Recommendation for alarm for new house?

Have phone watch in my mothers house. Small house, customer service is fine, never had an issue in terms of resolution of issues. App is awful and they are expensive, €50+ per month.
 
I've used Action 24 - no affiliation. They took out an old alarm where companies like Home Secure weren't prepared to. I have it monitored as it formed part of the deal - pay for equipment and monitoring for 3 years at €30 a month. I've never had to use the monitoring really but like the benefit of it.
 
Based on personal experience and many other threads on here over the years, avoid Phone Watch. Their system is poor by modern standards and ties you in to their monitoring. Get any other system installed by any other supplier and you can shop around for better value monitoring.

Examples of previous threads here, here, here, here... and there are more if you use the search facility.
 
peteb said:
I've used Action 24 - no affiliation. They took out an old alarm where companies like Home Secure weren't prepared to. I have it monitored as it formed part of the deal - pay for equipment and monitoring for 3 years at €30 a month. I've never had to use the monitoring really but like the benefit of it.
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thanks ...what's the benefit of monitoring ?
 
Dan_The_Man said:
thanks ...what's the benefit of monitoring ?
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If a sensor is triggered you will receive immediate notification, some via an app, others via a phone call. Some may contact Gardai but won't be able to guarantee response there.
 
Leo said:
If a sensor is triggered you will receive immediate notification, some via an app, others via a phone call. Some may contact Gardai but won't be able to guarantee response there.
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i've heard ...but i dont believe it ..some providers have a contract with the guards for response (I guess even if it is true this would be depending on guard resources at the time) ....can anyone confirm this?
 
Dan_The_Man said:
i've heard ...but i dont believe it ..some providers have a contract with the guards for response (I guess even if it is true this would be depending on guard resources at the time) ....can anyone confirm this?
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I'm sure PhoneWatch salespeople will suggest they get a better response, but again my experiences with them suggest reality isn't a big concern.

It was mentioned on a previous thread here a few years back that the Gardai treated them all equally and operated the same process for all where 3 false alarms meant they'd block you. A quick call to your local Garda station would confirm.
 
This is from the guards information sheet:

"Monitored or un-monitored? This is a matter that should be carefully considered. In order to guarantee a Garda response to an activation of your alarm, you must have a Unique Reference Number (URN) issued by the Gardaí. These are only issued where the alarm system:
•complies with approved standards,
•has been installed by an approved installer, and
•is monitored by an approved monitoring company.

Further information can be provided by your alarm company, monitoring station, local Garda Crime Prevention Officer or you can download the full Garda Alarm Policy from the Garda website. If you have a monitored alarm and you have changed WiFi / home telephone provider, contact the monitoring centre to ensure the system is being properly monitored.

The Garda Alarm Policy has recently been revised with a view to reducing the number of incidences of false alarm activations. This will help to provide a more effective service to the public. Since January 31, 2008 all alarm systems, including domestic, should have dual verification installed. Your alarm installation company will explain this in detail, but essentially, it involves verifying an alarm activation by means of two or more detection devices which send two separate alarm signals to the monitoring station."

We self monitor via telephone apps.
 
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peteb said:
I've used Action 24 - no affiliation. They took out an old alarm where companies like Home Secure weren't prepared to. I have it monitored as it formed part of the deal - pay for equipment and monitoring for 3 years at €30 a month. I've never had to use the monitoring really but like the benefit of it.
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We have Action 24 as well no issues with with.

If you set off the house alarm they will call within a minute to ask if everything is ok, you have safe password and code red password.
Once you give safe password they will go on their merry way - give code red they will call emergency services etc.
 
E30chick said:
We have Action 24 as well no issues with with.

If you set off the house alarm they will call within a minute to ask if everything is ok, you have safe password and code red password.
Once you give safe password they will go on their merry way - give code red they will call emergency services etc.
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thanks ..im still struggling with the value of monitored ..couldn't i just ring emergency services myself.
(edit) Now after reading that fact sheet ..(see below) ...I'm starting to see the value
 
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Early Riser said:
This is from the guards information sheet:

"Monitored or un-monitored? This is a matter that should be carefully considered. In order to guarantee a Garda response to an activation of your alarm, you must have a Unique Reference Number (URN) issued by the Gardaí. These are only issued where the alarm system:
•complies with approved standards,
•has been installed by an approved installer, and
•is monitored by an approved monitoring company.

