Some people think that an intruder alarm system advertises that you have something worth stealing. This is not the case; alarms are the best deterrent against burglary. Remember, burglars do not want to be seen or heard; time and noise are their enemies.
The alarm industry is governed by inspectorate bodies similar to the `Gas Safe Register’ who oversee the gas industry. By choosing a company affiliated to one of the recognised inspectorate bodies such as ‘NSF (National Security Inspectorate) or `SSAIB’ (Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board), it guarantees that they have met the high standards and business ethics required to be members.
There are three different types of alarm system responses:
- A monitored system – provides a police response if the alarm is activated, it signals to the alarm receiving centre who will contact the keyholders and the police. The alarm company will charge an ongoing fee for this facility, on top of the initial installation.
- Speech dialer – if the alarm is activated, the system dials out to a selection of pre-programmed keyholder telephone numbers (not 999) to alert the recipient. The alarm company will charge a one-off purchase price for the speech dialer, on top of the alarm installation.
- Audible only system – if the alarm is activated, it will sound, but relies on neighbours and passers-by to respond. All alarm systems must stop sounding and re-arm themselves after 20 minutes.
