Alarms and access control that fit how you use the building

The survey looks at entry points, how the building is zoned, who sets and unsets the alarm, and who gets called when it activates. A system that staff find awkward gets switched off, and false alarms have a cost, so we pay attention to day-to-day use.

Options range from a keypad on one door to fobs or cards across a whole building. A system can:

• limit who can enter which areas, and at what times
• remove a leaver's access without changing locks
• keep a record of door use
• link to an intercom for visitors

Access records are personal data, so decide who can see them and how long they are kept. Any lock on an escape route must be planned alongside your fire risk assessment.

This is the question to settle first, because it changes what can be installed.

For police response to a monitored intruder alarm, the system needs a police Unique Reference Number (URN). It must be installed by a company the police recognise, which in practice means one approved by an inspectorate, and it must be monitored by an approved alarm receiving centre. Police response can be withdrawn after repeated false alarms.

Not every site needs this. Some rely on a key holder or a security company to attend instead. Your insurer may have its own requirements, so check your policy before choosing. We will tell you at the survey stage what your site needs and how it would be provided, including if that means a specialist installer.

• A written recommendation and price
• A plan of what goes where
• Installation and testing
• Handover and user instruction
• A written record of what was installed