House Alarm

[kev2021]

Hi all,

So, I’ve been wondering, why do house alarms charge so much for “maintenance”? I have a house alarm fitted couple of years back and it allows me to remote access it i.e. turn on/off and also get alerts if alarm goes off.

Previous alarm, I stopped paying the yearly maintenance as i didn’t have remote access to it and literally the guy turned up for 5-10mins and all was ok and left, certainly didn’t warrant the money I was paying out each year for.

However, with the remote access alarm, I need to keep paying the maintenance or i will loose remote access.  even so, guy is only there 5-10minutes and he is gone. Doesn’t seem like value for money?

I presume no way to not pay maintenance and “move” my alarm to a different company just for remote access?

I *think* some of these self install alarms just works over your internet and you get remote access? might be wrong but that how it seems? I don’t have any monitoring etc.

Kev

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[UK Sentinel]

Does house alarms that charge for “maintenance” make your house insurance cheaper, as this could help offset the price differential ?

Whom you currently using as I assume they use their own proprietary equipment etc.?

 

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[kev2021]

The installers use a orisec alarm, doesn’t make house insurance cheaper unfortunately o doesn’t ofset the cost.

Apparently i presume the company that did the installer hold the cloud account to enable me to remotely turn it on/off etc….

Doesn’t seem like there is a option to pay just for this without the yearly check-up with takes all of 5-10mins tops.  Would likely take the guy longer to drive to my place and do the checks.

Kev

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[UK Sentinel]

 

. kev2021 Said:

The installers use a orisec alarm, doesn’t make house insurance cheaper unfortunately o doesn’t ofset the cost.

Apparently i presume the company that did the installer hold the cloud account to enable me to remotely turn it on/off etc….

 

You pay for piece of mind and that’s not cheap. I assume the contract includes replacing kit if it fails free of charge.

Unless the system links to the Police or a Command Centre where they can then contact you, little point in having it as you are technical yourself etc.

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[kev2021]

Contract includes replacing items like batteries to run alarm in power outage etc.

Doesn’t link to police or monitored BUT need to pay it to keep the ability to remote access it i.e. turn it on/off, receive notification if alarm goes off, i.e. home broken into etc.

If I stop the contract I loose access to the remote control via the app – really annoying, I’d sooner pay say £50 a year for remote access as opposed to a lot more for maintenance. I’d sooner pay call out & repair if needed as I reckon I’d save money overall. Most they ever did was change the battery at my cost when out of contract when upgrading as I mentioned batteries never been changed since installed and after checking, guy agreed to replace 1 as was borderline so said would do it as had one in van.  Maintenance is limited, i.e. if cables damaged, its chargeable repair. Not had a failed sensor yet (new alarm uses existing sensors) so not sure if they would replace those or not if they failed.

Kev

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[UK Sentinel]

Maybe time to add to your skillset portfolio with a House alarm, remote access should not be an issue with your ASUS routers and just need to arrange a way to interface with existing alarm system and/or replace a module or two.

Don’t want you getting bored do we

 

 

 

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[kev2021]

Well, that’s the weird part – the alarm doesn’t work via a web page, it only works via there app on a mobile/tablet.  If I go to the IP of it, nothing….

So perhaps the alarm talks back to a “cloud” system and the app effectively gets its info from the cloud as opposed to directly from the alarm? Meaning I need the “middle man” so to speak…

Rather annoying tbh, I mean cost goes up ever year and for 5-10mins “maintenance” which basically involves coming in, check logs for any faults etc, then checking each sensor in the room and then leaving. That’s basically it.

It’s effectively money for nothing…. and I suspect when it does get several years old, it will no doubt be like boilers oh the system is too old now, can’t get parts, you need to upgrade to a new system which is another few hundred quid…

Wish there was a way to make the unit talk to a provider that charged a cheaper price just for the remote access cloud bit and skip the maintenance as I’d suspect would be cheaper to pay call out & repair charge than pay 5 years maintenance for nothing to be done.  Like I say, I had previous alarm system (no remote access) for 6 or 7 years and that never had anything done to it, no batteries replaced, nothing.

