Buying a new home can be so exciting but also a stressful time.  Finally receiving the keys and entering the property offers promise of a new chapter in your life.  So, what should you look out for in terms of your new home security?

Change the Locks on the Doors – You have no idea who has a key to your house in terms of the people who lived at the property before you and who may have been given a secondary back-up key.  Updating the external door locks and obtaining new keys ensures that the property is secure and that you are starting out knowing that you and your family are the only occupants, with access.

Check the window locks – Sometimes window keys can get misplaced or locks and keys might not work anymore. Check all window locks operate in good working order and update as and where required.

Is a security alarm installed? Get it checked – If a security alarm is already installed at the property, then it will be worth applying for a service review.  Often there is a sticker on the bell box which displays the alarm company provider’s contact details.  Making contact with the supplier and discussing your options as to when a service is required or booking an inspection will ensure that the alarm is up to date and being continually maintained. Resetting the alarm and requesting a new set of access codes will also ensure that only you and your family as the new occupants will have access to the property.

Is a security alarm not installed? Consider getting one fitted– Contacting a company like SGS Systems Ltd will enable you to gain a greater understanding as to what is involved in having a new home security alarm fitted.  Our company provides a fully confidential review of the premises and will outline all costs prior to security alarm installation.  Our annual alarm checks will ensure that the alarm is fully functional throughout the year, whilst our 24/7 support team are on hand should an issue arise.

Tidy away the rubbish – Post move, you can often end up with un-wanted paperwork, boxes, packaging and items that you just don’t need anymore.  Clearing unwanted items in a secure and safe manner, will not only tidy the paths and driveways to improve visibility but will also demonstrate that you care about the property.

Clear the shrubs – Shrubs that obscure the path or doorway are easy places for intruders to hide behind without being noticed by others in the street.  Clearing these and opening, up the space will minimise opportunities for intruders.

Get to know the neighbours – Introducing yourself to your immediate and surrounding neighbours not only allows them to know who you are but also gives you the opportunity to recognise faces who live in the street.  Looking out for one another and discussing and reporting any strange behaviour could help to prevent a burglary.

Join your local neighbourhood watch group – By joining your local neighbourhood watch group, not only could save you money on your house insurance but also keeps you in-touch with any concerning activity in the area.  Looking at making improvements to the street and tightening up on security will deter intruders who know that you are keeping an eye. https://www.ourwatch.org.uk

Our new home security services

We provide new home security options for all property sizes, from residential houses to larger homes and including barn security, high-net worth property security and mansions security.  We also provide security where external surveillance is required for garage security, outbuilding security, stable and farm security.

For more information on any of the new home security items covered in this article, please contact our specialist new home security team today to find out how we can help to support you and your family in your new home or at your current property.

The Russia World Cup 2018 promises to deliver a great time to those football fans who have been lucky enough to buy tickets to watch the matches.  As football fans across the world prepare for this year’s 2018 World Cup, the responsibility of safety lies with both businesses and the fans themselves.

So, what are we doing back at home here in the UK to stay safe throughout the Russia World Cup 2018 tournament?

UK pubs, sports centres and community places are throwing open their doors to televise the matches and keep eager football fans replenished with food and drink as they follow the games intently and watch the competition unravel.  The world cup is always an exciting time that brings together communities of all ages and interests yet accommodating so many people in one place takes serious preparation for small businesses and community places.   Throughout these busy periods health & safety is paramount and a review of risk assessment will ensure that everyone stays safe.

So how can commercial outfits prepare?

Fire Exits – Ensure that all Fire Exits are clear so that accessibility out of the property is left as an open space and free for people to move through.  Customers and visitors can exit the building quickly and safely, should an issue arise.

Smoke Alarms – Test fire alarm systems to ensure that each individual device is in good working order encase of a fire. Replace batteries where necessary.  Speak to your local fire safety officer if you have concerns.

CCTV – Check that CCTV is working properly and that devices are tracking movements around the property. Recorded CCTV footage is essential where evidence is required and could protect both your customers and yourself as a business should an unforeseen situation arise

Burglar Alarms – Check that your property alarm is in good working order.  Knowing that your property is safe and secure and is protected by an alarm system will give you the proprietor peace of mind, especially when away from the property.

For more information on commercial property security options, please speak to our security team, here at SGS Systems Ltd.  We support commercial businesses across the UK with commercial security systems including burglar alarms in both wired and wireless format, internal and external CCTV 24/7 monitoring systems and protective equipment against fire including fire alarms and smoke detectors.

Most of all stay safe and enjoy Russia World Cup 2018!

You can follow the fixtures here: http://www.skysports.com/football/news/12098/11154890/world-cup-fixtures-the-full-schedule-for-russia-2018

Is your business security in place? During the UK bank holiday season, it is often customary for many businesses to close for longer periods than usual, so that staff can enjoy their statutory holiday breaks.

