Having been in the security solutions industry for a century, Secom PLC is a reliable and trustworthy provider of home alarm systems and can be depended on for quality products. Their monitored home intruder alarm is a convenient wireless security Grade 2 system which is ideal for domestic and light commercial use and its kit comes with everything you need to get started and to keep your home safe and sound when you can’t be around. The basic kit is focused on security of the property, however there are additional sensors which can be added to the system so that it can be an entire home monitoring solution for your complete peace of mind.
So how much does the secom system cost?
The basic Secom Home Secure monitored system begins at an extremely affordable £99 however, it is also important to remember that there is also an additional fee of £26 every month as a monitoring subscription fee. Although this kit will suit a smaller property, a larger home will need a site survey to be carried out so that the precise security needs of the property can be properly determined and then additional equipment added where necessary into the package at the relevant price. This can lead to the price for a larger system being considerably higher.
Fitting
Unfortunately, this system cannot be fitted independently and must be installed by a professional. This is because the system is quite complex and needs to be fitted correctly to ensure that the monitoring system is functioning properly. This will have an additional expense.
Upgrades
There is an upgrade to the Home Secure package called Home Secure Plus which costs around £161 per month (plus the monitoring subscription fee) and which also comes with an external alarm. For those who can afford a little more and who are looking for a little more functionality, there is a third package called the Home Control+ system. This is a smart alarm and costs around £189 (with a £29 monitoring subscription fee on top). This system has an app that allows the user to remotely unset and set the alarm using a tablet or smartphone. As an added advantage, the app alerts users of any times that the alarm is activated and also alerts the user when the alarm has been either unset or set.
What does the fee cover?
The monthly subscription for monitoring includes the cost of all maintenance visits, replacement parts and the costs for the service provided by the Secom alarm receiving centre.
Other Supplemental Equipment
There are numerous other sensors and pieces of equipment which can be added into this system in order to make it more versatile and to give greater peace of mind. For example there are pet friendly motion detectors, wireless door contacts, shock sensors, wireless smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, water leak detectors, proximity tags, dummy sounders and working sounder which can all be fitted into the system. These all come at an extra cost for purchase and fitting and for each new device that is connected to the system an addition 50p will be charged as well as the standard monthly subscription fee. If the additional equipment is added following the original fitting an engineer’s call out fee may also be required for the fitting.
The Secom Contract
The contract with Secom for the alarm system lasts for 36 months and then the buyer owns the system. They can then go on using the monthly monitoring subscription if they choose to do so or, alternatively, it is possible to downgrade to a system that is audible only.