I don’t have the place monitored as then comes certain criteria i.e. I have to ensure I’m no more than 2hrs away incase it goes off I can get back, I’d have to provide someone’s details who could go in and turn it off on my behalf and I don’t know my neighbours that well as rarely see them.

So I skipped that part and by having the app, I can at least turn it off and then get back when I can to see what’s occurring.

I’ve had it go off couple of times and upon visiting, nothing looks to have happened so not sure what caused it, can only think maybe a fly got in and it set it off randomly as no doors unlocked/open/broken, no windows etc and nothing is out of place etc.

Kev

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[kev2021]

Looking at alarms online, it does say in small print/hidden that there is maintenance charges even though some say no hidden costs etc… there still is maintenance charges so maybe they all the same? I thought some would allow remote control without maintenance packages..

Kev

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[Grisu]

You for sure have some alarm output or can get such an alarm signal out of flash light oder sirene.

That you could get in home assistent or simlilar system and you can turn off alarming (light and sirene with an relais or electronic) from remote.
Of course it wont turn off the alarming of the system, but nobody will see it or be disturbed.
Back home you can cancel the alarm and put back flash and sirene to operation.

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• This reply was modified 3 months ago by Grisu.
• This reply was modified 3 months ago by Grisu.

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[UK Sentinel]

. kev2021 Said:

Looking at alarms online, it does say in small print/hidden that there is maintenance charges even though some say no hidden costs etc… there still is maintenance charges so maybe they all the same? I thought some would allow remote control without maintenance packages..

Kev

I doubt it as they could not guarantee remote control / access without first ensuring system is operational and maintained etc.

Either way, lots of options out there to manage the products / access yourself and build a system that is under your control.

At our house we have a PTZ camera which I can access remotely.

 

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[kev2021]

Which systems would they be? Ones I’m finding all say “maintenance contract” so I’m guessing same as mine, no maintenance, no access.  I have a Camera I can access without a contract, I just add it to the app and it works, no contract needed etc. Alarm system seem a whole different ball game, even verisure need a service contract it seems…

Kev

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[UK Sentinel]

Are you looking for options such as Alarm Calls if the alarm is activated or happy with the ability to only remote monitor when you dial in etc. ?

In theory, you could purchase an off the shelf alarm system with a Siren and then use say Alexa Emergency Assist which is free and this can be set to send a Smart Alert to your phone if it detects a sound, (Siren alarm sound).

Or you could be really creative and when the Siren or Strobe light flashes, you can attach a smart power plug that sends an alert when it is picks up a voltage drop.

New iSocket is Plug-and-Go is an example, but I am sure there are others suited for UK and not sure if this is free to use etc. but hopefully gives you direction for your DIY project and is dependent on your needs.

 

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[kev2021]

Hi,

Basically looking to be able to remotely turn on/off alarm and to also receive alerts when the alarm goes off so I can remotely turn it off and then return home asap to check what’s’ happening.

I lost the ability for it to make a call when I dropped the landline.  I do now have a VOIP line but I don’t recall this unit being able to use that so we settled on it sending alerts to the app so it notifies myself and parents as they have the app too just in case I’m away or unable to get back to get on place etc.

From memory, I believe the alarm will stop ringing after a given amount of time, forgotten the exact timing now but the light will prob continue flashing until turned off but at least its not ringing all night :)

Kev

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[UK Sentinel]

When you have time, take a look at Eufy Security 5 Piece (self install) Home Alarm Kit Battery / Wired which is a scaleable house alarm system and you can add security cameras and has an intuitive app.

As far as I can tell, there is no professional monitoring or maintenance contracts (but can be added if you wish) and you can purchase this from the likes of Toolstation / Amazon.

Note: they did have issues with encrypted videos streams a couple of years ago, but now resolved I believe.

https://www.toolstation.com/eufy-security-5-piece-home-alarm-kit/

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[kev2021]

thanks, will do.

Kev

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