My alarm system was installed by a local company who later got absorbed by a Multinational whose service is dire and expensive.
I would like to move back to a company that has engineers based nearby who can respond quickly in an emergency, will do an annual inspection and have no hidden charges.
Stuart
Burglar Alarm Maintenance Recommendation
Re: Burglar Alarm Maintenance Recommendation
You might have some difficulty with this. Depending on the age of your system, another alarm installer will probably, at the very least, insist on fitting a new control panel and external sounding device with their name on it, and you are therefore immediately in to several hundred pounds of expense. Depending on how you react to that, they'll probably then want to change all the sensors too, so you'll end up with a complete new alarm system, even thought there's no real need to do all this, because I bet the one you have is working perfectly satisfactorily. Presumably you want it serviced as your insurers require that as part of your policy. Some insurers also insist on the system being monitored through a central station, which is even more expense as the system will then require a 'service inspection' every six months (this is actually policy enforced by the Association of Chief Police Officers, in conjunction with - insurance companies!). If your insurer ever insists on this, change your insurer (unless we are talking about commercial premises here, as you'll probably never escape this). A much cheaper option, if you want response when the house is unoccupied, is to have an auto dial unit fitted, which will contact up to five or six pre-programmed telephone numbers if the alarm is ever activated.
This whole thing with burglar alarm companies is a complete and utter racket, and many of these companies, even (or I could actually say especially!) ones that are recommended by your local Crime Prevention officers, are completely ruthless in the way they operate. If you agree to have a whole new system fitted, and you then fall out with that particular company for whatever reason, what do you do? You have to contact another alarm company who will, at the very least, insist on fitting a new control panel and external sounding device with their name on it, and round and round you go!
I would think very seriously about it. I would have at least three or four quotes, be very resistant to anything being changed (mind you, they'll only say "We can't get parts for your particular system" when they know fine well they can), I predict you might find it far cheaper to stay with who you're with. And if it's the company I think they are, who's to say that two years down the line they'll probably have swallowed your new alarm installer too!
The whole thing stinks, and it's high time it was exposed.
This whole thing with burglar alarm companies is a complete and utter racket, and many of these companies, even (or I could actually say especially!) ones that are recommended by your local Crime Prevention officers, are completely ruthless in the way they operate. If you agree to have a whole new system fitted, and you then fall out with that particular company for whatever reason, what do you do? You have to contact another alarm company who will, at the very least, insist on fitting a new control panel and external sounding device with their name on it, and round and round you go!
I would think very seriously about it. I would have at least three or four quotes, be very resistant to anything being changed (mind you, they'll only say "We can't get parts for your particular system" when they know fine well they can), I predict you might find it far cheaper to stay with who you're with. And if it's the company I think they are, who's to say that two years down the line they'll probably have swallowed your new alarm installer too!
The whole thing stinks, and it's high time it was exposed.
Re: Burglar Alarm Maintenance Recommendation
I thank you Maestro for your comments.
It is just this company's failure to be able to do the bi-annual routine inspection that is at issue here which could invalidate my insurance. Plus when the main unit fuse blew isolating the 15 min cut-out in the middle of the night our street had to endure 90 minutes of alarm while their guy drove in from Gravesend. When we were struck by lightening also leading to a continuous alarm it took them 4 hours to send a man in.
Which probably means I could have been penalised if the Constabulary or Council had got irritated. Its obvious this company is skimping in the engineers department. Mind you their Accounts Receivable seems to be very efficient.
Must be a niche in this business for an 'Honest Joe' ?
Stuart
It is just this company's failure to be able to do the bi-annual routine inspection that is at issue here which could invalidate my insurance. Plus when the main unit fuse blew isolating the 15 min cut-out in the middle of the night our street had to endure 90 minutes of alarm while their guy drove in from Gravesend. When we were struck by lightening also leading to a continuous alarm it took them 4 hours to send a man in.
Which probably means I could have been penalised if the Constabulary or Council had got irritated. Its obvious this company is skimping in the engineers department. Mind you their Accounts Receivable seems to be very efficient.
Must be a niche in this business for an 'Honest Joe' ?
Stuart
Re: Burglar Alarm Maintenance Recommendation
There is no longer any niche for an "honest Joe'"in the alarm industry, over-regulation by the police and insurance companies has totally forced him out, and imposed he sell his business to ADT.
