Shark

Just wondering if anyone else has experience of these alarms. I am getting a quote on Monday and was wondering if anyone has one and could comment.

If you don’t have an ADT system comments on other makes would be very welcome.

Do I need a central station monitored alarm or am I wasting my money? Is a non monitored alarm just as good? I don’t really want to leave a set of keys with a neighbour as I don’t fully trust any of them

Thanks

David

Huxley

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Don't do it they are r----n t------g b------s [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img] they don't tell you all the facts like Yeah, more like £2.50 a day for a year, oh sorry I forgot to mention that it's for 3/5 years, oh and the system will never belong to you and if you're lucky you might get an external sounder, not just a dummy which most adt systems have - and that can be a major loophole in your security as it's well known how to get round it within the industry.

Go for an small family firm if you can but watch out for the "Fast Track adt" companies as most of the time they are not Nacoss approved - get lots of quotes, normally we say get a least 4

If you can fit it yourself it's not that hard and fitting an autodialer to ring your mobile phone will save you shed loads.

If you go down the route of a monitored system you will have to have what is now called sequential monitoring which means lots more money as you normally have to double up on detection in the main areas.

If you need any more info mail me.

Huxley "In the Trade"

Puff The Magic Wagon!

iTrader: (2)

Vote for Paul

Knows what is what - as it were

Give him a call

dualtech

no don't use ADT

in the trade

Chrisgr31

I fitted my alarm myself. Its a Yale one, seems to work well, and only had 2 false alarms in the 2 years its been installed. However a self installed alarm doesn't get you insurance discounts.

I would either self install, or use a local company, have a look round, see whose boxes are on walls, get quotes, ask friends etc.

Chris

dsmith

I'm in the middle of a self-install. Adding PIRs as we decorate.

Anybody got any good on-line sources of PIRs/Cable/Door Switches etc ? The ones I've bought so far came from the same source as the panel but I suspect they're very far from the cheapest.

Deano

DMC12

I was offered a free ADT alarm a few months ago subject to a 3 year contract at £25 per month. According to the salesman it's the only system that the police will respond to; i.e. if your neighbour rings the police saying an alarm is going off they won't come out, but if ADT rings them they will. This is because the ADT alarms have to have double activation; e.g. If someone smashes a window a glass-break detector will register it but won't trigger the alarm, but if they then climb inside and activate a PIR the system will go off. (Because of the layout of my house the 'free' system was going to cost ~£600, and no external bell!)

I was put off by the cost, and that if some yob wants to pinch your video he'll be in and out in 30 seconds regardless of what system you have. I got a local firm to put a regular system in that gives a visual deterent to the oppotunist and me some peace of mind.

Steve.

Chrisgr31

My parents alarm had a phase of going off regularly. The neighbours often called the police who'd call me, and I'd usually meet the police at the property.

After the 3rd call in 2 months the Police wrote to my parents saying they would only attend to one more false alarm in the next six months, and if any more occurred they would not attend. At that stage the alarm company found the spider that was causing the problem!

Basically I think it depends on why you are getting an alarm. Is it a deterrent, if none of your neighbours have alarms the opportunist thief is far more likely to go to your neighbour if you have an alarm irrespective of what alarm you have.

If however all your neighbours have alarms then you want one that is acknowledged to be better!

Chris

Luke

They are in and out so fast most alarms are a waste of money.Spend the money on deterents. Make them want to try another house.

dsmith

Surely the alarm in itself is some deterrent.

Not sure what other deterrents are possible. One of Diablo's dogs perhaps . Some large spikes just inside the window ?. Its not as if you can add a krook-lock to the fornt door ?

Deano

Luke

A good alrm box outside. Just a flasher
A few visible PiR's inside. Non working
Better locks
Good PIR lights.
Couple of small dome cameras.Non working

Again whats the point if they are only there for a min or two.
Also if you have a very fancy alarm system and a house full of money etc..Then it doesnt take much for a small team to get round the problem. A very large house in Totteridge was robbed. They had all the security known to man!! And they where robbed (Someone was in the house).And the alarm was not set off. This involved no computers,wire cutting james Bond stuff.Just simple logic.No one was hurt.They spent ages in the house.£KKKKKKKKKKK's of stuff was taken

If they want it they will have it.....
But if its a chancer.. you can bet they will always try a house with less deterents.Internal noise is the best deterent.

Tiggs

i have the yale- it works but false alarms are not uncommon, surley an alarm is an excellent deterent?

in my close if any of the house or car alarms are going of then someone will be at a window to check it out whatever time it is.

over xmas my dog set of our house alarm and within 2 mins my alarm had called my mobile and told me. also my neighbour had called my parents (who they know live nearby) and then went out and where standing on my drive when i got home (i was only 2 mins away as i was walking to my parents!) any burglar would have been disturbed/spotted straight away.

