Is a fire alarm a legal requirement for a business in the UK?
In England and Wales the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires the responsible person for a business, or the common parts of a block of flats, to have suitable fire detection and warning based on the fire risk assessment, and to keep it maintained. In practice that means a fire alarm suited to the building, serviced every six months.
How often should a fire alarm be serviced?
BS 5839-1 recommends a service by a competent engineer at least every six months, plus a weekly test of a different call point, recorded in the log book. We leave a certificate after every service.
How often does emergency lighting need testing?
BS 5266-1 recommends a short function test every month and a full-duration test once a year. We do the annual test, usually on the same visit as the fire alarm service, with its own certificate.
How much does a fire alarm service cost in London?
From £180 + VAT a visit for a conventional system and £240 + VAT for an addressable system. Our full price list is at securityredalert.com/prices.
Who is responsible for testing the fire alarm?
The responsible person: usually the employer, owner, landlord or managing agent. They can do the weekly test themselves or ask a company such as ours to do it, from £70 + VAT a visit.
What certificate do I get after a fire alarm service?
A BS 5839 fire alarm service certificate listing what was tested and any faults, and a BS 5266-1 certificate for the emergency lighting test. Insurers, fire risk assessors and HMO licensing officers ask for these.
Can you service a fire alarm another company installed?
Yes. We service conventional, addressable and wireless systems from the common manufacturers, whoever installed them, and bring overdue systems back up to date.
Do HMOs need a fire alarm?
Yes. HMOs need a fire alarm suited to their size and layout under the Housing Act 2004 and the local council's licensing conditions, usually a Grade D LD2 system for smaller HMOs under BS 5839-6 and a Grade A system for larger ones. We install, service and certificate them.
Do you price fire and security work from drawings?
Yes. Architects, contractors and developers can send drawings and the fire strategy for a fixed written price. A site visit is free and carries no commitment.
Which areas do you cover?
All 32 London boroughs, Surrey, and Crawley, Horley and Gatwick, from our base in Summerstown, London SW17. Most of our work is in South and South West London and central London.
What accreditations do you hold?
We are members of the British Fire Consortium and hold its Fire Alarm Modules 1 and 2, passed with Distinction. We are SSAIB approved for intruder alarms, SafeContractor accredited, members of the Federation of Small Businesses and ICO registered. We are not BAFE registered.
Do you answer at weekends?
Yes. Calls are answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and forms and emails are answered every day, including weekends.
How quickly can you install a new fire alarm?
It depends on the size of the building and the system. After the free survey we send a fixed written quote that says how long the work will take, and we agree the dates with you.
Are wireless fire alarms as good as wired ones?
Modern wireless systems that meet EN 54 are a sound choice, especially in listed, period or occupied buildings where running cables is hard. They need battery and signal checks at each service.
Do you install CCTV, intruder alarms and door entry as well?
Yes. We install and service CCTV, intruder alarms, access control and door entry, alongside fire alarms, emergency lighting, AOV smoke ventilation and sprinklers.
Is the survey or quote free?
Yes. Surveys, site visits and quotes are free, with no commitment to go ahead.
