Fire and security systems in Newbury

Fortline is a fire and security company based near Newbury. Our own engineers install, service and repair fire alarms, intruder alarms, CCTV, access control, door entry and electric gates, and test emergency lighting, for businesses, managed blocks of flats and homes across Newbury and West Berkshire. We've worked for over 600 customers in the last two years, and over 100 are on maintenance and monitoring contracts with us.

Newbury is our home patch, so it's where we spend most of our working week. Our office is open Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:30pm, and our 24/7 emergency line on 01635 938998 covers evenings, weekends and bank holidays.

Who we work with in Newbury

Newbury has a wide mix of buildings: shops and offices in the town centre, units on business parks and industrial estates, schools and care settings, newer apartment developments, and older homes in the surrounding villages. Each comes with different systems and different rules. We look after:

• Businesses and landlords: offices, shops, warehouses and workshops that need their fire alarm and emergency lighting serviced and their certificates in order.
• Managing agents and residents' management companies: blocks of flats with fire alarms, emergency lighting, AOV smoke vents, fire doors, door entry and gates, all on one visit plan.
• Homeowners: intruder alarms, CCTV, smoke and heat detection and electric gates.

Fire alarms and the law, in plain English

If you're responsible for a business premises or the common parts of a block of flats, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 makes you the "Responsible Person". In practice that means keeping fire safety systems in working order and being able to show it.

For fire alarms, the standard most fire risk assessors and insurers look for is BS 5839-1. It recommends:

• a service by a competent person at least every six months
• a weekly test of a different call point by you or your staff
• a log book recording tests, faults, false alarms and visits.

We service to BS 5839-1, update your log book and leave you a certificate after every visit. See fire alarm servicing and our guide How often does a fire alarm need servicing?

Need a fire risk assessment? Fire risk assessments are arranged via our accredited partner, and we then keep your fire alarm, emergency lighting and extinguishers in line with it.

Emergency lighting

Escape routes need emergency lighting that works when the power fails. BS 5266-1 sets out a short monthly test and a full-duration test once a year, usually three hours. We carry out the annual test, replace failed lamps, batteries and fittings, and issue the certificate. Any mains electrical work is carried out by third-party electrical contractors. See emergency lighting.

Intruder alarms, CCTV and access control

For homes and businesses in and around Newbury we fit and maintain:

• Intruder alarms, including monitored systems. If you want police response, the system has to be installed and maintained by a certificated company and registered with the police. Keyholding is available for monitored customers, at extra cost.
• CCTV for car parks, yards, entrances and homes. If cameras cover public areas or staff, UK data protection rules apply, and we'll explain what that means for signage and recording.
• Access control and door entry, from keypad and fob doors to video intercoms for blocks of flats.

The phone line switch-off

Many alarms still signal over old analogue phone lines, which are being switched off, with the deadline set for January 2027. We check whether your system relies on one and what it needs. Read Will my alarm stop working in the phone line switch-off?

Taking over from another contractor

Most systems we look after were fitted by someone else. If you're not sure where your systems stand, start with a free system health check: we test the systems, check your paperwork and give you honest written findings. If you decide to switch, we handle it.

Areas we cover around Newbury

• Newbury town centre
• Speenhamland
• Wash Common
• Greenham
• Shaw
• Donnington
• Speen
• Thatcham
• Cold Ash
• Hermitage
• Chieveley
• Kingsclere
• Burghclere
• Kintbury
• Hungerford

See also our pages for Thatcham, Reading and Basingstoke. Ask about our maintenance plans.