How often should fire alarms be tested and serviced?

BS 5839 requires weekly alarm tests (pressing a different call point each week) and a full professional service at least every 6 months. The 6-monthly service includes testing every detector, sounder, and call point, checking the panel and batteries, and updating your logbook. MC Fire and Security handles the 6-monthly professional service - call 07498 819185 to set up a schedule.

What does a fire alarm service include?

A full BS 5839 service includes testing every detection device and call point, checking all sounders and beacons, inspecting and testing the control panel, battery voltage and load testing, checking cable integrity, verifying cause-and-effect programming, and updating the fire alarm logbook. Mitch provides a written service report after every visit.

How often should emergency lighting be tested?

Monthly functional tests (a quick check that each fitting illuminates on battery) and an annual 3-hour full-duration test. Both must be documented. MC Fire and Security includes emergency lighting testing in our maintenance packages.

What is a fire alarm logbook and do I need one?

Yes, you need one. A fire alarm logbook is a legal record of all tests, maintenance visits, faults, and false alarms for your fire alarm system. Fire safety inspectors will ask to see it. If you don't have one, or it's not up to date, you're not compliant. MC Fire and Security updates your logbook at every maintenance visit.

What are the consequences of not maintaining fire safety equipment?

The responsible person can face enforcement notices, prohibition notices (your building gets closed), or criminal prosecution under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Fines are unlimited. Beyond the legal risk, unmaintained systems fail when they're needed - and your insurer won't cover losses if the system wasn't properly maintained.

Can you take over maintenance of a system installed by another company?

Yes. MC Fire and Security regularly takes over maintenance of existing fire alarm, CCTV, and intruder alarm systems. We'll carry out an initial inspection to assess the system's condition, identify any faults, and confirm we can maintain it to British Standards. Some older or proprietary systems may need upgrading - Mitch will tell you straight.

What is included in a maintenance contract?

Our maintenance contracts typically include scheduled 6-monthly visits (for fire alarms) or annual visits (for security systems), all testing and inspection work, logbook and documentation updates, a written service report, compliance certificates, and priority emergency call-out. Exact scope depends on which systems you have - call 07498 819185 for a tailored quote.

How often should CCTV systems be serviced?

At least annually. A CCTV service includes cleaning cameras, checking recording and playback, testing remote access, inspecting cables and connections, and verifying night vision and motion detection. Regular servicing prevents the frustrating situation where you need footage after an incident and find the system stopped recording three months ago.

What is the difference between reactive and planned maintenance?

Reactive maintenance means calling an engineer when something breaks. Planned maintenance means scheduled visits to test, inspect, and service your systems before problems develop. Planned maintenance is cheaper over time, keeps you compliant, prevents downtime, and catches small faults before they become expensive failures.

Do I need a maintenance contract or can I just call when something breaks?

You can call for one-off repairs, but for commercial properties it's a false economy. Without a contract, you have no scheduled testing (which British Standards require), no documentation trail for your insurer, no priority call-out, and no guaranteed response time. A maintenance contract costs less than a single emergency call-out and keeps you compliant year-round.

MC Fire & Security engineer testing a smoke detector with SOLO pole — annual BS-5839 service

Fire & Security System Maintenance in Cornwall — BS 5839 + BS EN 50131

Your fire alarm was installed 2 years ago and hasn't been serviced since. Your insurer calls that 'non-maintained' — and that voids your policy. Six-monthly service contracts to BS 5839-1, with documentation your insurer accepts.

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Fire and security system maintenance is the routine 6-monthly or annual servicing required to keep systems compliant, functional, and insured. BS 5839-1 mandates 6-monthly fire alarm servicing for commercial premises; BS EN 50131 requires similar frequency for graded intruder systems. A non-maintained system is treated as non-compliant by both insurers and Fire Authorities.

If you run a Cornwall business with installed systems — fire alarms, intruder alarms, CCTV, emergency lighting, extinguishers — you know the problem: systems installed years ago, never serviced, no logbook, insurance and compliance both at risk.

We fix that. One annual contract covers every system; certificates emailed after every visit; calendar reminder so nothing lapses.

MC Fire and Security logbook sticker and keytag after a fire alarm maintenance takeover

Maintenance Services We Provide

Fire alarm 6-monthly maintenance (BS 5839-1)

Every device tested, control panel checked, logbook entry made, certificate issued. Required for commercial premises by code and most insurers.

Intruder alarm 6-monthly maintenance (BS EN 50131)

Every sensor walk-tested, sounder verified, signalling path verified, batteries checked.

CCTV annual maintenance (BS EN 62676)

Every camera focused, lens cleaned, NVR firmware checked, retention setting verified, evidence-export tested.

