If you have an automatic burglar alarm, by law you must register details of an alternative keyholder with police, so that if it goes off when you're away, it can be stopped.

It should also be set to sound for no longer than 20 minutes. Longer than that, it is breaking the law.

Richmond Council has launched an information campaign to let people know what their duties are, in a bid to reduce the number of disturbances from malfunctioning burglar alarms. Rod Birtles, the Council's Joint Assistant Director of Housing, said: "Faulty alarms which ring endlessly are a cause of much noise misery, often depriving people of hours of sleep. We receive many complaints about them.

"If your alarm causes a noise nuisance, and we are unable to contact someone to silence it, we will obtain a warrant of entry from the magistrates which allows us to take action to disable the alarm. If we have to silence one, it may involve breaking in and replacing locks, involving costs which can run into hundreds of pounds. This money will be recovered from the householder, who may also be prosecuted.

"So it is vital that all alarms are well maintained and that keyholders are registered with the police, as they must be by law. "

The Council investigates complaints about faulty alarms if they ring for more than an hour, or if they ring frequently.

The rules are:
It is the legal responsibility of everyone who has a burglar alarm at their property to ensure that it is fitted with a device which shuts off the ringing after no more than 20 minutes. Two keyholders (who do not live at the property), or a keyholding company that can be contacted at any time, must be appointed who can silence the alarm and these details must be lodged with the police.

The Metropolitan Police have set up a new keyholder database for the capital. The basic service, which is free of charge, allows all residents with alarms to register their own contact details, and those of their two keyholders, with a simple phone call to 0800-197-7711. A premium service is also available for residents at cost of £15, which allows additional phone numbers to be registered. There is a similar service for business premises.

Registration can be done by phone on 0870-060-1212, or online at the special website

Thursday, September 30, 2004

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