T

dsmith

One of the reasons for getting the Alarm I did (Comfort) along with various X10 controlled lights is that I can make a stab at making the house look occupied at night. At the moment its not hard to work if we're in or not. Is the house a) lit up like Oxford street or b) pitch black.

I'me getting external PIRs. What are the feelings on the "Dog barking" type devices ? Anybody think they're worth having - given that I cant have a "real" dog.

Deano

dsmith

Tiggs - what happens if its one of those "pesky kids" coming over the fence at the back from the park

Deano

Luke

Forget that one mate!!

what would scooby do

DO NOT even consider ADT - they are a rip-off company, they did the usual "only a years contract Sir.." with me - only to find out that it was 3 years.. good news is that if you write to them and tell them this they will cancel your contract in most cases (I guess thousands of peeps have been complaining)

Huxley

Thanks Puff

See what I mean

Jason was Fitted but ADT in the first place or was it the normal ADT take over tactic?


Huxley

spider

iTrader: (1)

Another vote for Paul - he knows what he's on about.

If you want a decent company to give you a quote, and not just have some smarmy sales-type spout b0ll0cks at you, try http://www.banham.com.

We were very impressed with the guy from their Maidenhead office. Treated us like actual people and explained everything. Also reckoned we needed loads less stuff than the Adrian Mole from ADT tried to convince us to buy.

Cheers,
Steve

Shark

Thanks for all the input - I will be on guard when ADT come to quote!

Cheers

David

Huxley

Who did you go with in the end at the flat??

jbryant

Whatever alarm system you go for, I wouldn't bother to claim for a reduction on your house insurance - bet your life the one time you don't bother to set it (night or day) is when you get done over. Not worth saving £20 IMHO.

Joolz.

Boost II

iTrader: (1)

YeeeHaaaw Cowboys!!!

Shark

Update now I've had a visit from the ADT Lady...

£862 install fee. (Extra one off £86 for fire cover)

£24.99 pcm for monitoring. (18 month contract, then 3 months notice)

I have broadband and they will not use that telephone line, so thats another line at £11 pcm.

Umm, a little expensive me thinks £36 pcm !

David

ptholt

ooooooo don't get me started on adt alarms, more fleece than a field of sheep!

enclosed is my 'little story' entirely in my opinion and completely and utterly as it happened.

__________________________________________________ __
I had a sales call round after a friend had referred me to him (ooooo
thanks for that).

The guy came round, gave me the sales pitch, seemed reasonably priced,
was assured there would be no impact to my newly decorated house
(finished two weeks earlier) complete with wood floors.
We did the paperwork in my company name so that we could reclaim the vat
back.

Two weeks later im working from home, alarm guy turns up and proceeds to
install.

My wife and I sitting in my office, adt guy is downstairs drilling holes
in lounge and dining room for the room monitors.

We were sitting there working away, when we both heard a loud hissing
noise...
We wandered out onto the landing to find the carpet flooded outside of
the hot water tank cupboard.
Opened the door to find water p*ssing everywhere.

My wife proceeds to through towels down and trying to find the source of
the leak.

I wander downstairs to see what mateys up to.
On walking into the lounge he's merrily drilling away with a massive
foot long bit and about half inch thick.
I ask him what he's up to as upstairs has sprung a leak, nothing he
replies.
He then removes his drill bit as lots of water comes pouring out of the
hole he's just drilled.

I look into the dining room and theres water pouring out of that hole
too.
All down the newly papered and painted walls and all over the wood
floors in both rooms.
I explain to the chap that he'd better come upstairs and look as well as
the landing carpet is soaked as well with water flying everywhere.

We got back upstairs, wife is by now laid down in the water with her
finger plugging a half inch hold in the base of the hot water tank......

I then run around the house for ten mins turning off the water in
various places and turning on taps to drain the tank etc. While wife is
still laid down and he's standing there scratching his head.

I tell him he'd better call some form of superior to come and look at
the damage as my wife is nearly bursting into tears and im close to
exploding.

He goes outside to call his manager on the mobile (??)
Comes back in to say his manager is busy doing site calls today and will
be up tomorrow.....
Erm NO !
He'll be up here in the next 3 hours or im going to start turning green!

I ask the guy to call his manager again, this time I want to speak to
him.

Speak to the guys manager who apologises for the mess but hes very busy
today and will come and see me tomorrow.

I explain that's not good enough and that he gets up here NOW. I also
ask about getting them to send a plumber round to repair the damage.
Manager bloke explains they don't have any plumbers they can ring, tells
me to find one, they'll pay for it.

The water then starts coming back out the water tank as the tank was
re-filling from the central heating - queue more frantic running round!

Now this period was during the floods last year and I live about 20
miles from both Uckfield and Lewes two places that were under serious
water (so you can imagine how many calls, how long we had to wait and
how much an emergency plumber cost!).

