Quick summary
With fees you pay every month, the equipment is usually rented and the monitoring centre receives the alert. Without fees you buy the equipment outright, there is no contract lock-in and the alarm alerts you instantly in the app. For most flats and houses, a no-fee system with good detectors is enough.
Fees vs no fees: what you pay in each model
In the fee model you pay a monthly amount for years, the equipment is usually rented (not yours) and there is a lock-in period: leave early and you pay a penalty. The alert goes to the monitoring centre, which decides whether to call you or notify the police. In the no-fee model you buy the equipment once, it is yours, and the alarm alerts you directly on your phone with photo or video; you decide what to do. We install Ajax systems with no monthly fees: equipment you own and instant alerts to the app.
Which detectors a flat or house really needs
You do not need a home full of sensors. The essentials are a door opening detector on the main entrance and a motion detector in the hallway or living room, the route any intruder will take. As optional extras, a flood detector in the kitchen or bathroom and a smoke detector cover the two costliest household accidents. The practical approach is to start with the basics and expand later: wireless systems let you add detectors without building work.
What to check before signing anything
Before signing, ask four things: how long the lock-in period is and what the penalty costs, who owns the equipment when the contract ends, what happens to the alarm if you move home, and whether the system monitors its own health (detector tampering, low battery, power or internet cuts). A good system warns you in the app about any of these faults, with or without monthly fees.
When to call
Call today if you want to protect a flat or house in Barcelona without lock-in contracts, you have just moved in and want to start with the basics, or your current contract is ending and you are looking for a no-fee alternative.
Frequently asked questions
Is an alarm without a monitoring centre legal?
Yes. Connecting to the police through a monitoring centre is optional, not mandatory. With a no-fee alarm the alert reaches you immediately and you decide how to act.
Who responds if a no-fee alarm goes off?
You receive the alert on your phone with a photo or video of what is happening and decide: you can check it, call a neighbour or contact the police if you confirm an intruder.
Can I install one in a rented flat?
Yes. Wireless systems install without building work or significant drilling, and when you move you simply take the equipment with you to your new home.
What maintenance does it need?
Very little. Detector batteries last for years and the app itself warns you when it is time to change them. No monthly maintenance contract needed.