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INSURANCE FOR MIXED-USE BUILDINGS WITH RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL OCCUPANTS
One policy that protects both sides of your building
Mixed-use buildings combine multiple occupancy types - residential tenants above, commercial units below - and require specialist underwriting. These properties carry unique risks including fire spread between units, differing building regulations, split utilities, structural load issues, waste management challenges, and landlord responsibility for multi-purpose spaces.
Key Risks in Mixed-Use Residential + Commercial Buildings
Mixed-use properties face a combination of domestic and commercial hazards that must be insured under a unified, specialist policy.
- Fire risk from restaurants, takeaways or retail kitchens affecting upper flats
- Escape of water from residential units damaging commercial premises below
- Commercial waste attracting pests into residential areas
- Noise disturbances between tenant types
- Shared services and utilities creating liability overlaps
- Structural load differences between residential and commercial units
- Slip/trip hazards in shared entrances & communal stairwells
- Legal and regulatory differences between occupancy types
What Insurance Covers for Mixed-Use Buildings
- Buildings insurance (commercial + residential)
- Property owners’ liability (covering all occupants & visitors)
- Loss of rent and alternative accommodation
- Tenants’ improvements & landlord fixtures
- Fire & cooking-related risks
- Escape of water between units
- Accidental & malicious damage
- Glass, signage & shopfront cover
- Subsidence & structural defects (optional)
- Equipment breakdown (lifts, boilers, HVAC)
- Communal area liability & maintenance
Who Needs Mixed-Use Property Insurance?
Commercial Landlords
- Retail + residential flats
- Restaurants or takeaways with upper apartments
- Offices with residential floors above
- Industrial units with caretaker accommodation
- Mixed-use HMOs + commercial space
Property Managers & Freeholders
- Portfolio landlords with varied occupancy types
- Buildings with shared access or shared utilities
- Properties with commercial cooking equipment
- Multi-storey mixed-use complexes
- Assets requiring higher regulatory compliance
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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Can one policy cover both residential and commercial areas?
Yes - mixed-use property insurance combines both under a single policy with suitable underwriting for differing risks.
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Is a takeaway or restaurant considered high risk?
Yes - commercial kitchens increase fire exposure. Insurers may require upgraded fire suppression systems and extraction cleaning records.
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Does the policy cover escape of water between units?
Yes - escape of water between residential and commercial floors is one of the most common mixed-use claims.
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Is loss of rent covered?
Yes - both commercial and residential rental income can be insured following an insured event.
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Do insurers require fire risk assessments?
Yes - especially for properties with commercial kitchens, shared access routes, or multiple tenants.