Learn about the different types of alarms and monitoring contracts in our comprehensive guide to burglary detectors. Some might say that a safe home is priceless. But a break-in alarm with a monitoring contract can cost over £400 a year, and there are much cheaper alternatives. We looked at the pros and cons. With so many things going wrong, any home or business owner who invests in CCTV devices should also enter into a maintenance contract about it. These types of alarms use a SIM card or your fixed network, so no monitoring contract is required. Police supervision is subject to a surcharge. Instead of alerting your contacts, the company goes directly to the police. Two messages inside the house, such as a door contact and a motion sensor, both had to be triggered to warrant police intervention. .