Relief Security Guards: Why Your Post Should Never Be Left Empty
An empty guard post is one of the most dangerous gaps in any security plan, because you do not always know it is empty. You go to bed believing someone is at the gate. In reality, your guard called in sick at 5pm, nobody replaced them, and your home or business spent the night unprotected. This is the gap that relief security guards exist to close.
Relief security guards solve this problem. They are trained guards kept available to cover absences, days off, leave and emergencies, so that every post is filled on every shift. This guide explains how relief cover works, why it matters, and how to make sure your security company provides it.
Why guards are absent
Guards are people. Over a year, every guard will need time away from the post:
| Reason | How often |
|---|---|
| Weekly days off | Every week |
| Annual leave | Every year |
| Sickness | Unpredictable |
| Family emergencies and bereavement | Unpredictable |
| Training days | Periodic |
| Resignation or dismissal | Occasional |
A post that needs cover every night of the year cannot be filled by one guard alone. Relief security guards fill the gaps.
What happens without relief cover
When a company does not plan relief properly, one of three things happens:
- The post is left empty. The most dangerous outcome, and often hidden from the client.
- The guard works double shifts. An exhausted guard is barely better than none, and long shifts break good practice.
- An untrained substitute appears. A relative, friend or random worker stands in, unvetted, untrained and unknown to you.
Households that employ guards directly face this problem most often. When the watchman is sick, there is nobody to call. See our comparison of in-house guards and outsourced security services.
Tired of empty posts when your guard is off? Call Bestcare Security
Talk to a Bestcare Security adviser now: call 0709 004 600. We answer 24/7 and the first site assessment is free.
How professional relief cover works
A well-run security company plans relief as part of every contract:
- A relief pool: trained, vetted guards who are not permanently assigned and can be sent where needed
- Planned rotations: days off and leave are scheduled in advance, with named relief guards
- Emergency cover: a process for replacing a guard who calls in sick or fails to report, usually within a set time
- Site familiarisation: relief guards receive induction for the sites they cover regularly
- Supervisor checks: supervisors confirm relief guards have arrived and are briefed
Relief cover and your contract
Relief cover should never be an optional extra. Make sure your contract states:
| Contract point | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Relief included | Cover for days off, leave and sickness is part of the price |
| Response time | How quickly a relief guard will arrive if a guard fails to report |
| Notification | The company tells you when a relief guard is on duty |
| Standards | Relief guards are vetted and trained to the same standard |
| Consistency | Where possible, the same relief guards cover your site |
Read our 15 questions to ask before signing a security contract for more on contract terms.
Why relief guards should know your site
A relief guard who has never seen your property is at a disadvantage: they do not know your family, staff, visitors or procedures. Good companies reduce this risk by:
- Assigning a small group of regular relief guards to each site
- Introducing relief guards to the site before they are needed
- Keeping written post instructions at the guard post
- Making sure the outgoing guard briefs the relief guard at handover
Our security guard duties checklist can help you create post instructions that any relief guard can follow.
How to tell if relief cover is working
Ask yourself:
- Do you know who covers your guard’s days off?
- Have you ever found the gate empty?
- Has your guard ever worked 24 hours straight?
- Has an unknown person ever appeared at your gate claiming to be “standing in”?
- Does the company tell you when a relief guard is on duty?
If any answer worries you, raise it with your security company immediately.
Relief cover for estates and businesses
At estates, offices and warehouses, a single missing guard can leave a whole community or business exposed. Larger sites should agree:
- A minimum staffing level that must be maintained every shift
- An escalation process if a guard does not report
- Supervisor confirmation of attendance at the start of each shift
- Monthly attendance reports
What you can do as a client
- Check the guard post at shift change occasionally
- Keep the security company’s control room number handy
- Report an empty post immediately, day or night
- Record any absence in writing, with date and time
- Ask for attendance records if absences seem frequent
Relief cover and seasonal peaks
Absences often cluster at certain times: December holidays, school holidays and long weekends. These are also periods when criminal activity can rise, because homes are empty and businesses hold more stock. A good security company plans extra relief for these periods. Read our festive season security tips.
