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Blimey, if you're in A&S get your variation in now....12 days from posting to delivery! A vast improvement on 8 weeks a couple of years ago.

Sent from my Moto G (5) using "An application"

I'm not jumping for joy, on moving my security within the house, they have now decided my alarm needs to be monitored.

bradaz11 wrote:I'm not jumping for joy, on moving my security within the house, they have now decided my alarm needs to be monitored.

Ouch, I hope your existing system can be upgraded with a Dualcomm as opposed to buying a new box. Even then it is a costly exercise and to add insult to injury police forces usually add another sixty quid for an ERN even though they may never attend!

I keep the amount of firearms owned below A&S's limit for having a monitored
alarm. Saves on arguments with the wife too about buying too many guns ;-)

Sent from my Moto G (5) using "An application"

I've always been somewhat sceptical of the 'monitored' alarm system. The idea being that an alarm is set off, triggering an alert at your providers' station, who then contact the police to rush to attend your house sounds great.
It's the police attendance bit that I seem to get stuck on. Do they drop everything to rush to my house? What if they're busy? Does the URN (Unique Reference Number) payment mean I have some coppers in my pocket reserved for this purpose? What if a number of people who have an URN have their alarms go off simultaneously? How do they determine is more preferred? The celebrity? The wealthy and influential guy? Or just some pleb interested in shooting sports?

Apparently if you have three false alarms in a year then it's doubtful the police will bother to come out at all.
What if your external security thwarts chancers exploring your property three times in a year? Does that cause you to be bumped off the preferential treatment list?

I live in a town with a large police station but I hardly ever see any coppers IN the town. I see a smattering of police cars heading out towards the bypass every now and then. I see 'Specials' on foot near the station far more often than an actual copper - except in Tesco where they do their shopping occasionally. I'm not convinced an alarm monitored by an alarm company is as effective as we're led to believe.

I've just bought a fairly expensive alarm (just under £700) and installed it myself - it priority reports to my phone and uploads photographs online. It's bloody loud too! Have that racket going on long enough and the neighbours will call the cops anyhow - just to get it to stop!
Does the fact that I am monitoring my own property (and obviously caring about it a damn sight more than some guy just doing a job) count as 'monitored' when it comes to FAC holders? I'm just as capable at calling 999 as anybody else. Even if there aren't the coppers to send. It's the thought that counts.

Also ... to qualify for an URN you have to have designated keyholders to your property ... which firearms in it. I really don't feel comfortable with the idea. At all.

my FEO said one that calls/ texts me is fine. I plan on calling 999 if it goes off, and letting them know my alarm is going off, when they say they don't care, then I'll mention the xx odd firearms at my house that might be disappearing.

bradaz11 wrote:my FEO said one that calls/ texts me is fine. I plan on calling 999 if it goes off, and letting them know my alarm is going off, when they say they don't care, then I'll mention the xx odd firearms at my house that might be disappearing.

That's the view I take too.

I posted my variation to Cheshire Constabulary last Tuesday, and it came back on Saturday. That gives a two day turnaround (excl. posting times).

Now THAT'S service!

Avon and Somerset have provided consistently good service over the last 7 years for my variations, renewals and paperwork. From allowing 6 + firearms on my first FAC, relatively high ammo limits and 1-2 week turnarounds for variations and renewals. Now they offer online transfer notifications. Got to be one of the best counties in the country for firearm ownership.

they have allowed you to email in transfers for as long as I've been under them (3 years). trust me, there is a lot left to be desired. 1-2 weeks for a variation is poor compared to the overnight or while you wait service I used to get from Beds.
add to that the uninformed answers I got when double checking about moving my cabinets within the house. still not super impressed. renewal is this year, so hopefully they may start to shine then