We Find Leaks

Home / Blog / Slough

Slough · Leak detection guidance

Leak visits at empty properties in Slough: prepare the keyholder handover

We Find Leaks · 13 October 2026 · 2 min read

An empty property leak visit in Slough can stall even when the keyholder arrives on time. The person opening the door may not know the symptom history, which rooms are available or who can approve a change of scope. A short written handover helps the visit begin with the right information and end with a clear record.

Give the keyholder a useful brief

Prepare one page with the property address, booking contact, visible symptoms and date of discovery. Include a small room plan and the location of existing service access. Identify which keys open which doors, but pass security codes through an agreed private channel rather than putting them in general photographs.

If the property has been empty for some time, say when it was last visited and whether water or heating arrangements were changed by a professional.

Separate entry from permission to work

Being able to unlock a door does not explain what the keyholder may authorise. State who can approve further investigation, opening work or a return appointment. Give that person a reachable number and an alternative contact. Ask the contractor when a decision might be needed.

HSE guidance highlights the importance of defining and coordinating contractor work. In this setting, clear decision contacts help avoid an improvised permission chain while an engineer waits in an empty house.

Explain what has already been arranged

List previous attendance, any emergency action and any areas that should remain out of use. Provide reports rather than a second-hand summary where possible. Do not ask the keyholder to operate unfamiliar valves, energise equipment or recreate the symptom.

Confirm whether someone will remain on site throughout the visit. If keys are handed over, agree the arrangement directly with the contractor, including access limits and how the property will be secured when work stops.

Plan the departure record

Ask for a brief handover stating what was inspected, what remains unresolved and the condition in which the property was left. Record any areas that must stay inaccessible and which professional has given that instruction. Confirm who receives the full report and who arranges the next action.

When requesting a We Find Leaks callback, give the Slough postcode and explain that access will be through a keyholder. Share the decision contact and known restrictions early. A well-prepared handover makes the appointment useful even when the owner cannot attend in person.

Further reading

Prepared with AI assistance using the sources listed above. General information cannot diagnose an individual property. Contact us to discuss your circumstances.

Would you like to talk it through?

Tell us what you have noticed and request a callback for further information.

Find out more — request a callback