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Alarm for rented house - who pays?

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  • 05-02-2013 7:25pm
    #1
    Prizen
    Registered Users Posts: 44 ✭


    Hi all,
    renting a newly built house that is wired for an alarm. Wish to get one installed and am wondering if the landlord generally pays. It's expensive and i just don't have the cash. The contract doesn't clear it up, but what it does say is that landlord is responsible for house insurance (excluding contents). Appreciate any info.
    thanks


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    #2
    D3PO
    Registered Users Posts: 7,879 ✭✭✭D3PO


    if you want an alarm and there isnt one there you pay for it.

    the LL might split the cost with you if you discuss it as hes getting the benefit of it but hes under no obligation to pay anything


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    #3
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,404 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    Was the property advertised or were you otherwise told there was an alarm?


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    #4
    djimi
    Registered Users Posts: 13,237 ✭✭✭✭djimi


    The landlord is not obliged to provide an alarm, so its really up to them if they want to pay for it or not. If they dont wish to then theres not much you can do other than pay for it out of your own pocket (not really sure why you would want to do that though for a rented property).


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    #5
    Ray Palmer
    Registered Users Posts: 8,394 ✭✭✭Ray Palmer


    Alarms are pretty useless anyway. No way a Landlord is going to do it. I am surprised anybody would even ask


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    #6
    quad_red
    Registered Users Posts: 5,561 ✭✭✭quad_red


    We were in our current place for about eight months when I requested an alarm due to a spate of burglaries in the area.

    The LL obliged and had one installed. A basic wireless one but an alarm nonetheless - most important bit for me is the intruder alarm when we're in the house.

    Think he wanted to keep good tenants. He's a very decent guy (I know we're lucky).


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    #7
    Duiske
    Registered Users Posts: 3,087 ✭✭✭Duiske


    Ray Palmer wrote: »
    Alarms are pretty useless anyway. No way a Landlord is going to do it. I am surprised anybody would even ask

    The house is a new build. So if the landlord had the place wired for an alarm system, it stands to reason that he intended to put one in at some stage.


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    #8
    EricPraline
    Registered Users Posts: 486 ✭✭EricPraline


    Ray Palmer wrote: »
    Alarms are pretty useless anyway. No way a Landlord is going to do it. I am surprised anybody would even ask
    Depends on whether it's a siren alarm (which most people ignore these days) or a monitored alarm, which imho is genuinely more useful. If the landlord has put any reasonable money into furnishing the property (eg TV etc), then it's not entirely unreasonable for the landlord to protect their investment in this way.

    One of the reasons that the OP may be asking is that, if you're trying to get contents insurance, many insurers will ask whether or not the property has an alarm.


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    #9
    Ray Palmer
    Registered Users Posts: 8,394 ✭✭✭Ray Palmer


    EricPraline wrote: »
    Depends on whether it's a siren alarm (which most people ignore these days) or a monitored alarm, which imho is genuinely more useful. If the landlord has put any reasonable money into furnishing the property (eg TV etc), then it's not entirely unreasonable for the landlord to protect their investment in this way.

    One of the reasons that the OP may be asking is that, if you're trying to get contents insurance, many insurers will ask whether or not the property has an alarm.
    The OP wants the LL to pay, do you think he will agree a monthly/ yearly monitoring fee?
    Insurers will ask about an alarm for a grand saving of up to €10. Would you pay a few hundred to save a tenant a €10?

    Not many burglars steal furniture or low cost tv. Pretty unreasonable request really.


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    #10
    edanto
    Registered Users Posts: 2,809 ✭✭✭edanto


    EricPraline wrote: »
    One of the reasons that the OP may be asking is that, if you're trying to get contents insurance, many insurers will ask whether or not the property has an alarm.

    Personally, I didn't bother trying to get that saving from the insurance because if the alarm is off then the insurance is invalid. Just didn't want to come home to a burgled house and find out I'd forgotten to set the alarm....

    For the OPs question, I'd say you could make a fairly good case to the landlord about splitting the cost. You could say that the alarm will last 10-15 years, he'll get most of the benefit from it, so would he agree to cover 80% of the cost of it? You never know.


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    #11
    Paulw
    Registered Users Posts: 13,381 ✭✭✭✭Paulw


    Duiske wrote: »
    The house is a new build. So if the landlord had the place wired for an alarm system, it stands to reason that he intended to put one in at some stage.

    Many new builds were pre-wired but the developer. I know my place was.

    If the OP wants an alarm, then the OP should be prepared to pay for it. But, no harm asking the landlord and see what is said.


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    #12
    Bigcheeze
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,858 ✭✭✭Bigcheeze


    Duiske wrote: »
    The house is a new build. So if the landlord had the place wired for an alarm system, it stands to reason that he intended to put one in at some stage.

    Almost all new builds are wired for alarm systems because it's cheap and easy to do when the house is being built but a pain to do it after. I wouldn't read much into it


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    #13
    Prizen
    Registered Users Posts: 44 ✭Prizen


    have already had an attempted break-in, this is why I am looking to get an alarm. The window was badly damaged, and it luckily is covered under the landlord's insurance. I have the contents insured under my insurance.
    The cost of getting alarms fitted is astronomical imho, quoted at €1200. Does anybody know where the costs lie if the house is already wired???


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    #14
    edanto
    Registered Users Posts: 2,809 ✭✭✭edanto


    They are a good deal cheaper with the house wired. You can get systems that will SMS you if anything happens.

    Look in the security forum on boards for advice.

    I'd recommend you PM a boardsie called altor, he fits excellent systems.


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    #15
    EricPraline
    Registered Users Posts: 486 ✭✭EricPraline


    Ray Palmer wrote: »
    The OP wants the LL to pay, do you think he will agree a monthly/ yearly monitoring fee?
    OP is referring to installation, not monitoring fee obviously.
    Ray Palmer wrote: »
    Insurers will ask about an alarm for a grand saving of up to €10.
    In my experience it's considerably more than €10.
    Ray Palmer wrote: »
    Not many burglars steal furniture or low cost tv. Pretty unreasonable request really.
    Opportunists and junkies will steal whatever they can, given an opportunity.

    There has already been an attempted break-in. If the OP decides the move out, the landlord will lose revenue. If break-ins are frequent in the area, then some kind of alarm would not be a totally unreasonable investment from the landlord's point of view.


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    #16
    dahamsta
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 16,659 ✭✭✭✭dahamsta


    Landlord went halves with us in our last house.

    In our own house we went for a self-monitored alarm. Managed services are a waste of money, you'll end up getting a call anyway, so cut out the middle man and handle it yourself.


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    #17
    Bigcheeze
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,858 ✭✭✭Bigcheeze


    I don't think people are overly worried about the value of possessions or insurance premium when getting an alarm. I think it's more the comfort of knowing there is an alarmed perimeter on your house, so you are less likely to wake up and find a scum bag in your kids bedroom.


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