How to choose a burglar alarm contract Frequently asked questions

Can you save money on your insurance

Most insurance companies offer a discount of between 2% and 15% on the cost of home contents insurance if you have a burglar alarm. Three quarters of the companies we asked said they would insist the alarm is professionally maintained.
Save money: A 15% discount would cut £21 (a third of the cost of a typical UK maintenance contract) from the average contents insurance quote for a three-bedroomed semi-detached home in a medium-risk area, cutting it from £141 to £120 (see www.which.co.uk for full criteria).

Should you choose an independent or chain?

We asked Which? members whether you bought your alarm contract from an independent or a chain and which you preferred.
Three in five Which? members bought a contract from an independent company.
Members who had contracts with independent firms were more likely to recommend them than those with chains.
Of the chains, ADT dominates the market, followed by Chubb, Dyno (part of British Gas) and Secom.
There was little price difference between independents and chains. Independents quoted £475 on average for installing an alarm and £150 a year for a combined maintenance and monitoring contract. Chains quoted £497 on average for installation, and £148 a year for combined maintenance and monitoring contracts.
Most chains gave prices for maintenance and monitoring combined. ADT will no longer install an alarm without monitoring.

High price increases

One in 10 Which? members with a burglar alarm faced a high price increase when their alarm contract was up for renewal. Which? member Jenny Stevens, for example, saw the cost of her maintenance contract with an independent firm rise 15% in a year.
Julian Stanton, of the National Security Inspectorate (NSI), one of two bodies that approve installers, said that price increases shouldn’t normally be above retail price inflation (4.3% for the year to May). ADT said that rising fuel costs for its engineers’ vans have forced it to add a supplement to contract costs. This takes increases above inflation.

Switching provider

If you get an expensive quote for renewing your contract, you could think about switching provider. The chains we spoke to said they would need to inspect the alarm system to check it’s feasible to switch, as the system may be obsolete, parts may not be available, or they may not be familiar with the equipment used. ADT carries out this check for free.

Verdict

If you’re going to have a burglar alarm, we think it’s worth having it maintained professionally by an NSI/Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board-approved installer that also maintains alarms. We found no hard evidence to justify the expense of a monitoring contract, though it may give you reassurance. If you don’t want the yearly expense of a monitoring contract, but would like some extra peace of mind, consider getting a speech dialler fitted.