Security Alarm Annual Service Charges for Businesses Premises.

[Small Business Owner]

Hi, this is my first post so I hope I've placed it on the appropriate thread.

I would like some feedback on what security alarm annual services charge fees I should expect to be paying for a security alarm system installed at my business premisses ?

The premisses have never suffered a break-in since the contract began in 1996. The system is virtually trouble-free, in respect to - no more than a handful of false alarms since it's installation in 1996. The premisses are a secure location inside a very secure environment, which is manned 20 hours per day, 7 days a week, 363 days a year. So just 2 days a year unmanned.

Maintenance involves one annual visit by an engineer, who takes no more than 30 minutes to test & service the system.

I don't have a comparison to use as a benchmark, but my service charge is now close to £800 per annum, charged monthly.

My contract states "The Customer may within 14 days after the service of notice of the new service charge give three months notice in writing to the Company terminating this Agreement."

And yet, the invoices have just crept up over the years with no previous notice & no explanation or breakdown of how the service charge is arrived at.

I have made verbal complaints via phone several times over the years & the service charge has been reduced, only to quickly creep up again.

Appreciate any feedback. The alarm company's attitude is take it or leave it & they have pointed out that my insurance will be void if I have no alarm & they have also pointed out the cost of a new alarm installation. I feel like I am being bullied into paying what they want.

Thanks for reading this

Small Business Owner

 

[fattony]

Is it A*T and a leased alarm? Years ago they didn't sell a system they leased it to you.

£800 is expensive from what you described, £150 - £250 would be more realistic in my opinion

 

[channelfs]

I am a fire alarm engineer Fire systems are very similar to security alarms so I have a little knowledge of intruder systems , you can buy a wireless intruder alarm fairly cheap and hook it up to a monitoring station like red care provided by BT, get quotes from a local security company to maintain the system

 

[Octa]

Welcome to UKBF!

Those charges certainly seem steep for your actual needs. I don't think it'd be hard to find a security company that could maintain the system considerably cheaper!

 

[Claire Dymond]

I pay £325 pa for monitored alarm and annual service, you're being ripped off, probably by a big company which has the sole purpose of making money and not caring about their customers.

 

[Small Business Owner]

Thanks for this feedback everyone. In reply to Fattony, the company is Ch**b. Their service charge does include BT's red care, but I'm not sure how much the red care portion of their service charge is. Any idea, anyone ?

I'm particularly annoyed at the arrogance & attitude. They have never given me written notice of their increases, just the ever-increasing invoices. They appear to think that they have me over a barrel, knowing that I would need to go to the expense of installing another alarm system & pointing out that my insurance will be void with no alarm. I'm so annoyed with them.

 

[glenn gbfire]

Unfortunately your not the first and definitely won't be the last to have to deal with these so called "major players".

In regards to the red care charges all there is is line monitoring and a monitoring centre... ch**b did have there own not sure if they still do.

Red care is old technology these days and am.not surprised they haven't tried to sell you dual com. ** most there engineers are on commission**

The rate your paying is rarther High to put it politely.

If you would like some more detailed advice drop me a PM mate.

 

[DavidWH]

Yes we're paying about half of that, for a monitored alarm (there are different levels of monitoring), 2 services p/a, from a local independent supplier with all the SSAIB certification.

Don't mind paying slightly more as their service has been faultless.

 

[Bri]

Agree with all of the above, that is typical pricing strategy of national companies and quite astronomical, that would probably be the cost of a new unmonitored system fully iinstalled with as others said £250/£300 per annum is a benchmark figure. Get some quotes in and dont be surprised to hear you might need an upgrade too, you'll still be saving money in the long run.