Buy the best security alarm system for your flat/apartment
What's the best type of security alarm system for a flat, studio or apartment? Read on to discover which alarm we recommend and why.
The first important factor which often affects the type of alarm you require is whether you own or rent your flat/apartment.
Alarms for rented flats
If you rent an apartment, you're probably already aware that there's certain things you can and can't do to it. So, if you want a security system, your first port of call should be your landlord. You must get their permission! If they're not keen on the idea simply because they're concerned about the installation process leaving holes in their walls, readon on, we have some good news.
Alarms for owned apartments
If you own your flat/apartment, either leasehold or freehold, you may still have to get permission from the owner/management company of the building, assuming you want to fit an alarm siren on the exterior of the property or in a communal area, such as outside your flat door/stairwell (note; an external siren isn't always necessary; I explain why below).
Listed buildings
If the property is listed, on a heritage site or in a conservation area there's a lot more hurdles you'll have to jump to get an alarm fitted. Your first port of call is your local authority planning department. You may also find this document from the BSIA a useful resource.
DIY or professional installation
When choosing an alarm system the first big decision to make is whether to get the alarm installed by a professional installer or buy a DIY system and install yourself.
As you'd expect, there's cost savings when opting for DIY but this is often a decision taken out of your hands by your home insurance company. You also need to be competent at DIY.
DIY costs less upfront. A self-installed Yale wireless alarm kit can be set up for around £225 with no monthly fee, monitored through the Yale app on your smartphone. You receive a push notification as an alert when a sensor triggers the alarm, and you can arm and disarm remotely from anywhere.
Whether the choice is actually yours to make depends on your home contents insurance policy. Some insurers specify that the burglar alarm system must be professionally installed, and sometimes monitored. If you buy a DIY alarm and your insurer requires a professionally installed one, you could invalidate your cover.
Insurance Requirements for Flat Alarms
Read your insurance policy details and/or contact them directly to be absolutely sure which type of security alarm system they recognise, if they do at all.
Failure to do so may jeopardise your insurance cover!
When buying a new home contents insurance policy, the insurer may not even question an alarm, while others simply ask something like "does the property have an alarm system?".
As a general rule, the potential loss value and level of risk dictates the type of alarm required.
Naturally, a higher risk/greater loss value property requires a more stringent alarm system and the insurer will ask for minimum requirements from the alarm.
These requirements are often:
- The alarm is to be a graded alarm system (typically grade 2 is required, but may require grade 3, if there's very high valuable items such as artwork, jewellery).
- The alarm is to be installed by an accredited alarm company (NSI, formally NACOSS or SSAIB are the two accredited bodies in the UK).
- The alarm is to be maintained by an accredited alarm company.
- The alarm is to be monitored by an alarm receiving centre (ARC).
- The alarm is to be monitored with either:
- Key-holder response, or
- Police response
If an alarm is not an insurance requirement and you understandably want a security system for peace of mind, then you may want consider a DIY alarm system.
Installation considerations
Unless you own your apartment and it's undergoing substantial renovation work, I would always recommend a wireless system for flats/studios/apartments.
Simply because they're much less disruptive to install as there's no holes to drill, or floorboards to lift to route cables between the main control panel and the alarm sensors (PIRs, door/window contacts etc).
If you're renting and your landlord has concerns about how you plan to fix the sensors to the doors, windows and walls you can always use 3M double-sided tape to fit sensors into position. Providing you have a dust, dirt, grease free surface, this tape will stick the devices very securely, keeping your landlord happy that there'll be no holes left behind or disruption to the decor.
The Yale DIY smart home alarm system we recommend actually comes with both raw plugs and screws as well as 3M tape. Ask your installer to use the same (if going with a pro install).
As well as it keeping your landlord happy, the other great benefits to fitting a wireless system with 3M tape is it's easy to remove and take with you when moving on, i.e. it's a purchase for life, the same can not be said for hard-wired alarms for obvious reasons.
Do You Need an External Siren on a Flat?
For flats above ground level, fitting an external siren can be difficult or impossible. It often requires specialist access equipment for anything above the first floor. In many cases, it is also not worth the effort.
Our own research found that around 75% of people would do nothing when hearing a neighbour's alarm going off in the street. An external siren that nobody acts on is more useful as a visible deterrent than as a genuine alert mechanism. In a flat where the siren is less visible from the street and harder to hear through thick walls, that deterrent value is reduced further.
What I do always recommend for flats is a loud internal siren. When an intruder enters and the alarm triggers, the internal siren activates immediately at close range. That shock and noise is a much more effective deterrent in a flat than an external bell box nobody can see.
For additional home security without an external siren, a video doorbell or a security camera covering the main entrance adds a visible deterrent at the most likely point of entry. Both work well in flats because they cover the single main access point without requiring external wall fixings on the building.
Sensors for Flat Alarm Systems
A flat typically needs fewer zones than a house. A standard flat alarm system covers three zones: one door contact on the front door, and two PIR motion sensors covering the main living areas. Where there is a balcony door or a back entrance, a second door contact replaces one of the motion sensors.
Door contacts are magnetic sensors that trigger the alarm when the door is opened while the system is armed. A PIR motion sensor detects movement within the room when the alarm is set. Both are wireless, battery-powered and simple to reposition if you rearrange the layout.
Alarm prices for flats and apartments
We work with many accredited alarm companies across the UK and, as always, we recommend a survey is carried out to get an accurate quote.
However, based on an average flat requiring just 3 zones (1 x front door + 2 motion sensors, or 1 x front door + 1 x back/balcony door + 1 motion sensor ) we can give you three prices here today:
- Professionally installed Verisure alarm: Additional monthly fee for keyholder monitoring, maintenance, incl. guard response.
- Professionally installed ADT alarm: £49 supplied, fitted and setup. Contact us for the best ADT offer available. Additional monthly fee for keyholder monitoring and fully comprehensive maintenance cover. Optional police monitoring available at additional cost.
- DIY install Yale: £219.99 with no monthly fee (self-monitored through the Yale smartphone app)
Alternatively use our cost calculator below to get an estimate for an alarm system for your flat or apartment.
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