Maintenance & Monitoring
Scheduled maintenance contracts and 24/7 remote monitoring for all fire safety and security systems.
Why ongoing maintenance matters
A fire alarm or security system is only effective if it works when you need it. Equipment degrades over time — batteries lose charge, detectors accumulate dust, connections loosen, and software needs updating. Without regular maintenance, your system may fail at the worst possible moment.
We provide scheduled maintenance contracts and 24/7 remote monitoring for fire alarms, CCTV, intruder alarms, access control, and automated gates. One contract, one point of contact, covering everything in your building.
What Our Maintenance Contracts Cover
Every maintenance contract is tailored to your systems and premises. A typical contract includes:
- Scheduled service visits — Quarterly and annual inspections as required by British Standards (BS 5839-1 for fire alarms, BS EN 50131 for intruder alarms, BS 5306-3 for extinguishers). All visits are pre-arranged at a time that suits your operations.
- Full system testing — Every device is tested during each visit: detectors, sounders, call points, cameras, sensors, locks, and control panels. Faults are identified and resolved on-site where possible.
- Battery replacement — Control panel batteries, detector batteries, and backup power supplies are checked and replaced as needed. Battery failure is one of the most common causes of system downtime.
- Software and firmware updates — CCTV recorders, access control software, and alarm panels require periodic updates to maintain security and functionality.
- Compliance documentation — After every visit, you receive a service report and updated compliance certificate. This documentation is essential for insurance purposes, fire authority inspections, and building management records.
- Priority emergency call-out — Contract customers receive priority response for faults and emergencies, with reduced call-out charges.
Maintenance Schedules by System
Different systems have different servicing requirements set by their respective British Standards:
- Fire alarms (BS 5839-1) — Weekly testing by the responsible person. Quarterly inspection of 25% of devices by a qualified engineer. Annual full system inspection and test.
- Fire extinguishers (BS 5306-3) — Monthly visual checks by the responsible person. Annual service by a qualified engineer. Extended service every 5 years.
- CCTV — Quarterly health check covering camera alignment, image quality, recording integrity, and storage capacity. Annual full service including camera cleaning, cable inspection, and firmware updates.
- Intruder alarms (BS EN 50131) — Quarterly inspection and annual full service. Monitoring centres require maintained systems for continued service.
- Access control — Annual service covering readers, locks, controllers, and software. More frequent checks for high-traffic doors.
- Automated gates — Annual safety and mechanical inspection. Twice-yearly for high-usage installations.
24/7 Remote Monitoring
Monitoring adds an active response layer to your passive detection systems. When an alarm triggers, the monitoring centre receives the signal and takes action — contacting keyholders, dispatching security, or notifying the emergency services.
We offer monitoring for fire alarms, intruder alarms, and CCTV. Signals are transmitted via dual-path communication (IP and mobile network) to ensure reliability even if one connection fails.
- Fire alarm monitoring — The monitoring centre receives fire signals and contacts the fire service on your behalf. Critical for unoccupied buildings, out-of-hours coverage, and sleeping risk premises.
- Intruder alarm monitoring — Alarm activations are verified and escalated to keyholders or police. Video verification (linking CCTV to alarm events) enables faster police response.
- CCTV monitoring — Live operators watch your cameras during specified hours or respond to motion-triggered alerts. Particularly effective for construction sites, car parks, and vacant properties.
Why Use a Single Supplier?
Many businesses end up with separate contractors for fire alarms, CCTV, intruder alarms, and access control. This creates gaps: nobody takes overall responsibility, maintenance schedules clash, and faults that cross system boundaries are nobody's problem.
With IDS Global, one contract covers everything. One engineer visits, one report is issued, and one phone number gets you support. When your systems are integrated — your fire alarm releasing your access control doors, your CCTV recording when your intruder alarm triggers — having a single supplier who understands the full picture means problems get solved faster and nothing falls between the gaps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a maintenance contract?
While not legally mandatory for all systems, maintenance is a requirement of most insurance policies and is necessary to comply with British Standards. For fire alarms specifically, BS 5839-1 requires quarterly and annual servicing by a competent person. Without a maintenance contract, you risk non-compliance, insurance voidance, and system failure.
Can you maintain systems installed by other companies?
Yes. We take over maintenance of existing fire and security systems regardless of who installed them. We carry out an initial assessment to establish the system condition, identify any faults or non-compliance issues, and then set up a scheduled maintenance programme.
What is the response time for emergency call-outs?
Contract customers receive priority response. For monitored systems, the monitoring centre responds to alarm signals within seconds. For on-site engineer attendance, our target is same-day response for critical faults affecting life safety systems (fire alarms, emergency lighting).
How does remote monitoring work?
Your alarm system is connected to our monitoring centre via a dual-path communicator (IP broadband plus mobile network backup). When the system activates, a signal is transmitted to the centre within seconds. Trained operators follow a pre-agreed response procedure — contacting keyholders, verifying the alarm via CCTV where available, and escalating to emergency services if required.