By definition of the fact that you require a bi-annual service you therefore have a monitored alarm system connected to a central station. By definition of the fact that your current installer is providing this facility (which I assume you have paid them for), then the alarm installer must be a member of NACOSS/NSI or SSAIB trade bodies, and your system must comply with BS 4737/EN 50131 and the alarm system monitoring equipment must comply with BS 5979. The SAB unit (external sounder unit) must cut off after a maximum of 20 minutes irrespective of the cause of alarm, the warning strobe light may, however, continue to flash until the alarm is reset.
If there is any fault with your system, an engineer would be required to attend within a maximum of four hours of the fault being reported, which you state they have actually complied with. When a major power failure, or thunderstorm has hit an area, nobody really enforces this rule, and it could actually take many hours if they have dozens of calls and only one engineer on call.
It's unlikely the council would take any action against you with a one off-alarm event, and if your insurer makes any complaint then you simply refer then to the trade body that they insist your alarm installer is a member of.
I hope this helps.
By definition of the fact that you require a bi-annual service you therefore have a monitored alarm system connected to a central station. By definition of the fact that your current installer is providing this facility (which I assume you have paid them for), then the alarm installer must be a member of NACOSS/NSI or SSAIB trade bodies, and your system must comply with BS 4737/EN 50131 and the alarm system monitoring equipment must comply with BS 5979. The SAB unit (external sounder unit) must cut off after a maximum of 20 minutes irrespective of the cause of alarm, the warning strobe light may, however, continue to flash until the alarm is reset.
If there is any fault with your system, an engineer would be required to attend within a maximum of four hours of the fault being reported, which you state they have actually complied with. When a major power failure, or thunderstorm has hit an area, nobody really enforces this rule, and it could actually take many hours if they have dozens of calls and only one engineer on call.
It's unlikely the council would take any action against you with a one off-alarm event, and if your insurer makes any complaint then you simply refer then to the trade body that they insist your alarm installer is a member of.
I hope this helps.
Re: Burglar Alarm Maintenance Recommendation
I don't know much about insurance policies, but I've never really seen the point if an intruder alarm if it wasn't monitored at a central station....
Re: Burglar Alarm Maintenance Recommendation
Aha Bensonby - I think I have even more experience of our local burglars than you! We are thankfully not yet targeted by professionals but by opportunists. Presumably they are too stoned to notice the flashing lights back and front - break in and set off the alarm. Surprised they then flee empty handed leaving us just with a broken window bill. This has happened thirteen times so it is becoming statistically significant and yes we have had the crime prevention people several times and they can't work out why we are especially targeted.
BTW Maestro - the system failed again this morning and the alarm has now been sounding for nearly two hours. It is 'top priority' ADT call. They hope to have someone here by noon! 4.5 hours of alarm ... now you know why I am a little unhappy, not to mention my neighbours and Lewisham Noise Control who turn out rather quicker and were rather gracious. Perhaps in these chastened times the Enforcement unit should diversify into alarm maintenance. The income is considerably more than they can get from penalty notices ...
I gather there is a design fault that if a certain circuit fails then it assumes a tamper and overides the 20 min cut-out protection. Lets be thankful ADT do burglar alarms and not life support systems.
Stuart
BTW Maestro - the system failed again this morning and the alarm has now been sounding for nearly two hours. It is 'top priority' ADT call. They hope to have someone here by noon! 4.5 hours of alarm ... now you know why I am a little unhappy, not to mention my neighbours and Lewisham Noise Control who turn out rather quicker and were rather gracious. Perhaps in these chastened times the Enforcement unit should diversify into alarm maintenance. The income is considerably more than they can get from penalty notices ...
I gather there is a design fault that if a certain circuit fails then it assumes a tamper and overides the 20 min cut-out protection. Lets be thankful ADT do burglar alarms and not life support systems.
Stuart
Re: Burglar Alarm Maintenance Recommendation
ADT? Now there's a surprise! They MUST attend within four hours, but like I've said, nobody really enforces this, and ADT in particular are just so massive that they're not really accountable to anyone. I suspect your external SAB unit is faulty, and possibly has never even been programmed to cut off after 20 minutes. I would demand that they check this. It works totally independently of the main control equipment and even has it's own power supply, so that in the event of a power cut, or someone just tearing the box off the wall, it will still operate, but it must still cut off after 20 minutes maximum. A fuse blowing can often indicate a trapped/worn cable somewhere on the system, usually under carpets. Have you had any new carpets fitted recently?
