Markx wrote: » Hi, I moved into a house a while back which has an Aritech panel already installed and the house is wired. The house was empty for a while so I assume the alarm is defunct and the system needs to be replaced. I was reading on a particular website that if your alarm is over 15 years old it would be best opt for a wireless system. This house was build in 1996. My first question is - is it correct that I should limit myself to wireless systems? My second question is - we have a rectangular 1-story extension on the back of the house with 4 velux windows. Is the best option here a motion sensor in the room? Any advice appreciated.
kub wrote: » An alarm system is made up of many components, namely the control system being the panel and keypad. From that you have sounders and detectors, just because a panel is over 15 years old does not mean that the entire thing has to be ripped out and a wireless one installed. As your panel is 15 years old then it will not comply with En 50131, a standard which came in about 11 years ago, the issue here is with insurers as your system, which the panel is the major component of, cannot comply with that standard.So the advice I would give you would be to replace the panel, but as you already have a wired system in your home get a licensed installer to give all the existing detectors and wiring the once over. I think it would be crazy to rip it all out and go wireless, you are bringing unnecessary costs on yourself. With regard to your velux windows, if possible and if there is already, have these fitted with contacts, but by all means have a beam in that room as well. Fitting shock sensors to velux windows can cause false activations during hail stone showers etc. Also most new control panels now are hybrid meaning they can accommodate all of your wired devices and allow the connection of wireless ones.
Markx wrote: Yeah this is what made sense to me until I read the spiel on the Securigard website. My initial plan was to get a HKC panel installed using the existing wiring.
Markx wrote: » Well, the HKC wireless alarm is installed following what has proved to be a slightly unsavoury experience. I got several quotes as suggested and went for what initially appeared to be the best one. Having had a very long discussion with the company owner and sent pictures of the property to be secured it wasn't clear that the extension to the back of the house in the pictures wasn't to be secured. Once the installation had been completed he was looking for an extra 300 euros for 5 contacts. Anyway - bill paid and alarm works so I move on from that issue - I've learned my lesson, was a bit naive. I went for a HKC alarm and specified that I wanted this as we didn't want any ongoing costs - just the monthly GSM service cost. This was made very clear - no room for misunderstanding as there was above. I've now received a request for a monthly standing order of 24.78 per month broken down as 10.89 for the HKC service and 13.89 for the Monthly Alarm Service Maintenance (MASM). I've told him that i don't want the MASM (he responded with various scare tactics on that one but agreed I wouldn't strictly have to pay it). My queries are: (1) Not wanting an ongoing relationship with the installation company, must I pay the HKC fee through them as they says, or do HKC deal directly with customers? (2) Is 10.89 the correct fee - some quotations said 7 euros? (3) What do I need to do to be allowed maintain the alarm system myself. He won't give me the engineer codes. As a software developer I hope to have enough technical savvy to manage it myself.
kub wrote: » So the guy never actually set foot on your property before they installed the system? I note you mentioned wireless contacts, is this the only coverage you Have?
fred funk }{ wrote: » Everything should have been black & white and in writing so there's no misunderstandings. The installer is running a business so is perfectly entitled to add a margin onto a service if they're managing that service for the end user. Again, this should have been laid out clear in the initial specification.
alan partridge aha wrote: » I have a HKC wired alarm installed in a 2500sq feet house in August 2017. The installer charged €975 for the whole installation. There was a one off fee for the HKC app of €7.99 plus €4.99 a month for the alarm monitoring paid to security and risk communication on my bank online. This means if the alarm goes off it texts me and x amount of others. It was dearer if I wanted it monitored by the guards plus I would get I service per year free. I think that would have been €150 per annum.
Markx wrote: Yeah we had a long discussion and I send photos of the property from several angles. It's a standard 3 bed semi so no great mysteries about it.
kub wrote: » If someone is only paying €4.99 a month then their polling to the server is only once every 8 hours. The next step up is a polling time of 90 mins. Onwards and upwards, the more polling then the more expensive.
kub wrote: » No great mystery indeed that your installer did not do a site survey so. He should have looked at your home before he proposed a system to you in writing as per EN 50131
Markx wrote: This seems unlikely because a person subscribing for less regular polling could give HKC alarms in general a bad name.
KoolKid wrote: » First off you should have got a site visit & that should have been followed up by a written system design proposal which would detail everything & the cost of any additional devices /services. Secondly I would recommend you should have inertia contacts on all accessible windows/doors not just contacts. Thirdly , if he wants to mark up the app fee/service fee from HKC he's entitled to. However, you are also entitled to not avail of it and sign up yourself or via another installer. All details re pricing etc is available on the portal here. https://securecomm.hkc.ie/ You could politely request the engineer code or if you are dealing with another installer they could easily reset it for you.
