Unfortunately, a lot of people that call us for a quote have just had that awful experience of being broken into. I sincerely hope that’s not the reason you’ve reached our site.
If you have had a break-in, it can be tempting to go with the first home alarm company that you call, and that’s understandable. But its a good idea to spend a bit of time either on line or on the phone and do as much research as you can before you make a decision.
Things to consider are:
- What equipment are you being offered? My advice is to stick to the 3 major brands that professional alarm companies use: Bosch, Ness and Hills (also known as DAS). These manufacturers have been around for years and produce realiable products that have stood the test of time. They can also be serviced and repaired by any competent technician in Melbourne.
- Alarm monitoring is just a service, like pay TV or a lawn-mowing service – it’s only useful if you need it – not everyone does. Don’t be fooled into thinking you have to have it. Weigh up the advantages (guaranteed response to an alarm, police attendance if you press your panic button) and disadvantages (monthly cost of the service, cost of cancelling the contract if you need to) and decide for yourself. Be wary of a company that tries to force you into a monitoring agreement. And remember, there are alternatives such as having your alarm ring your mobile phone or send you a text message if an alarm is triggered.
- If you do choose back-to-base monitoring, check that the monitoring centre has a Grade A1 rating. This is grading system administered by ASIAL, which is the largest security industry representitve organisation in Australia. You can read more about the certification process and requirements here: http://www.asial.com.au/AlarmMonitoringCentreCertification
- Check that the installer and the alarm company are licensed with the Victoria Police. Dont let just anyone into your home. Ask to see the salesman’s and installers license before you let them in.