A very common fault. The engineer therefore also needs to put a test meter on all the cables at the main control panel, and check they are all OK.
Bensonby. Commercial premises will always require a central station monitored alarm system, otherwise they are very unlikely to get any insurance cover. The unfortunate reality with a domestic system is that you are totally reliant on key-holders being able to attend, otherwise the police will rarely bother to show. You normally will need at least two key-holders within a 20 minute travelling distance of the alarmed premises. Unfortunately, there are often circumstances where they just can't be contacted (they could be away on holiday, out socialising, or at home but they've consumed half a bottle of wine so can't drive there!). The police know that they'll turn up at the premises, everything looks fine from the front, but if they're unable to get access to the rear (where most domestic premises are broken in from) and there's no key-holder on the way, they will be off to their next call. An intruder could of course be on the premises, but what can you do? There may be circumstances where central station has contacted the Met to report a domestic alarm activation, no key-holder is available, however, at the same time, a 999 call has been made from a neighbour across the road who knows the occupants are away on holiday, but has seen something suspicious happening. e.g. unfamiliar vehicle outside, someone climbing over the side gate, strange noises from premises, then the police should of course attend in these circumstances, despite no key-holder being there.
A very common fault. The engineer therefore also needs to put a test meter on all the cables at the main control panel, and check they are all OK.
Bensonby. Commercial premises will always require a central station monitored alarm system, otherwise they are very unlikely to get any insurance cover. The unfortunate reality with a domestic system is that you are totally reliant on key-holders being able to attend, otherwise the police will rarely bother to show. You normally will need at least two key-holders within a 20 minute travelling distance of the alarmed premises. Unfortunately, there are often circumstances where they just can't be contacted (they could be away on holiday, out socialising, or at home but they've consumed half a bottle of wine so can't drive there!). The police know that they'll turn up at the premises, everything looks fine from the front, but if they're unable to get access to the rear (where most domestic premises are broken in from) and there's no key-holder on the way, they will be off to their next call. An intruder could of course be on the premises, but what can you do? There may be circumstances where central station has contacted the Met to report a domestic alarm activation, no key-holder is available, however, at the same time, a 999 call has been made from a neighbour across the road who knows the occupants are away on holiday, but has seen something suspicious happening. e.g. unfamiliar vehicle outside, someone climbing over the side gate, strange noises from premises, then the police should of course attend in these circumstances, despite no key-holder being there.
Re: Burglar Alarm Maintenance Recommendation
In my experience central station intruder alarms are always graded for an immediate response for the police: i.e. you are basically guaranteed a swift response from the police. In terms of other alarms police will only attend if there is a 999 call - and most people only ring 999 if they see something else. Or, as I've known it to happen, if a police officer happens to be passing.
Naturally, all that can really be done in either circumstance is for the police to check to see if there are any points of entry: this, as you say, can be harder around the rear but efforts can be made to gian access to the rear even without a keyholder. (going through a neighbours premises, climbing over rear/side walls and so on - which can be a bit dodgy when the neighbours see you doing it if you are in plain clothes!)
There is also a power to force entry to the premises if the officer genuinely believes a suspect to be inside: that's why its quite common for police dogs to attend a "suspects on" call - stick a doggie in and they'll sniff out any intruders.
Hence by initial comments - you'll get a police response if you have a central station alarm (even in the many false alarms). You might not (daresay probably not) if you don't.
Naturally, all that can really be done in either circumstance is for the police to check to see if there are any points of entry: this, as you say, can be harder around the rear but efforts can be made to gian access to the rear even without a keyholder. (going through a neighbours premises, climbing over rear/side walls and so on - which can be a bit dodgy when the neighbours see you doing it if you are in plain clothes!)
There is also a power to force entry to the premises if the officer genuinely believes a suspect to be inside: that's why its quite common for police dogs to attend a "suspects on" call - stick a doggie in and they'll sniff out any intruders.
Hence by initial comments - you'll get a police response if you have a central station alarm (even in the many false alarms). You might not (daresay probably not) if you don't.