Fire alarm takeover in London
Switch provider with no gap in cover. The takeover audit is free.
Free survey and a written quote, or call 020 3393 1661. We reply within 24 to 48 hours.
- Free takeover audit
- BAFE SP203-1 (fire alarms)
- Fike registered
- C-TEC certified
Book your free survey
Step 1 of 3Four questions. Free survey, free written quote, no obligation.
Request received
Thanks, we'll call you within 24 to 48 hours to arrange your free survey.
- Service
- We'll call
What happens next
- An engineer calls you to arrange a time, within 24 to 48 hours.
- We survey the building free of charge and put the price in writing.
- You decide once you have the quote. No obligation either way.
Need us sooner? Call 020 3393 1661Mon to Fri 9am–7pm · Sat 10am–3pm
Switching provider, without a gap in cover
You are not tied to whoever installed the system. The audit that tells you where you stand is free.
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Free audit
We inspect the system and report honestly on its condition, its compliance and any outstanding faults, at no charge.
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No gap in cover
The handover is scheduled so your servicing continues without a break in your compliance record.
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Log book brought current
Missing or out-of-date records are set up and filled in, so an inspection does not catch you out.
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Any brand
Fike and C-TEC are our specialisms, and we take on panels from other manufacturers too.
Can another company take over my fire alarm maintenance?
Yes, and this is one of the most common misunderstandings in the trade. Many building owners believe they're locked in to whoever installed the system. You're not. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 makes the Responsible Person accountable for keeping the alarm maintained; it says nothing about who must do it. Any competent provider can inspect your system, take on the servicing and issue certificates.
Direct answer: yes, you can change fire alarm maintenance provider whenever you like. You are not tied to the installer. A new competent company audits the system, takes over BS 5839-1 servicing, and issues your certificates from then on, no need to replace a working system to switch.
Why do businesses switch fire alarm provider?
The reasons we hear most often, and what we do differently:
| Common frustration | How Flame Shield London works |
|---|---|
| Slow to respond to faults or callbacks | We call every enquiry back within 24 to 48 hours |
| No written reports after a visit | Written report and certificate after every service visit |
| Opaque or surprise pricing | Price explained before any work starts, no surprises |
| Pressure to rip out and replace a working system | Honest audit, we only recommend replacement when a system genuinely can’t be maintained |
What does the free takeover audit include?
- Full system inspection: panel, detectors, call points, sounders, batteries and wiring condition.
- Compliance check: how the system measures against BS 5839-1 and what your log book and certificates show.
- Fault and remedial report: a written summary of anything outstanding, in plain English.
- Maintenance quote: a clear price for ongoing six-monthly servicing, explained before you decide.
- No charge, no obligation: you keep the report either way.
How does switching work, step by step?
Book the free audit
Tell us the system brand and building type through the form or by phone. We arrange a convenient time.
We inspect and report
Our technician audits the system and gives you a written condition, compliance and fault report, free.
You get a clear plan and price
We set out any remedials and quote the maintenance, with the price explained. You decide, with no pressure.
Handover with no gap
We bring your log book current and start six-monthly servicing, so your cover never lapses and your certificates stay valid.
Which systems can you take over?
Both addressable and conventional systems, from any manufacturer. We're approved installers with Fike and C-TEC, so we're especially strong on those panels, see the Fike and C-TEC service pages, and our BAFE-certified technicians maintain other brands too. Once we've taken over, you're onto our standard six-monthly maintenance.
What a takeover costs
The first year carries the takeover inspection, which is where we find what the last firm left behind. After that it settles to the normal servicing rate.
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We inspect what you already have, put right what is wrong, then take over the servicing.
devicesIncludes the one-off takeover inspection in the first year.
What moves a fire safety price, and where the money actually goes
Switching provider, and what usually stops people
Both jobs get called the same thing on the invoice. This is what actually differs.
- Cost of moving The takeover audit is free, and so is the report that comes with it Free audit An inspection fee before anyone will tell you anything
- Gap in cover The handover is scheduled so servicing never lapses No gap A month with no cover while contracts change hands
- Records Log book brought current and kept current from the first visit Brought current A log book that stops when the old provider does
- Brand lock-in Fike and C-TEC specialists, and we take on other manufacturers too Any brand Told only the original installer can touch the panel
How it works
Four steps, the price agreed in writing before anyone starts, and one accredited team from survey to certificate.
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01
Tell us what you have
Panel brand if you know it, roughly how many devices, and what your current provider does.
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02
Free takeover audit
An engineer inspects the system on site and reports on condition and compliance.
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03
Written report and quote
You get the findings in writing plus a maintenance price. No pressure to proceed.
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Onto a compliant schedule
Six-monthly servicing starts, with a certificate and report after every visit.
Switching because of a fault nobody fixed?
It is the most common reason people move. If the immediate problem is a system standing in fault or an alarm that keeps going off for nothing, that is repair and fault finding, and it can happen before or alongside a takeover rather than waiting for the paperwork.
Fire alarm takeover, your questions answered
Can another company take over the maintenance of my fire alarm?
Yes. You are free to change fire alarm maintenance provider at any time, you are not tied to the company that installed the system. A new competent provider inspects the system, takes on the servicing to BS 5839-1, and issues certificates from then on. There is no legal barrier and no need to replace a working system to switch.
Is the takeover audit really free?
Yes. Our takeover audit is free and carries no obligation. We inspect your existing fire alarm, report on its condition, compliance and any outstanding faults, and give you a written summary and maintenance quote. You decide whether to proceed, there is no charge and no pressure either way.
What if my current system is old or non-compliant?
The audit tells you honestly. If the system is sound, we simply take over servicing. If there are faults or compliance gaps, we set out what needs doing and what it would cost, and if a system is genuinely beyond economic repair, we’ll say so rather than maintain something that won’t protect the building. No scaremongering, no unnecessary rip-and-replace.
Do I have to be tied into a long contract?
We’ll set out the maintenance arrangement clearly before you commit, including how servicing is scheduled and what each visit covers.
Will there be a gap in cover when I switch?
No. We schedule the takeover so your servicing continues without a lapse, we audit the system, agree the plan, and bring it onto our six-monthly schedule so your certificates stay current and your building stays covered throughout.
Which panels can you take over?
We take over both addressable and conventional systems from any manufacturer. As an approved Fike and C-TEC installer, we’re especially well placed to service those panels, but our BAFE-certified technicians maintain systems from other brands too.
Services that go with a takeover
Fire risk assessment
The legal starting point under the Fire Safety Order 2005, by a team that can also fix what it finds.
Fire risk assessment
Fire alarm installation
Addressable and conventional systems designed, installed and commissioned to BS 5839-1, with certification on completion.
Fire alarm installation
Maintenance & servicing
Six-monthly inspection by BAFE-certified technicians, with a certificate after every visit.
Maintenance & servicingWhere this comes from
- BS 5839-1, fire detection and alarm systems in non-domestic premisesBSI
- Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005legislation.gov.uk
- BAFE, the third-party certification body for scheme SP203-1bafe.org.uk
We name the standard rather than quoting it. British Standards are copyright of BSI and have to be bought from them; the links above are to the publisher so you can check any figure on this page against the source.
Free survey · No obligation
Book your free takeover audit
No cost, no obligation, no pressure. We inspect your system, tell you honestly where it stands, and quote to take over the servicing.
- BAFE SP203-1 registered for fire alarms, Fike and C-TEC certified
- Written quote before any work starts
- Called back within 24 to 48 hours