services.

Situations We Cover – At a Glance

For quick reference, here are our main situation-specific pages:

FAQs About Emergency Situations & Boarding Up

What is the process for emergency boarding up in South East London?

In most cases, we follow a simple process:

  1. You call us and explain what’s happened and where you are.
  2. We assess, give you initial safety advice and dispatch a technician.
  3. On arrival, we make a quick safety assessment, then board up and secure doors, windows or other openings using plywood/OSB and anti-tamper fixings.
  4. We provide photos and paperwork so you can start any insurance or repair process.

For more general questions, see our main boarding up FAQs.

Who do I call if my shop window is smashed late at night?

You should call a 24/7 boarding up service that can secure the property quickly – especially if you’re on a busy high street or your stock is visible. We can attend to shopfront boarding in South East London, then you can book glazing replacement separately. Learn more on our shopfront boarding service page.

Is boarding up covered by insurance?

Many home and commercial policies do cover the reasonable cost of emergency securing after insured events such as burglary, storm or impact. However, every policy is different. We are not legal or insurance advisers, but we do provide insurance-ready invoices and photos, which you can read more about on our insurance support for boarding up page.

How long does it take to board up a property?

The time depends on:

  • Number and size of openings
  • Height and access (ground floor vs upper floors)
  • Complexity (e.g. large shopfront vs simple window)

A single ground-floor window is usually quick; multiple large shopfront panes or roof access will naturally take longer. Our focus is on fast, safe boarding up, not rushing and compromising security.

Can you help with vacant or long-term empty properties after damage?

Yes. If your property is going to be empty for a while – after fire, flood, or repeated vandalism – we can provide vacant property boarding and medium-term security. That may include steel security screens and temporary steel doors. See our page on vacant property security in South East London for more details.

Need help now? Call 020 4538 1506 or Email us for fast, calm support with any emergency boarding up situation in South East London.

Helpful links