‘Hello! Can you help me! Our alarm is going off! No, you didn’t fit it. We don’t know who the installer was! We have only been here for the last nine months! Sorry, we don’t have any codes or manuals! No, we don’t know what make and model it is! So, there is nothing we can do about it? It may go off all night???!!!’——- This was the call we took on a Saturday night around 8 p.m. from a distressed lady who eventually became a wonderful customer. We have often received similar calls from other customers, where people are struggling with the alarm system already installed on their property and want to switch to us for alarm maintenance. However, such situations can always be avoided if you are moving to a new home with an existing home security alarm already in place.

Get the information from previous owners and agents

Once you move to your new property, make sure you get all the details you need about the security system from either the owner or the agent.

If you are not sure of the details, you should have, please refer to the list below.

  • Make and model of the burglar alarm system.
  • Details about the company that installed it, particularly their name and contact details.
  • Check out what customers are saying about the company’s services. You can quickly get this information through review websites like Google and Trust Pilot.
  • Find out what all the communication modules are available with the alarm system installed.
  • Find out if they have a system code from the owner. It is critical because the system code is required at the time of the alarm service.
  • Look out for additional add-ons, such as key-fobs, tags, or portable devices that might have come with an alarm.
  • Find out if the owner has any ongoing maintenance plan for the alarm system and get the details.
  • Check if the alarm is monitored and a monitoring plan is in place.
  • Another critical information is whether the alarm is owned or leased.
  • Try to get any further information you can about the alarm system.

When the information is not available 

In some cases, the owner will have no clue about any of the details mentioned above. In that situation, you can refer to the following points.

  • Find out the details of the company on the external bell box. In general, security installers install a bell box with their brand on it and install it on the property’s outer premises. You can also look for the company’s name or the alarm’s model number on its components, such as control panels, keypads, and keyboards.
  • Alternatively, you can check the invoice or user manual to find out the company’s details if you have received it from the owner or agent.

If you can’t find out anything about the alarm system, please send us an email to hello@fhasecurity.co.uk with a few photos of the alarm you are using. Take a snapshot of the control panel or keypad and send it to us with your contact details. Our specialists can help you identify your product.

Once you have got the details about the make and model of the alarm

Great, if you managed to find out more about the make and model of the alarm system. Please contact the company and check if they are still operational and can support the system. Ensure that you get an accurate quote from the company because some companies are notorious for overcharging alarm takeovers.

Whether you decide to proceed with the existing security provider or switch to us for your alarm service requirements, you must stick to the following process for your alarm take over.

  • Arrange an engineer for your burglar alarm servicing and learn from the expert how to operate the system. You ought to know how to use the critical features of the system.
  • Get the code changed on the system. The user code of the system must only be available to you and your immediate family members. There is always a risk associated with the codes passed to you by the previous owners.
  • Check if the batteries are working fine or need replacement, especially if the system has not been repaired for the past 12 months.
  • The alarm is of no use unless it communicates to the user in the event of an emergency. Please ensure that the system is set up to communicate with you if and when the alarm is triggered. If you are using a smart alarm, you need to enable cloud connectivity via the smartphone app.
  • The best way to manage your alarm is to have a maintenance plan in place. Ongoing maintenance will ensure regular health checkups and instant service call-outs from the technician. You will have professional assistance and support available in case of any faults and errors.

Our alarm maintenance package provides an all-inclusive service plan including your annual service, battery repair, free calls, and technical support, all at a fixed rate.

What other things you can consider

1) If the burglar alarm system is outdated

The home alarm systems have an average life span of 10 years. Due to technological changes, it is recommended that the alarm system be upgraded every five years as companies often discontinue their old systems with a new generation alarm series. In that case, you might find it challenging to get support for the older system, and you might end up paying a considerable amount of money. It is sometimes cheaper to start with a new alarm system with the latest technology and advanced communication features.

2) Upgrading the existing alarm system

You can upgrade most of these alarm systems by adding motion sensors and add-ons. If you are willing to upgrade your alarm system, make sure you know what you want from the upgraded system before adding devices to the old system.

Conclusion

FHA Security

If you are in a similar situation and want to switch to a different security provider but are uncertain how to proceed, please contact us.

We are an award-winning security installer working with a wide range of wireless burglar alarms. Our team of engineers are professionally trained on alarm repairs and alarm maintenance of some of the leading brands- Yale, Visonic, Risco and Infinite Prime.