Alarm Maintenance - worth it?

redman

I am debating whether to renew my alarm maintenance,it's a rolling contract with a 6 month out. It has no guaranteed response time to failures and generally for faults it takes 1-2 days to get someone in.

I have had it since installed two years ago and it has proved useful as we have had callouts from both changes to the house and warranty issues. These have stabilised now.

The contract is €180 per annum, not monitored.
Debating whether to switch to a time a materials, presuming I can find someone who will do T&M on HKC alarms?

Also weighing up against the insurance benefits which I am investigating, some firms require a maintained alarms and then in some cases the T's&C's in insurance contracts, if you don't use the alarm your exposed if you've chosen the discount and need to claim.

Anyone out their gone the T&M route and what's your experience?

Thanks

Redman

JohnDigital

€180 not monitored - is a waste of money IMHO

crosstownk

I was offered contract maintenance on my alarm in my old house. I didn't bother. I reckon it works out cheaper to call out an engineer if you need to. Alarms don't give that much trouble, tbh. Eventually the backup battery will need to be changed but you might be able to that yourself. My alarm was a HKC and never gave a moments bother. Lots of my friends have HKC alarms too and they too give trouble free operation.

Essentially I'd agree with JohnDigital - a waste of money!

redman

Wondering though if anyone has anyone they call out and how much they charge?
I would hate to cancel and have a call cost me €170!

Redman

GreeBo

If you are going to cancel it I would get them out to unlock your alarm so anyone can change it for you.
Otherwise you will have to call them out as it will be lock with their engineer code...

Jnealon

Standard call out should cost around €80

redman

GreeBo wrote:

If you are going to cancel it I would get them out to unlock your alarm so anyone can change it for you.
Otherwise you will have to call them out as it will be lock with their engineer code...

Thanks Greebo, I have the code alright.

johnnyrotten

Why have it monitored? My Alarm sends me a text message upon an activation

redman

Is this easy to do with a HKI alarm?
What do you use to dial out with via the lan line or a ready to go phone?
Will it text to more than one mobile?

Redman

patrickolee

That's cool, thinking about getting an alarm, on the todo list. What make is it? Where'd you get it?

kikel

Total waste of money. Heres what to do.
Leave a window unlocked but not open. Set the alarm. Open window. If alarm goes off. All is fine. This can be done for all windows and PIR's. People in my estate are always at it. An alarm seem to go off on a very regular basis.
Best to try this during the day. the neighbours hate ya testing at 4am.