Unfortunately, this can sometimes leave businesses in a vulnerable position in terms of their commercial security. With limited or no staff working at the premises, commercial properties can go un-supervised for several days over the long weekends which often influences temptation for intruders looking to break and enter into commercial premises to steal stock and goods which have been assembled ready for distribution.

Ensuring that business security is implemented around the business premises is paramount to protecting companies and deterring unwanted Intruders through the quiet times.

The Metropolitan Police website offers some useful information to business owners who are looking to protect their commercial premises – https://www.met.police.uk/crime-prevention/business-robbery/protect-your-business/

Some recommendations for keeping a commercial property secure are:

1. Keep exterior building areas free of rubbish and graffiti
2. Move bins away from the building which could be used to gain higher access to the property
3. Install sufficient lighting around the premises
4. Keep stock rooms locked and stock out of sight
5. Install shutters or blank out windows with film so that visibility through windows is obscured
6. Setup a proficient commercial security system around the premises to protect the property

So, what type of business security could help to protect your property?

By installing CCTV monitoring equipment around your commercial premises, both internally and externally can be an immediate deterrent to respective intruders. CCTV will capture visual data of trespassers which can be observed by business owners and then submitted to the local police authority to be used as evidence, should a burglary incident or attempted burglary take place.

Stepping up your commercial security with a burglar alarm will also protect your commercial premises. A certified alarm which is regularly maintained will ensure that your security system continually operates in good working order. Installed in both wired or wireless alarm formations we provide access-controlled areas for designated key holders, which means that as a business owner you have peace of mind that your property is fully protected.

In addition to our business security installed services, we support companies and organisations with a Police response service should this level of support be required.

Finally, our most proficient Fog security system is installed and designed not to damage stock. Protecting doorways, corridors and areas which can be easily accessed, will limit any intruder who gains access, the capacity to move around the designated space, by executing thick dense fog which will fill the interior space within seconds.

Do you own a business premises? We protect offices, factory units, distribution warehouses, retail premises and concession with business security. From single alarm units up to bespoke security networks, our property security systems are scale-able depending on the size and nature of your property. For a confidential security review of your business, please contact our security team for further information.

Do you have your summer home security covered? With the bank holidays upon us, warm sunny days and the school holidays in sight, relaxing with friends and a BBQ in the garden or going away on a short break provides the perfect excuse to unwind.

Often, we assume that our summer home security is covered and that i'll property will be safe whilst we’re relaxing; unfortunately though this is not always the case.  With our guard down, the scenario offers a prime opportunity for intruders to take advantage of our relaxed attitude.

So what steps can we take to improve our summer home security?

• Lock Doors & Windows – If you are hosting a party out in the back garden, you may be tempted to leave the front door open so that guests may come and go as they please. This creates a chance for intruders to take their luck and unknowingly enter your property.

  Locking doors and windows and asking guests to enter and exit via the back of the house will keep everything secure from the front whilst you are entertaining at the back of the property.

• Don’t Leave Spare Keys Outside in Obvious Places – Burglars know the tricks of the trade!  Leaving spare keys under the most obvious places such as plant pots, stones and door mats on the outside the property gives intruders the most obvious opportunity to quietly enter your home without having to break and enter.

  By giving a key to a friend or neighbour or installing a secure key security box at the front of the house will enable you to keep a key close to your home, but in a safe place.

• Don’t put your holiday social media – Telling the world via social media that you are off on your holidays is rather tempting in that moment of jetting off abroad, but unfortunately also demonstrates that you’ve left the house un-attended.

  Burglars know this and will scour social media pages looking for individuals that freely offer this information.

  Saving your holiday snaps and uploading when you return will ensure that your vacant property goes un-noticed.

• Install a home security system – If you are looking at upgrading your summer home security with a new burglar alarm or require more information on keeping your home safe, then please contact our experienced summer home security team. As your local SSAIB accredited security company, we are on hand to help home owners ensure that their house stays secure whilst in or away from the property.

Blogs used to write this article

• https://www.express.co.uk/travel/articles/819856/home-security-summer-holiday-burglary-safety

With Spring finally in sight, it's time to start thinking about the external space around your property. Clearing gardens, carrying out building repairs and renovating areas is often on the agenda for homeowners at this time year.

Installing a house alarm and trimming back hedges to improve visibility is a positive step in protecting your property.  Whilst securing the security in surrounding external areas such as the garden, driveway and garage will give you peace of mind that your property security is up to scratch when you are at home or away from the house.

In the 2017 report from the UK Office for National Statistics – Overview of vehicle-related theft: England and Wales, whilst vehicle crime is relatively low compared to the 1990’s, however 2017 did see a slight increase on the previous 2 years.

“In the survey year ending March 2017, around 4 in 100 vehicle-owning households had been victims of vehicle-related theft.”

