Straight
answers.

Straight answers to the questions people ask us most about monitoring, response and security — written by the people who answer the alarms.

• Will the police respond to my intruder alarm?When UK police attend an intruder alarm, what a police URN is, why confirmed alarms matter, and what happens to everything the police will not attend.
• What is remote CCTV monitoring and how does it work?How remote CCTV monitoring works: detection analytics, operator assessment, audio challenges and response, and how it differs from cameras that only record.
• What is a keyholding service and do I need one?What a keyholding and alarm response service does, why businesses use one instead of staff, how keys are held securely, and what to ask a provider.
• What should I do if my alarm monitoring company has gone bust?If your alarm monitoring company has gone into administration or liquidation, your alarms may be unmonitored. What to check today and how to move monitoring quickly.
• How do I protect a construction site at night?Practical construction site security: what thieves target, fencing and lighting, monitored CCTV towers, keyholding and guarding, and how to choose the right mix.
• What happens if a fridge or cold store fails overnight?How 24/7 temperature monitoring catches a failing fridge, freezer or cold room out of hours, what an alarm should trigger, and what to set up before it happens.
• Which SIA licence do event security staff need?Door Supervisor or Security Guarding? Which SIA licence event security staff need, when stewards do not need one, and what event organisers should check.
• What does Martyn's Law mean for venues and events?Martyn's Law (the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025): which venues and events it covers, standard and enhanced tiers, and how to prepare now.
• How do I choose an alarm or CCTV monitoring company?The questions to ask before signing with an alarm or CCTV monitoring company: who answers, which standards apply, how activations are handled, and what happens if they fail.
• How can I stop my alarm going off for no reason?Why intruder alarms and CCTV detection go off for no reason, what false alarms cost you, and practical fixes: maintenance, detector placement, user habits and analytics.
• Do I need a static security guard or a mobile patrol?The difference between a static security guard and a mobile patrol, which suits which sites, how monitored CCTV fits in, and what to ask before booking either.
• How do I secure an empty or vacant building?Practical security for vacant commercial buildings: insurance unoccupancy conditions, inspections, utilities, monitoring and what to do before a building is left empty.
• How much first aid and medical cover does my event need?How event medical cover is planned in the UK: the medical needs assessment, the Purple Guide, what changes the level of cover, and what to ask a medical provider.
• Do I need a licence to use two-way radios?Licence-free PMR446 radios versus licensed business radio in the UK: range, interference, Ofcom licences, and what events and sites need.
• What happens if my alarm goes off and nobody answers the phone?What a monitoring centre does when an alarm activates and your keyholders do not answer: escalation ladders, agreed action points, and how to keep contact lists working.