Crime reduction 

Selecting an alarm installer

Alarms can be audible-only or monitored remotely by an alarm monitoring centre. This is arranged by your alarm installer. Monitored systems with police response are strongly recommended for business premises.

There are two types of monitored intruder alarm – ‘unconfirmed’ and ‘confirmed’. All new systems must be ‘confirmed’.

With an ‘unconfirmed’ alarm, police are called whenever one sensor is activated. This means that there are a large number of false alarms and there is less confidence in these systems.

‘Confirmed’ alarms will call a keyholder on the first sensor activation. The police are only informed when a second sensor confirms that there is someone in the secured property. This doesn’t prevent false alarms, but it goes a long way to reduce them.

Points to remember

• Many insurance companies require customers to use approved alarm installers if they wish to benefit from lower insurance premiums.
• Please check your insurance company’s requirements before choosing your alarm installer.
• Get quotations from at least three companies who are subject to independent inspection by an approved body that is recognised by the police. These include: National Security Inspectorate (NSI) (opens new window), Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board (SSAIB) (opens new window).
• To get a police response to your alarm system, you must use an alarm company that is registered with the NSI or SSAIB.
• All independently-inspected alarm companies must make sure that they adhere to strict standards.

Ask the following questions to an alarm installer

• Are there any maintenance and/or monitoring contracts or additional hidden extras, such as call-out charges?
• Do you own the system, or rent it?
• How long does the guarantee last, and what happens if there is a problem after that?
• Is there a 24-hour call-out service and emergency attendance within four hours?