South Bedfordshire District Council has designated the District of South Bedfordshire as an Alarm Notification Area

Does this affect me?
If your home (or your business) has a burglar alarm fitted  then you are affected

What do I have to do to comply?
You have to register a designated keyholder with the councils 'Envirocrime Unit' database. They will need to know your name and address and the keyholders name and address. The keyholder can be a neighbour, family member, carer or friend that you trust but must meet certain criteria. They must be able to gain access to the alarm controls; be able to reach the property within a reasonable amount of time; know how to turn the alarm off; and agree to be a keyholder.  It is recommended that the keyholder lives within 20 minutes of the property. 

What happens if a keyholding company already monitors my alarm?
If you already have your alarm registered with an alarm company such as ADT or Chubb, and they hold keyholder information then you need only give details of that company to the council. There is no need to register separate keyholders. Adaptations can be made to alarm systems, which mean a keyholder would not need access into the house or building, but just to a porch or keypad on the outside of the property.

What happens in the event of the alarm sounding?
If an alarm does sound accidentally and the Envirocrime Unit receives a complaint about it, they would first visit the property and determine whether it is causing a noise nuisance. This would be if the alarm was ringing continuously for 20 minutes or intermittently for more than an hour.

If a noise nuisance had been determined and you were unavailable, the keyholder would be called and asked to come to the property as soon as possible. If the keyholder is not available, the Envirocrime Unit would serve a noise abatement notice and obtain a warrant from the police to gain entry to the house causing the least amount of damage and expense as possible. This could involve calling a locksmith, which together with the Envirocrime Unit’s time, could cost you up to £300

What if I do not comply?
At the beginning of 2007 a warning period of two months will be put in place and officers will contact homeowners who are not on the database to let them know about their responsibilities under the Order. After the warning period, anyone who has not registered their alarm will face a fixed penalty notice of £80, if you don't pay this within 14 days then you could receive a maximum fine of £1,000.

When did this start?
The Alarm Notification Order took effect on midnight on Sunday 26 November 2006 and keyholders had to be registered by 24 December 2006.

I don't have an alarm at the moment but will be getting one soon
You have to register the keyholder within 28 days of installing the alarm

Why are the Council doing this?
The aim is to cut the amount of time and expense it takes to deal with ringing alarms, as the police database that has traditionally held keyholder details is out of date. The responsibility for maintaining a keyholder database now passes from the Police to the Council.

How to I register?
A form which is available from the council online at www.southbeds.gov.uk or from the council’s Envirocrime Unit on 01582 474031. Copies can also be collected from the District Offices on High Street North Dunstable, or from local libraries and town council offices. A pdf version is also available to download from www.southbeds.gov.uk which can be filled in and posted into the District Offices.