Alarms with no monthly fees: what you give up and what you don't

What "no monthly fees" should mean

You pay once for the equipment and own it outright. The app, the alerts and remote control cost nothing, now or later.

In practice, it doesn't always mean that. Some systems sell you the kit and then put useful features behind a plan, such as a mobile backup connection, phone call alerts or video storage for cameras. Often you get a few months free before the plan starts charging. That isn't wrong, and it suits plenty of people, but it isn't the same as no monthly fees. Check exactly what works without a plan before you buy.

What you don't give up

A well made self monitored alarm does the same core job as any other alarm. Here's what you keep.

• It still detects and it still sounds. On a properly designed system, the sensors talk to the control panel on their own radio, not over your Wi-Fi. If your internet drops, the alarm still picks up a break-in and still sounds the sirens.
• Instant alerts on your phone, wherever you are. You know the moment a door opens or a sensor is triggered, whether you're at work, at the gym or on holiday.
• Control from anywhere. Arm, disarm and check your system from the app.
• Protection in a power cut. A backup battery in the control panel keeps the system running.
• A backup connection, if you want one. A mobile (4G) SIM keeps your alerts coming if your broadband goes down.
• Proper kit. Pet-friendly motion sensors, smoke sensors, outdoor sirens, and outdoor motion sensors for gardens and side paths, all without a contract.

What you do give up

This is the part most "no subscription" adverts skip. Better you hear it from me. And for most homes, none of it is a deal breaker.

1. Police response

In the UK, the police only respond to an alarm automatically if it has a Unique Reference Number (URN). To get one, the system has to be fitted and maintained by an NSI or SSAIB approved company and monitored by an Alarm Receiving Centre. A system you fit yourself can't get a URN, however good it is.

Here's the thing, though. Police response is a great service, but it's expensive. You're paying for professional installation, regular maintenance visits and, usually, an ongoing monitoring contract. Even then, police response can be withdrawn if a system has too many false alarms. I've spent over 12 years fitting both kinds of system, and in my experience most UK homes and small businesses simply don't need it. I'm seeing it asked for less and less. For a typical home, shop or salon, what matters is a loud siren that sends an intruder running and an alert that tells you straight away. That said, it's your decision and your insurer's, not mine, so if you're unsure, check with them before you buy.

With a self monitored alarm, the alert comes to you. If it's a genuine break-in, you call 999, the same as anyone reporting a crime.

2. Someone watching when you can't

A monitoring centre is staffed around the clock. With a self monitored system, if your phone is off, out of signal or you're on a flight, nobody at a monitoring centre is watching. Two things make a big difference: choosing a system where everyone in your household can get the alerts, not just you, and having a neighbour or family member nearby who can check on the house if you can't.

3. Someone else doing the fitting and the upkeep

You fit it, and you look after it. It's less work than it sounds. In practice that means a drill, a screwdriver, an hour or so of your time, and changing batteries every so often. A good app warns you when a battery is getting low, well before it runs out.

4. A graded alarm for your insurer

Professionally installed alarms are graded to a standard called EN 50131. A DIY system like ours isn't. Some insurers ask for a graded or police response alarm, especially for higher value homes. If your policy mentions an alarm, check with your insurer before you buy.

Who a no monthly fee alarm suits

It's a good fit if you:

• want to own your system outright and never pay a monthly bill for it
• are happy with a drill and a screwdriver, or know someone who is
• would rather get the alert yourself and decide what to do
• would rather not have an installer walking round your home
• run a small business, such as a shop, salon or takeaway, and your insurer doesn't ask for police response

Who should go professional

Be honest with yourself here. A professionally installed, monitored system is the better choice if:

• you want police response
• your insurer asks for a graded or police response alarm
• you have no DIY confidence at all and would rather someone else did it, in which case a local NSI or SSAIB approved installer is the way to go
• the property is large, complicated or listed, or it's a large commercial site

For the right property, those systems are worth every penny. If none of the above applies to you, a self monitored alarm is very likely all you need.

Questions to ask before you buy any alarm with no monthly fees

1. 1.Do the sensors talk to the control panel on their own radio, or over your Wi-Fi?
2. 2.What still works if the internet goes down? And in a power cut?
3. 3.Is a mobile backup connection available, and does it need a monthly plan?
4. 4.Are app alerts and remote control free for good, or only for a trial period?
5. 5.Can more than one person get the alerts?
6. 6.Can it phone you when it goes off, or does it only send app alerts?
7. 7.Which features work without a plan, and which don't?
8. 8.Who answers when you need help, and when?
9. 9.What warranty and returns do you get?

If a company can't give you a straight answer to these, that tells you something.

How The Guardfather Security System answers those questions

The Guardfather Security System is built to be a genuinely no monthly fee alarm, so here's how it stacks up.

• Every sensor, the keypad, the key fobs and the siren talk to the control panel on their own dedicated 868MHz radio. It isn't a Wi-Fi alarm.
• The control panel connects to your router by ethernet, Wi-Fi or both. Use both and it switches to Wi-Fi by itself if the cable drops.
• If the internet goes down, the alarm still detects and still sounds. The backup battery keeps the system running for at least 12 hours in a power cut.
• The optional 4G SIM is a one-time payment, with no monthly plan. It's a data SIM, for your app alerts.
• Want a phone call when the alarm goes off? Fit your own voice SIM in the control panel instead, and it can ring you and send you texts.
• The app, the alerts and remote control are free. No subscriptions, for anything, ever.
• Everyone in your household can have their own account on the app, and everyone gets the alerts.
• Alarm alerts come through as critical alerts, so they sound even with your phone on silent, as long as your phone supports them.
• There's an SOS button in the app, on the key fob and on the keypad.
• Every device has a 2-year warranty, and there's a 60-day money-back guarantee.
• Support comes from me personally, by WhatsApp and email.
• You will need a home internet connection to set it up, because everything is programmed through the free Guardfather app.

It's self monitored, so there's no police response, and you fit it yourself. Every device has its own step-by-step video, and most customers have their system fitted in under an hour.

Watch: 5 honest reasons not to buy the Guardfather

Watch on YouTube

Yes, I made a video telling people not to buy my own system. It covers most of what's on this page.