Emergency lighting annual + 3-yearly maintenance (BS 5266-1)

Annual short test, 3-yearly full 3-hour discharge test, results logged.

Fire extinguisher annual maintenance (BS 5306-3)

Every extinguisher inspected, serviced, labelled, recorded. 5-yearly extended service on units due.

We can combine any of these into one contract — one engineer, one schedule, one set of certificates.

What a maintenance contract actually buys you

Keep your insurance validNon-maintained systems void cover. Our contracts give you the paperwork that stops every dispute.
Pass every Fire Risk AssessmentLogbooks, certificates, and labelled units ready for your assessor.
Catch failures before the fire / break-inCorroded sensors, dead batteries, loose terminals, lens haze — all caught on the routine visit.
One contract, every system, one engineerNo juggling 4 different service companies for fire alarm + intruder + CCTV + emergency lighting + extinguishers.
Calendar reminders setNever miss a service due date again. We email when the next visit is due.

How your maintenance contract works

Site survey + system audit

Mitch visits, identifies every system on site (fire alarm, intruder, CCTV, etc.), checks current state of each, logs zone counts.

Contract design + quote

Within 48 hours: written quote with scope (which systems, which standard, which frequency), itemised pricing per system.

Schedule set

Visit dates booked into a 12-month schedule. Out-of-hours available for hospitality / retail.

Visit + service

Every system serviced to its BS standard, logbook entry, certificate emailed before we leave.

Annual review

At contract renewal we walk the site again, adjust scope if anything's been added or decommissioned.

Why Choose Us

A non-maintained system is functionally a missing system. According to a 2024 NFCC compliance review of fire incidents in commercial premises, 24% of fire alarm systems present at the time of fire were found to be non-functioning at the moment of the fire — almost always due to missed 6-monthly servicing.

Source: National Fire Chiefs Council, 2024 compliance review.

One contract, every system

Fire alarm + intruder + CCTV + emergency lighting + extinguishers in one schedule.

BS-standard servicing

BS 5839-1, BS EN 50131, BS EN 62676, BS 5266-1, BS 5306-3 on every system.

Same-day certificates

Emailed before we leave site.

Calendar reminders set

You never chase a service date.

Mitch Clementson of MC Fire and Security on a fire and security job in Cornwall

About the engineer

Mitch Clementson — Founder + Engineer

Mitch has spent 16 years installing fire and security systems across Cornwall — from listed cottages in Helston to commercial premises in Truro. Every job he quotes, he installs. Every system he commissions, he services. There is no subcontracting, no surprise team, no "the engineer will be in touch" — you call, he answers.

BS 5839-1:2025 — Commercial fire alarm design and installation
BS 5839-6:2020 — Domestic fire alarm grading
BS EN 62676 — CCTV system standards
BS EN 50131 — Intruder alarm grading
BS EN 50133 — Access control system standards
BS EN 60839-11-1 — Electronic access control
BS 5266-1 — Emergency lighting code of practice
BS 5306-3 — Fire extinguisher commissioning and servicing
PD 6662:2017 — Application of intruder alarm systems

"When a system fails six months after install because nobody serviced it, that's not a fault — that's negligence. A 6-monthly service to BS 5839-1 keeps the system, the documentation, and your insurance valid."
— Mitch Clementson, Founder of MC Fire & Security

What's included in your maintenance contract

Site survey + system audit — included.
Contract design — scope-by-system, itemised pricing, frequency to the relevant BS standard.
Service visits to your schedule — 6-monthly for fire and intruder, annual for CCTV / emergency lighting / extinguishers.
Out-of-hours visits available — for hospitality, retail, or any premises that can't take downtime.
Logbook entries on every visit — your fire safety paperwork stays current.
Same-day service certificate — emailed before we leave site.
Calendar reminders for next visit — automatic, no chasing.
Annual contract review — adjust scope as your systems change.

Per-system pricing — pay only for what you have. Same-day quotes across Cornwall.

Our Work

Recent maintenance and servicing jobs across Cornwall. Click any image to view full size.

What Our Customers Say

5.0 Google rating from 36 reviews. Recent customer feedback mentions reliable service, tidy work, clear explanations, and professional fire and security installations across Cornwall.

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Areas We Cover

MC Fire and Security provides fire and security maintenance across Cornwall:

Helston Redruth Falmouth Truro Penzance Camborne Hayle Newquay Bodmin St Ives

Set Up Your Maintenance Contract

Need your systems maintained or want to switch to MC Fire? Call Mitch on 07498 819185 or send a message on WhatsApp.

Call 07498 819185

Last updated: 2026-05-13