Logged keys
A record of which keys we hold and when they are taken out.
Keys and alarms
Key holding and alarm response
Key holding means we keep your keys securely and send a licensed officer when there is a reason to attend: an alarm activation, a lock-up that did not happen, or access that you have authorised. It is for businesses that do not want a member of staff driving to site every time the panel goes off.
What you are buying
You are buying a controlled process. Keys are logged, access to them is limited to authorised people in our team, and movements are recorded. When an alarm or call comes in, an officer attends, checks the building against the instructions you have given us, and reports what they found. If you want the police called in a defined situation, that needs to be in the instruction. We do not publish a minute-by-minute response promise. Attendance depends on distance, traffic and what else is live at that moment. We are based in Walsall and cover sites across the West Midlands.
The existing service includes officers available for alarm response outside ordinary office hours, arranged as part of the key holding agreement. Our office phone is staffed on published office hours. Out-of-hours attendance is an operational arrangement, not a claim that the office desk is open all night.
When key holding is the wrong product
If someone is forcing entry and the site needs a person there every night, you need mobile patrols or a static officer, not keys in a cabinet. Key holding sits well alongside patrols: the patrol deters and checks, and the keys allow a proper internal inspection when an alarm sounds. Offices, shops, warehouses and small industrial units are the usual fit.
What the assignment can include
Alarm attendance
An officer attends activations and tells you what they found, including if it was a fault.
Authorised access
Opening up for a contractor you have approved, at a time you have approved.
Staff safety
Your people are not the ones attending an unknown alarm on their own.
Questions
How fast do you respond to alarms?
We do not advertise a fixed response time. We agree the arrangement for your site, including what happens if an officer cannot safely enter. Distance from Walsall and the road network both matter. Ask us about your postcode.
Are key-holding officers SIA licensed?
Yes. Officers who carry out licensable key holding and response work need the appropriate SIA licence. We do not describe the company as an SIA Approved Contractor.
Can you hold keys for more than one branch?
Yes, if each set is identified and the response instruction is clear for every address. Send the list when you ask for a quote.