Manager turns up, looks round and announces its not that bad.
I point out to him the newly painted and now soaked plaster board walls,
the newly papered and now drying and peeling paper, the soaked wood
floors etc.
Not to mention damage to water tank, carpets on the landing etc.

Plumber arrives, drains system properly (im useless at DIY wouldn't know
where to start) removes tank and shows everyone the lovely big hole.
I keep the tank for future use (evidence).

The plumber then asks what we want him to do, I say get a new tank and
fit it!
He then asks who's paying, I say ADT. He says im not waiting for a large
co to pay me, im off.

So I end up paying cash for the new water tank, the labour and the call
out - nice.

By this time the alarm guy has carried on fitting the alarm but is
having problems wiring two wires into an sensor as for some reason the
live isn't live. I offer that he swops them round to check (all the
wires are the same colour to prevent tampering) he says he knows what
hes doing.
45 mins later and much checking of wires etc he finds they were indeed
the wrong way around.....

he finishes for the day to come back the following day and finish off.
(amidst much sarcastic taunting from me, asking if hes bringing his
training manuals he obviously picked up from the adt course the week
before).

He came back the next day, took an age to wire up the sirens as he was
having wire problems again, abd cant finish the house totally as he's
not got the parts - he never returns and to this day the job is still
not finished.

When he was packing up I went to inspect the alarm main unit and noticed
it was in maintenance mode. I ask why its not live.
Ah its not made live till you've paid for the installation (bout ?500) I
say there no way im paying out another ?500 after forking out for the
plumber the day before and I think I shouldn't have to pay a penny! In
fact quite the opposite!

He explains theres nothing he can do, it's a managerial decision and
leaves.

Call the manager bloke again, shout at him a bit as to why im having to
pay for a non finished install that's wrecked my newly decorated house.
He says he will sort it out.
After several weeks they agree to waive the installation fee and it gets
activated.

It then took several months worth of phone calls, solicitors letters to
get them to send there insurance assessor out to look at the damage who
says house will have to be redecorated (AGAIN), new wood floors through
out the whole downstairs, new carpets upstairs, plus reimbursed for
costs and damages etc.

They then wanted me to get the work done and us pay for it, and they
would reimburse us, refused to accept that as it had taken six months to
get this far, im not paying a penny.

Insurance assessor + adt rep calls my wife, is immensely rude.
Suggests that they will send a company to do the work the following
week.
We tell them they are going to have to put us in a hotel for the
duration as we had a two year old child and cant keep him (or us) locked
upstairs for the duration of the work. The two people above tell my wife
they both have kids and don't think it's a prob that we cant use
anything downstairs for a week while the work is completed.

I manage to get hold of a manager at ADT head office and after some
ranting and raving eventually get what we felt was a fair cash
settlement.

Since then, the alarm is constantly switching between battery back up
and mains for no reason, have called them out about 6 times and
apparently its because my 4 year old house is wired up
wrong.........strange how everything else works ok........nothing to do
with crap installers then?

We've had about 5 false alarms to our knowledge, several times the alarm
has set off when its not even been armed. ADT are supposed to call you
when it goes off and you give keywords etc, only once have they called.
We came home from a day out one day to the alarm going off, went inside
turned it off, waited for ADT to call, nothing.
Thought we'd better call them, they said the alarm had only just gone
off.......
We'd been in the house 15 mins before we called them and it was ringing
when we got home.....eh?????

I was out washing the scoob one day and could hear a big truck coming up
the road, I was expecting a fridge to be delivered so assumed it was
that, but my god the truck sounded large.
Walked to the end of the drive and there were two fire engines coming
down the drive....
Chap got out, asked if this was my companys office, I explaned yes for
paperwork etc but its not a commercial address as he could see.
They came in and checked around - nothing.

I called ADT to ask why the fire brigade had arrived when the alarm
hadn't even gone off!
Turned out that because my details had included a ltd co in the title
(as mentioned a long way back at the beginning for reclamation of VAT)
it had been registered as a commercial address, so any of the fire
sensors send message straight to fire brigade.
But not alarms had gone off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As you can see im thoroughly impressed with my adt alarm, and would
recommend them to anyone

Huxley

Fookin hell

A suggestion for you give a company in Farnham Common called SHS 01753 643451 SHS details here
I used to work for them & they are a good company

Huxley

Rob D

I'd just like to add my opinion on this.
I have like other people on here have had the monitored ADT alarm installed. I for one am very happy with the alarm and especially with the installation.
The chap was round for a day providing a very professional installation from my point of view.
I'm sure ADT have the same problems as most big companies with some poor installations like ptholt had, well pathetic in that case, I'm not defending them in any shape or form but just letting you know my side of things.
£25 per month, 1 year contract and no problems with broadband either.

Rob.

Shark

Re Broadband - Did you have the alarm first?

ptholt - What a nightmare

David

Rob D

Nope broadband was already installed b4 alarm.