Further information can be provided by your alarm company, monitoring station, local Garda Crime Prevention Officer or you can download the full Garda Alarm Policy from the Garda website. If you have a monitored alarm and you have changed WiFi / home telephone provider, contact the monitoring centre to ensure the system is being properly monitored.

The Garda Alarm Policy has recently been revised with a view to reducing the number of incidences of false alarm activations. This will help to provide a more effective service to the public. Since January 31, 2008 all alarm systems, including domestic, should have dual verification installed. Your alarm installation company will explain this in detail, but essentially, it involves verifying an alarm activation by means of two or more detection devices which send two separate alarm signals to the monitoring station."

We self monitor via telephone apps.
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thanks ...this is useful ...so this section:

This is a matter that should be carefully considered. In order to guarantee a Garda response to an activation of your alarm, you must have a Unique ReferenceNumber (URN) issued by the Gardaí.These are only issued where the alarm system:•complies with approved standards,•has been installed by an approved installer, and•is monitored by an approved monitoring company.

combined with:

The Garda Alarm Policy has recently been revised with a view to reducing the number of incidences of false alarm activations. This will help to provide a more effective service to the public. Since January 31, 2008 all alarm systems, including domestic, should have dual verification installed. Your alarm installation company will explain this in detail, but essentially, it involves verifying an alarm activation by means of two or more detection devices which send two separate alarm signals to the monitoring station.

essentially means I've a better chance of a response from the Garda if its monitored?
 
You ONLY have a chance of a Garda response if you subscribe to an approved monitoring service.
 
Dan_The_Man said:
thanks ...this is useful ...so this section:

This is a matter that should be carefully considered. In order to guarantee a Garda response to an activation of your alarm, you must have a Unique ReferenceNumber (URN) issued by the Gardaí.These are only issued where the alarm system:•complies with approved standards,•has been installed by an approved installer, and•is monitored by an approved monitoring company.

combined with:

The Garda Alarm Policy has recently been revised with a view to reducing the number of incidences of false alarm activations. This will help to provide a more effective service to the public. Since January 31, 2008 all alarm systems, including domestic, should have dual verification installed. Your alarm installation company will explain this in detail, but essentially, it involves verifying an alarm activation by means of two or more detection devices which send two separate alarm signals to the monitoring station.

essentially means I've a better chance of a response from the Garda if its monitored?
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If you are going this way you need to make sure that the monitoring company (and system) you choose meets all of the above requirements. AFAIK some do not.
Also, these are minimum conditions for a garda response - they do not guarantee it.
 
Is the possible Garda response really worth the extra expense? I mean, what do they actually do that you couldn’t do yourself remotely?

With remote alarm apps and a couple of cheap internal cameras, you can conduct a much more effective sweep yourself. If there’s an intruder on site, you can always contact the Gardai at that point.
 
Leo said:
Confront burglars? Difficult to do from a distance, dangerous up close.
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I am fairly sure the "they" refers to the monitoring company rather than the Gardai. A monitoring company that "confronts burglars" is playing to a very niche market!
 
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Leo said:
Confront burglars? Difficult to do from a distance, dangerous up close.
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I suspect any burglars are long gone before the Gardai arrive. If the loud alarm hasn’t encouraged them to leave, they have bigger issues to deal with.
 
Salvadore said:
I suspect any burglars are long gone before the Gardai arrive. If the loud alarm hasn’t encouraged them to leave, they have bigger issues to deal with.
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Yeah, likely so in most remote locations but could assist those profiling and chasing the prolific burglary gangs. In my last place Gardai arrived when burglars were still on the premises. Unfortunately they just checked the house and didn't bother with the shed where they hid until the Gardai left.
 
Alarm companies used to operate a system for certain customers whereby the alarm sounders were delayed for a period of time after the alarm activation. The idea was that when the sounders activated the intruders would run out of the building into the arms of the awaiting Gardai. I don't know if this facility is still offered but the chances of a timely Garda response is so unlikely that this strategy would probably be useless in present day Ireland.
 
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