Other Alarms

Panic alarms and intruder alarms are installed in all properties. It is the responsibility of the occupant to check their proper function by consulting and organising testing with desk staff.

Panic Alarm

The panic alarm is a small box with a red top located just inside the door of each property. If the red button is depressed, it will activate an alarm in reception, and the duty Concierge will respond in accordance with current instruction. Usually this will entail an intercom or phone call to the resident to check if the activation was accidental.

The panic alarm is to enable residents to quickly summon support from staff in the event of a potential security or medical emergency. For this reason, if the staff are unable to contact you by phone or intercom, they will seek immediate authority from the Estate Manager to enter the property. This permission will always be given, because of the potential seriousness of any such incident. If entry is made and nothing untoward is found, the alarm will be re-set and you will receive either a telephone confirmation of entry, or a letter will be left in the property.

If the alarm is accidentally activated, it can be re-set by turning the key with it until the red button pops-up.

Intruder/Burglar Alarm   

Intruder alarms are fitted as standard in all properties; models may vary. The internal equipment, including sensors and catches are the responsibility of the lessee. Once set, the alarms are connected to the main reception alarm panel and will sound an audible alarm at reception if activated. 

The intruder alarm response is similar to that for the panic alarm. The duty Concierge will try to contact the owner or occupier by telephone in the first instance. If he is unable to do so, he will check the property externally, looking for signs of entry. This is not always 100% reliable, as patio doors for instance cannot necessarily be seen from ground level. If there is any sign of entry, the Concierge will summon the police and take no action until their arrival. If no sign of entry is seen, further attempts will be made to contact the lessee or occupant. 

If this fails, the duty Concierge will seek authority from the Estate Manager to check the property and reset the alarms. Permission to enter may or may not be given immediately depending on the circumstance. However, alarms will not be left in an active state for long periods as the main system cannot be re-set until the individual alarm is deactivated. Permission will therefore normally be given to enter, and the alarms re-set if contact cannot be made with the occupier.

Lessees should be aware that the alarms have a battery backup, but are mains operated. Batteries have a finite life, and there is no visual signal to state the battery is dead. They should therefore be checked regularly or they may fail in the event of power loss and the alarms will not activate. 

The 4 digit alarm codes must be notified to staff wherever key access (spare keys) is made available to your property. This will allow staff to reset the alarms where necessary. If you are unaware of your alarm code, it may be possible to retrieve this information from the Reception Desk.