Alarm - is it worth using a monitoring service?

A getting a house alarm fitted, trying to decide between a system that texts five numbers if its going off or one that contacts a monitoring station if it goes off.

My understanding is that the monitoring station simply contacts you anyway and that its unlikely they'll get a gardai response ??

Any ideas/experience most appreciated.

go with the text dialler, monitoring is a rip off imo, there is also a system out there that actually rings your phone when there is an activation with no maintenace contract or any of that guff! I have it in my own place for 3 years and never had a problem with it,just make sure you get a competent installer and your in business.

we have a monitoring system on our alarm and we find it great... my parents live a half a mile away and we use them as a keyholder for the house, when we are not around... our alarm monitoring company does call the guards, if necessary and we have had the guards out a few times following a call from alarm company. our monitoring only costs 120 euro a year... enfield alarms put in our alarm and connected us to a monitoring system... with regard to the police being contacted. . i think they are contacted if a second sensor is activated in the house, which would suggest someone is inside..... i think that is a new rule?

Monitoring is the way to go..The small cost of it is woth the reassurace you get. Supose you need to use a panic button?? What good is your mobile ringing or texting you?
All systems now use alarm verification for monitoring. If more than one zone activates (which it will if there is a break in ) the guards will respond . On a single activation you or your keyholders will be contacted,
There is also the added safety that if your key holder is entering a premises after an alarm they can have the monitoring station controller stay on the line while they enter. If they were to come across intruders it is treated as a panic alarm....
Now tell me what would a text message do for you.?
As for maintaince being guff... The lack of maintaince contracts is the reason why the guards take so long to get to an alarm call. They are chasing all the false alarms from the people who think that maintaining them is a rip off.

My parents are keyholders for a number of neighbours and are essentially offering a free service.
The alarm goes off, the monitoring service ring my parents and ask them to check before they call the cops. On one occasion, my brother was checking the neighbours house when the monitoring company called. He answered and was asked " are you one of the neighbours?". When he replied yes, the hung up and did no more. Do theyt expect burglars to announce their presence.

I am unconvinced that monitoring offers much and would ask anyone to think carefully about wh they ask to be the key holders.

huskerdu said:

My parents are keyholders for a number of neighbours and are essentially offering a free service.
The alarm goes off, the monitoring service ring my parents and ask them to check before they call the cops.

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Obviousally not using alarm verification as I mentioned above.

huskerdu said:

On one occasion, my brother was checking the neighbours house when the monitoring company called. He answered and was asked " are you one of the neighbours?". When he replied yes, the hung up and did no more. Do theyt expect burglars to announce their presence.

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If this happens you should get the controllers name & report them. This is a sackable offence. Even with out these details you should report something like this to the control rum manager. All call & who handle them are logged.

I have the monitored alarm and find it very reassuring ,when the alarm is activated they ring and ask for the secret password to verify who you are ,once i had to check the house at 4AM and the guy stayed on the phone while i checked ....also the key fob with panic button is great peace of mind ,as i believe a major proportion of burglary's happen when the people are in the house. as a person who has been burgled in my businesses and shot at twice i believe in monitoring and have benefited from it .