Wireless Home Security Systems for Renters
For years, renters haven’t been very well served by the alarm industry. And, in the past, there have been some good reasons. It’s important to have some background… Most people don’t understand that an alarm company has to make an investment in each new customer. That’s because nearly all alarm companies actually charge their customers a price for the initial equipment that is below the actual equipment cost.
Alarm companies are willing to make this investment because customers, in exchange, are signing up for a 3 to 5-year monitoring agreement. And, it works well for the customers too – since an alarm company has to provide a great service at a good value, or customers won’t want to keep paying for their monitoring.
Since alarm companies are investing in this long term relationship, the problem with renters has historically been that when they move (either to a new rental home or when they buy a home), they don’t take the alarm system with them – and they usually cancel their relationship with their alarm company (because they can’t take the equipment with them). In the past, and even with many alarm systems today, the equipment is large & cumbersome. Specifically, the control panel is usually a large metal box, mounted to the wall in a basement or in a closet. This makes it difficult (or impossible) to take the equipment with you when you move.
The equipment in the alarm industry has gotten much simpler – although some companies still use older and more cumbersome equipment. As a result, it can now be very easy to move a system to a new home… finally, making home security an attractive option for renters. Despite these advances, many alarm companies (including some of the largest nationwide companies) still won’t work with renters. However, there are a number of companies that will work with renters – though sometimes a slightly higher upfront fee or deposit is required.
Over the next few years, as equipment continues to improve and alarm companies gain more experience serving renters, expect those upfront prices to come down… probably to the same level you would expect to pay as a homeowner. But, the good news is that apartment renters can still find great prices on home security systems that they can take with them whenever they move or buy a home.