According to Whatcar.com, the BMW X5, Range Rover Sport, BMW M3 and the Mercedes C-Class are the most likely stolen cars in the UK. These vehicles command  high levels of finance, by init is certain that garage lockup security is paramount to deterring intruders and keep your car safe.

By installing a garage alarm system and implementing CCTV security around the exterior of the property, the risk of theft can significantly reduce. Should the inevitable happen, then you will have visual footage which can be used as evidence.

Not only garages, but also driveways, car ports, outbuildings and sheds can all benefit from garage lockup security, so that your belongings may stay protected.

For more information on our garage lockup security services, please contact our property security team for a free and confidential review of your property. Based in the West Midlands we install and maintain external property security services through our certified security engineers, house burglar alarms, CCTV monitoring equipment and smoke security systems to home owners in Wolverhampton, Staffordshire and Shropshire counties, plus further surrounding areas.

Blogs used to write this article:

• https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/articles/overviewofvehiclerelatedtheft/2017-07-20
• https://www.whatcar.com/news/the-most-stolen-cars-in-the-uk/

Find out more:

• https://www.sgssystems.com/garage-cctv-security/
• https://www.sgssystems.com/garage-security-systems/

SGS Systems Ltd are delighted to announce that in addition to our Alcumus Safecontractor accreditation, we have also recently been re-awarded our CHAS (Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme) accreditation for the sixth year running.

CHAS is the established market leader for health and safety pre-qualification in the UK. The organisation is nationally recognised and is a professional body who seeks to link certified suppliers to buyers within the service industry, ensuring that they are fully compliant in terms or health and safety. Obtaining the CHAS accreditation enables our company SGS Systems Ltd, to go out on site and be recognised for our CHAS certification.

In order to meet accreditation requirements, earlier this year SGS Systems Ltd  were audited by the CHAS assessment team and had to provide evidence of all health & safety protocols operating within the business. All aspects of the health & safety regimen were  independently audited by the accreditation body.

Further to our successful application, SGS Systems Ltd can continue to carry out work on commercial premises, where the CDM 2015 Regulation level of Health & Safety is required. Operating in conjunction with and behalf of independent commercial projects and local authority applications across the UK, whereby this level of health and safety competency is paramount to executing such scaled projects.

To find out more about CHAS and the services they provide or to see our business listed under their preferred suppliers for security services, please follow this link: https://www.chas.co.uk/

We provide security services including alarm installation, CCTV and fog security, which can be scaled to suit any sized premises, both internally and externally. Supported by our 24/7 experienced team of security engineers our service is provided to maintain and service security systems for local authority organisations and commercial companies such as hotel, retail and warehouse stores across the UK where a greater scale of security is required.

SGS Systems Ltd are delighted to announce that over recent months we have grown our staff support programme to employ three new team members within our business, so that we may effectively respond to our growing customer demand for property security services and meet our customer’s needs.

Our new team members include:

Chris Swinton – Service Support Manager

Chris joins our team with 28 years’ experience in the property security industry. His new role at SGS Systems Ltd is offer service support to customer’s and match the right engineer to the requirements of each individual job.

Chris will also support the engineers with any training and equipment they may require and will look to report on and develop areas where skills are needed within the business.

In addition, Chris aims is to create a more automated approach to our business for the future in terms of both parts and sales, whilst out on-site providing a paperless workforce through digital technology.

Martin Cleobury – Service Maintenance Engineer

Martin is a fully qualified security engineer in Installation and Maintenance for Access Control, CCTV & Intruder Alarms. Martin is very knowledgeable of the property security industry and with 18 years of experience in working for major national security firms across the UK, Martin is looking forward to developing his new role here at SGS Systems Ltd.

Working closely with our Service Support Manager Chris Swinton and our other security engineers, Martin has been appointed to look after our regional contracts with the ambition to develop a role further into our national contracts for the future.

Joshua Gennard – Apprentice

Joshua begins here at SGS Systems as our Apprentice. Joshua is currently studying ‘Skills for Security’ at Birmingham College which is a 2 year course with 1 week’s training at the college, every 8 weeks.

At college Joshua is learning about health and safety within the workplace, which will progress into electrical engineering and then onto an assessment as he works through the course.

Here at SGS Systems Ltd, Joshua is learning and working to support our security engineers whilst out on site, in both the domestic and commercial sides of the business, for local and national contracts across the country. His skills learnt to date have included, fitting detectors and camera’s, plus fitting brackets and links for our Fog Cannon installations, health and safety, time management and travel.

Joshua says: “An Apprenticeship is a fantastic way in teaching life skills that you could not learn in school or college; only out in the workplace”. Joshua says that he is really enjoying what he has learnt so far with SGS Systems Ltd and Birmingham College.