The cost of relief cover
Relief cover is part of why professional guarding costs more than hiring an individual watchman. You are paying not only for your guard, but also for a share of the relief pool that keeps your post filled all year. Our guide to security guard rates in Kenya explains this in detail.
How Bestcare Security provides relief cover
Every Bestcare guarding contract includes relief security guards for days off, leave and sickness. We maintain a pool of trained, vetted relief guards, introduce regular relief guards to your site, and supervisors confirm attendance. If a guard fails to report, we send a replacement as a priority. Learn more about our manned guarding services and residential security services.
A real-world example
Imagine a family in Kileleshwa with one night guard employed directly. The guard falls ill on a Friday. The family only notices at 9pm when they return home to an unattended gate. They call a relative’s watchman, who has never seen the house and does not know the family’s routine. The substitute lets in a “delivery” at 11pm without confirming it. This kind of chain of small failures is exactly what planned relief cover prevents: with a professional provider, a briefed relief guard would have been sent before the shift began.
Relief cover when you have more than one guard
Sites with several guards sometimes assume they can simply spread the work when one guard is missing. In practice, this weakens every post: the gate guard has to patrol, or the patrol guard has to cover reception, and something is always left undone. Agree a minimum number of guards per shift with your provider, and make sure relief brings you back to that number whenever someone is absent.
Questions to ask about relief cover
Before signing with any provider, ask these questions about relief security guards:
- Is relief cover for days off, leave and sickness included in the price?
- How many relief guards do you keep available for sites like mine?
- How quickly will a relief guard arrive if my guard fails to report?
- Will the same relief guards cover my site each time?
- How will relief guards be introduced to my property?
- Will you tell me when a relief guard is on duty?
- Can I see attendance records?
Clear, confident answers suggest a company that plans for absence. Hesitation or vague promises suggest that relief is handled on the day, if at all.
Relief cover and long-term consistency
Relief cover is not only about filling gaps. It also protects consistency. When a regular guard takes annual leave, a familiar relief guard who already knows your household or staff keeps standards steady. Over time, the combination of a regular guard and a small team of known relief guards gives you continuity that an individual watchman simply cannot match.
Frequently asked questions
What are relief security guards?
They are trained guards who cover posts when the regular guard is off duty, on leave, sick or otherwise absent, so the post is never left empty.
Is relief cover included in a guarding contract?
It should be. Make sure your contract states that relief cover is included and how quickly a replacement will arrive.
Will the relief guard know my property?
Good companies assign regular relief guards to each site and introduce them in advance, supported by written post instructions.
How far in advance is leave cover planned?
Annual leave and regular days off should be planned weeks ahead, with named relief guards. Only sudden absences, such as sickness, should need same-day replacement.
Do relief guards cost extra?
They should not. Relief cover is a normal part of professional guarding and should be built into the monthly price. Be cautious of contracts that charge separately for it.
What should I do if my guard does not report?
Call your security company’s control room immediately and record the time. A professional company will send a replacement quickly.
Can my guard work a double shift instead of using relief?
It is not recommended. Tired guards are less alert, and long shifts go against good practice.
Why do home watchmen often leave gates empty?
Because individual watchmen have no relief. When they are sick or on leave, there is nobody trained to replace them.
Does Bestcare Security provide relief guards?
Yes. Every contract includes relief cover. Call 0709 004 600 to learn more.
Related reading
- Security Guard Rates in Kenya: What You Will Pay and Why
- How Many Security Guards Do I Need? A Practical Guide for Kenyan Properties
- Day Guard vs Night Guard vs 24-Hour Security: Which Do You Need?
Explore our manned guarding services or see all our security services in Kenya.
Tired of empty posts when your guard is off? Call Bestcare Security
Speak to our team today for honest advice and a free, no-obligation site assessment anywhere in Nairobi.
