burglar alarm req - Is ADT any good?

Bob1000

Hi

I want to purchase an alarm system for my house, can anyone tell me what they have and if they recommend it. I was thinking of a wired one from ADT.

should I have it linked direct to the police and/or group 4 etc

I have been told that in 2007 all alarms must be internal e.g. not be outside of the house but be inside with regard to the bell is that true?

Thanks

weekendwarrior

Hi Bob,

Not sure about the new Law to be honest but ADT do use quality equipment although it will probably require a service contract, so you have to shell out each month!

Alarms that dial a control centre and then the police are easily cheated and if someone really wants to break in they will do!

Most burglars will be put off by a good alarm system as a lot of them are opportunists and will find an easier target!

polybear

Wouldn't touch ADT with a barge-pole. Good kit probably, but my partner paid 700 quid for a "bells only" (i.e. not remotely monitored) system plus £16 every month for a "maintenance contract" (i.e. a service once a year, plus an engineer call out within 4 hours for problems (charged extra). After just over a year she decided not to proceed with the maintenance contract (£192 every year is way too steep). ADT said they would cancel when they received written confirmation giving 1 month's notice. They would then arrange for removal & collection of the alarm system!!! Seems the contract says that the system is only on hire, and the 700 quid was the installation charge!!! To keep the system she would have to keep the maintenance contract for a full 3 years (i.e. total cost of nearly £1300). ADT don't have the best of reputations either. Wonder why?
Polybear.

hk_chick

I couldn't help with the value of ADT - but if you decide to get one linked to an alarm recieving centre - I second the 'don't touch them with a bargepole' opinion.

I'm a named keyholder for my place of work. We had a new (upgraded) alarm fitted with a fob needed to deactivate the alarm in the mornings - it took me 3 months to get enough fobs for all the staff requiring one. My personal fob has never worked - nightmare if I was called out of hours! After 6 months I have finally managed to get it re-programed.

the response time is poor, too. They monitor our fire alarm via the secruity system. A while ago I struggled out of bed with Bronchitis to respond to a fire call. I live 5 minutes across the high street from work - I arrived to find the locum staying at the centre eating their dinner (they had burnt it, which has set the alarnm off) who informed me the fire brigade had been, written a report and left after resetting the alarm - 30 MINUTES earlier. - it took ADT 25 minutes to tell me the fire alarm was triggered :eek:

so - ADT - not so good at customer services!

Bob1000

Thank you all, maybe ADT is not the one then. I think I will have to do a bit more reasearch and/or wait for some more comments.

deanos

Im going back a few years now but one of the companys changed the number to premium rate so every time you set the alarm or disarm when it called out it was on a premium rate phone line instead of normal rates , just something to check out, cant remember the name of the company but it was on Watchdog

wornout

Bob, are you in the London area. If so, I know a wonderful alarm company.

micko2602

I personally wouldn't pay the price for an ADT alarm. There is one fitted in my house which was there when I moved in, but its nothing special, Ive fitted similar systems myself.
You can buy a good alarm system that will include alarm panel with remote keypads, approximately 5-6 PIR sensors, a couple of door contacts, a bell box, a SCB (self contained battery) for the bell box, a battery for the panel and a reel of cable. You can also add a phone dialer to this which can call preset numbers if the alarm is activated.
The cost for all the kit wil be under £250, fitting could be another £150-200.
Most local electricians will do this, just check they are JIB approved first and all the quality alarm installers will have been on recognised training courses with suppliers, so check to see if they are approved.

Hope this helps

Bob1000

Hi Wornout - Yes i am in the london area (sort of) - near Heathrow

Micko2602 - Thanks for the advice. I did think of that, but most of them either wont touch own parts, arent interested in doing it or charge more than if I bought my own parts. I want to try and get one others think is good, hence the post.

Reluctant_spender

ADT do offers for certain employments, if you decide to go with someone else thats up to you.

Have you spoken with your Local Crime Prevention Officer.

A word of warning - if the alarm is monitored by a centre and the Police are contacted you are only allowed a number of false alarms before they refuse to attend until the fault/false alarm is fixed.

If you fit an alarm and it is not monitored then the Police as a matter of course will not attend!

Bob1000

Good idea with the Local Crime Prevention Officer, may get his thoughts, thanks