Moved Into a House With an Existing Alarm? Reactivate, Take Over or Replace It?

Moving house gives you plenty to think about before you get round to the burglar alarm. You may have been handed a code with the keys, but that doesn’t tell you which rooms are protected, how to set it at night or what to do when the keypad starts beeping.

Perhaps you’ve tried it once and decided to leave it alone until things settle down. Or the previous owner never used it, so no one can show you how it works.

An existing alarm can still be useful, even if it looks a little dated. Getting it checked and having someone explain the controls may be all it takes to make it part of your everyday routine. Here’s how to work out whether yours needs a service, a new maintenance provider or an upgrade.

CAN YOU KEEP THE ALARM THAT CAME WITH THE HOUSE?

In many cases, yes. Moving in doesn’t mean you need to buy a new alarm. First, you need to know whether the equipment works, whether you can control access, and whether it covers the areas you want to protect.

We can assess suitable alarms installed by other companies, as explained in our alarm FAQs. Even if you don’t know who fitted yours, the make and model can help us establish what support is available.

A keypad that lights up is only part of the picture. The sensors, sounder and backup battery need checking too, particularly if nobody knows when the alarm was last serviced.

WHAT TO FIND OUT BEFORE BOOKING A VISIT

Start with any paperwork the seller has left. A manual, an old service invoice or the original installer’s details can save some guesswork. If you’re renting, speak to your landlord before arranging changes to the equipment or its contracts.

It helps to gather:

• ☐The make and model, if you can see them without opening anything.
• ☐Any supplied fobs or remotes, and whether you have a working user code.
• ☐The exact wording of any fault message.
• ☐Service records, including the last battery replacement.
• ☐Details of an alarm app or monitoring provider.

The company name on the outside bell box may help identify the installer, but it doesn’t tell you whether monitoring or maintenance is still active. That needs confirming with the provider.

WHAT DOES REACTIVATING OR TAKING OVER AN ALARM INVOLVE?

These terms can sound more complicated than the work itself. The right option depends on the alarm’s condition and who you want to look after it.

Your three options at a glance

Getting an unused alarm working again

If the equipment is suitable, a service, a few repairs and a proper demonstration may be enough. The engineer should also try to establish why it stopped being used. There’s little benefit in showing you how to set it if an unresolved fault is going to make it sound every night.

Once it’s been checked, you can set up the user settings for your household and learn how to use the features you need.

Changing the company that looks after it

An alarm takeover usually means a company assesses the installation and agrees to provide servicing and support. It doesn’t necessarily involve changing the equipment.

Ask what is included and whether any repairs are needed first. App accounts and monitoring can require separate arrangements, so they shouldn’t be assumed to transfer with the servicing.

Upgrading or replacing parts

Replacement may make sense if repairs would be expensive, parts are no longer available or the alarm cannot provide the protection you need.

That doesn’t always mean removing everything. Sound wiring or suitable detectors may be usable with new equipment after testing. Ask the engineer to explain what can stay, what needs changing and the cost of each option.

CHANGE THE ACCESS AS WELL AS THE CODE

Once you have the correct instructions, changing the code you were given is a sensible step. But there may be other user codes or fobs programmed into the alarm, so ask for those to be reviewed too.

App access needs the same attention. Find out who administers the account, who can control the alarm and where notifications are sent. Removing the previous owner’s phone from one screen may not complete the transfer; the provider should explain the process for your particular system.

Then have someone show you the everyday controls. You should feel comfortable setting it before going out, unsetting it when you return and using any night setting. Our guide to using your burglar alarm explains how a service visit can help you get to grips with an unfamiliar system.

WHO GETS CONTACTED IF THE ALARM GOES OFF?

It’s easy to assume a bell box means somebody will respond. In practice, an alarm might only sound at the house, send an alert to a phone or report to an alarm receiving centre.

Find out what yours does and have that connection checked. For an app or dialler, confirm the recipients. For professional monitoring, speak to the provider about the account holder, keyholders, charges and response arrangements.

Your new broadband or telephone connection can also affect the alarm. Ofcom advises telling your landline provider about connected security equipment before a digital switchover. Mention the alarm when arranging your service, rather than discovering a lost connection afterwards.

Our guide to monitored burglar alarms without a landline explains the alternatives if you don’t plan to keep a traditional phone line.

MAKE THE ALARM WORK AROUND YOUR HOUSEHOLD

The previous owner’s settings may not suit you. Tell the engineer if you have pets, work different hours or want to protect downstairs while moving around upstairs at night.

For example, the route to the bathroom: a night setting needs to allow the movement you expect while protecting the areas you’ve agreed. Planned extensions or changes to room layouts are also worth mentioning.

During the assessment, the engineer should check the panel, sensors, sounders, batteries and tamper protection, which detects interference with the equipment. Any unused devices, gaps in coverage or outstanding faults should be explained.

We recommend annual servicing for domestic alarms. Your maintenance arrangements should also account for the system, monitoring service, and any conditions in your insurance policy.

WHAT WILL IT COST?

A service and demonstration is a different job from repairing several faults or fitting a new panel. Until we identify the equipment and assess its condition, a fixed price can be misleading.

Ask for the quote to show:

• ☐The charge for the initial visit and testing.
• ☐Any repairs, batteries or replacement equipment.
• ☐Programming, access changes and a demonstration.
• ☐Ongoing maintenance, app or monitoring fees.

Confirm whether VAT is included and how additional work will be agreed if the engineer finds another fault. If there’s an existing contract, check whether any equipment is rented and what the transfer or cancellation terms say.

A FEW COMMON QUESTIONS

Can Calder help if another company installed it?

Yes, we can inspect existing equipment and advise on taking over suitable systems. Let us know the make, any faults and what records you have when you contact us.

What if I don’t have the engineer code?

Explain what access information you do have. Options depend on the panel and its programming; a missing code alone isn’t enough to decide the entire alarm needs replacing.

It’s beeping. Can I still rely on it?

The display message matters more than the beep itself. Note it and ask for advice in the correct manual or from your alarm provider. Until the fault is identified, don’t assume everything is working just because the keypad is on.

Does the monitoring contract come with the house?

You need confirmation from the provider. Ask them to set up the account, update the contacts, and check the signalling before you rely on the service.

HELP WITH THE ALARM IN YOUR NEW HOME

You shouldn’t have to keep avoiding the keypad because nobody showed you how it works. A visit can confirm the alarm’s condition and give you the confidence to use it.

Photo by Jakub Żerdzicki on Unsplash