Start by confirming the company is registered with PSIRA, then check that it gives you a detailed written quote, installs brands it can support locally, handles the compliance paperwork and offers proper maintenance after the job is done. Those five checks alone filter out most of the problems homeowners run into.
There are plenty of security companies across Cape Town’s northern suburbs, and they don’t all do the same thing. Here are seven checks to help you compare them properly.
1. Is the company registered with PSIRA?
Every business that provides security services in South Africa, including installers, must be registered with the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA). Registration shows the business meets the industry’s legal requirements and can be held accountable.
Ask for the company’s PSIRA number, then check it yourself on PSIRA’s online business verification page. A reputable company will display its number openly. Nano Secure’s PSIRA registration number, 3126563, is shown on every page of our website.
2. Is it an installer, an armed response company or both?
Know what you are buying before you compare prices.
- Security installers design, install and maintain systems such as alarms, CCTV, electric fencing, access control and gate motors.
- Armed response companies monitor your alarm signals and send officers when it is triggered, usually for a monthly fee.
- Some companies do both. Others, like Nano Secure, focus on installation and maintenance and connect your alarm to the monitoring centre of your choice.
Knowing the difference stops you comparing a once-off installation quote with a monthly response contract.
3. Which brands do they install, and can they support them?
Choose a company that works with established brands and can service what it installs. Well-known brands such as Hikvision(CCTV) and Paradox (alarms) and Centurion (gate motors) have good local parts availability, which matters when something needs repairing in a hurry.
Ask whether the installer can also work on your existing equipment. Replacing everything isn’t always necessary.
4. Does the quote show exactly what you are getting?
A good quote is itemised, written and specific to your property. It should list:
- Each piece of equipment, with brand and model.
- The number and position of cameras, detectors or beams.
- Labour, cabling and any trenching or building work.
- Battery backup and power arrangements.
- Warranty on equipment and workmanship.
- Any certificates included, such as an electric fence certificate.
Be wary of a single price on a WhatsApp message with no detail, or a quote given without anyone seeing the property.
5. Will they handle the compliance paperwork?
Some security work legally needs a certificate. An electric fence installed or altered after 1 October 2012 needs an electric fence system certificate of compliance from a registered installer, and you will need one when you sell your home. Fixed electrical work may also need a certificate from a registered electrician. Ask upfront whether certificates are included in the price.
6. What happens after the installation?
Security systems need regular care to keep working. Batteries age, cameras get knocked out of position and beams drift out of alignment. Ask:
- Do they offer maintenance contracts, and what does a visit include?
- How quickly can they respond to a fault?
- Will you get a report after each service?
Nano Secure offers flexible monthly maintenance contracts for homes and for businesses and complexes, with a written report after every visit.
7. Are they local, and can they show real work?
A company based near you can usually get to you faster when something goes wrong. For homes and businesses in Brackenfell, Durbanville and Bellville, a team based in the northern suburbs knows the area, the typical properties and the common security risks.
Read Google reviews, ask for references from similar jobs and ask who their regular clients are. A company that has worked on commercial sites, complexes and homes has seen most problems before. You can read more about Nano Secure and the clients we work with.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if a security company is PSIRA registered?
Ask the company for its PSIRA registration number and check it on PSIRA’s online business verification page. A reputable company will display its number openly.
What is the difference between a security installer and an armed response company?
An installer designs, installs and maintains security systems. An armed response company monitors alarm signals and sends officers when an alarm is triggered. Some companies offer both.
What should a security installation quote include?
An itemised list of equipment with brands and models, labour, cabling, battery backup, warranty details and any certificates, such as an electric fence certificate.
How often should a security system be serviced?
Most systems benefit from regular servicing, often monthly or quarterly depending on the size of the system. A service should test batteries, sirens, detectors, cameras and gate motors.
Talk to a PSIRA-registered installer in the northern suburbs
Nano Secure is based in Brackenfell and installs and maintains alarms, CCTV, electric fencing, access control and gate automation for homes and businesses in Brackenfell, Durbanville, Bellville and across Cape Town’s northern suburbs. Request a free, obligation-free quote, call 021 300 5090 or email safe@nanosecure.co.za.
Please confirm with the client that they want the post to state that they connect alarms to the monitoring centre of the client’s choice rather than offering armed response (this matches the Products & Services page).