Burglar alarms: are all the companies the same?

[domesticslattern]

Someone down the road has just been broken into (he clubbed the burglar with his tennis racket!) so I'm looking at installing one of those remotely monitored burglar alarms. But there is an alarming plethora of companies, and the official police advice is to go with one which your neighbours recommend. So I thought I'd ask MN! Any recommendations?/ things to look out for?

Thanks in advance

Bump

Hooray for clubbing the bastard!

Go for a NACOSS registered alarm company if you can.I used to work in the security business and the only alarms that insurance companies recognised and gave a discount on your hoe insurance for having installed were NACOSS registered.

From experience,I'd avoid ADT,they used to charge a lot.Most monitored systems go through to a monitoring station via BT Redcare,but you can also go for a non monitored option,called a speechdialler,which you record a message on,and if the alarm is activated,rings your mobile,work,a friends number,whatever you chose,and will keep ringing until it get a his is a lot cheaper than a monitored system.

HTH,I've been out of the business for a few years now,but if you've any more questions,I'll be happy to try & help.

Thanks FuriousGeorge (and Puzz for bumping!)- that's helpful. The speechdialler thing sounds like a good idea.

By chance, ADT are the only ones I have asked for a quote! (they came up high on Google ) -so your advice is v timely!