Often Business CCTV monitoring is related to security, however over recent days Business CCTV monitoring has played an integral part in keeping drivers safe and the continued infrastructure of services throughout the inclement weather, here in the UK.

Snow blizzards and falling temperatures brought several areas of the nation to a standstill.Driving visibility was poor and many vehicles became stuck due to excessive snow or struggled to manoeuvre over treacherous ice.

Website companies and other search engine facilities who provide 24 / 7 online access to Business CCTV monitoring cameras capture up to the minute information on the conditions of road networks which has been crucial in the planning of routes.

How Business CCTV Monitoring has helped businesses

Through the poor weather conditions, Business CCTV monitoring has provided a valuable source of information to the emergency services and vehicle breakdown companies, so that they could continually offer help to those in need. Commercial CCTV monitoring has not only played an essential part in the supply-chain to logistical companies and delivery drivers who are required to deliver goods across the country, but also has helped UK residents to plan travel routes to their destinations and enabled them to make calculated decisions as to suitable times and how to travel.

For more information on our Business CCTV monitoring services provided to commercial companies and organisations, please contact our property security team at SGS Systems Ltd. Our CCTV monitoring security service is available for both internal and external use, and provides 24 hours a day, 7 days a week surveillance. From a single camera installation to a multiple site framework, our security equipment can meet many businesses needs as well as security services.

Alternatively, if you are looking for Home CCTV security, then please visit our Home Security page to find out how your property could benefit from our Home CCTV monitoring service.

Commercial CCTV technology has substantially grown over the years to offer many more benefits for installation rather than solely for security.

With an estimated growth of 33.89 million USD by 2023, the CCTV market is set to expand further.  Originally CCTV was designed as a method of surveillance to deter criminals and monitor any troublesome activity.  However, today’s Commercial CCTV technology goes much further than just security and is installed by commercial property owners for a variety of advantages in production activity.  From monitoring staff performance and business intelligence on premises and across the manufacturing industry to providing analysis on real-time traffic patterns in terms of traffic flow, congestion and traffic density in peak hours. In addition, customer movements and behaviours through retail outlets provides crucial data to businesses who are looking to drive sales.  CCTV technology offers far greater assistance to management teams who can use the information to tweak performance and streamline processes.

So how what will CCTV technology be capable of in the future?

Well in addition to it’s primary goal of deterring criminals and monitoring any troublesome activity 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, CCTV is set to offer other greater advantages to businesses who are looking for that extra data analysis. People counting, heat mapping and motion detection are just some of the options which are anticipated to drive CCTV technology sales over the coming years.

Are you a commercial property owner and looking to install commercial CCTV technology at your premises? We provide certified CCTV monitoring equipment across several industrial sectors which includes 24 / 7 reliability for businesses who require constant surveillance. For more information on both our analogue and digital CCTV equipment options, please contact our CCTV installation team. All our equipment is certified on installation and comes with regular maintenance and service checks.

Blogs used to write this article:

• http://www.satprnews.com/2018/01/10/cctv-market-2023-scope-of-study-research-objective-assumptions-limitations-market-dynamics-to-2023/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Closed-circuit_television_camera

If you’re thinking of getting your house keeping in check for 2018, then you might want to begin with your house security?

Despite burglaries falling by nearly half in the last decade, 2016 /2017 did see a slight rise again. According the Office of National Statistics July 2017 –  Overview of burglary and other household theft: England and Wales report, “March 2003 (890,099 offences) – the earliest time period for which data are directly comparable – and the year ending March 2016 (401,001 offences), but slightly increased in the year ending March 2017 (411,536 offences), with domestic burglary and non-domestic burglary making up an almost even proportion of these offences.

According to the report it acknowledges that substantial improvements in house security since 2003, has been a primary positive factor in the reduction of burglary crime across the UK. Having an accredited alarm fitted by a certified installer will not only protect your home and family but will also give you peace of mind when away from the property.

With 70% of domestic burglaries taking place in the week and only 30% carried out on the weekend, the report highlights some interesting facts. Gaining entry through an unlocked door was reported as 70% of all intruder access, whilst 30% gained entry open window. The most regularly stolen items were purses wallets and money, whilst electronic goods and computer equipment, watches and jewellery were also frequently stolen.

How house security could protect your property

Whilst having a security alarm won’t save your belongings through an open door or window, it will focus you to check over your property before you leave. Having CCTV monitoring equipment installed will also deter prowling intruders and provide you with evidence as to who is entering your property 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To find out how SGS Systems Ltd could help you to decide on the best house security option to suit your property please contact us. We supply, install and maintain home burglar alarms and CCTV security up to extremely sophisticated house security options.

If it’s been on your to do list for most of 2017, then maybe it’s time you ticked off house security this year!

Blogs used to write this article:​

• https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/articles/overviewofburglaryandotherhouseholdtheft/englandandwales