Yes, at the sites whose location page lists individually alarmed units: Alton, Bristol, Bristol Hengrove, Bromsgrove, Burton-on-Trent, Cheltenham, Chipping Norton, Dorking, Leatherhead, Lincoln, March, Marlow, Reading, Shipston-on-Stour, Tewkesbury and Warminster. The alarm is on your own unit's door, not shared across the building. For any other site, or for a container, ask us on 0800 2545585 before you book. With smart entry, unlocking your unit switches its alarm off and locking it switches the alarm back on. At Chipping Norton you set and unset it with your own PIN code. If it goes off while you're not there, our security team will be "on hand to investigate"; we don't publish who is alerted or how quickly.
Households will find the day-to-day routine first, then sections for businesses that need a record of visits, for anyone looking after a relative's things, and for what to do if the alarm goes off. For cameras and site entry, see our answer on CCTV.
How your unit alarm works day to day
A unit alarm protects one door. Our blog on climate-controlled storage puts it this way: "if the door is forced, an alert triggers."
Where your site's page describes the smart-entry lock (Reading's page, for example), the routine is:
| Step | What you do | What the alarm does |
|---|---|---|
| Open | Touch the light on the lock so it turns green, press "unlock" in smart entry, slide the latch and open the door | "The individual unit alarm will be de-activated" |
| Close | Slide the latch back to lock the unit | "the LED light will glow red and the unit alarm will be automatically re-activated" |
So there's no separate alarm code at those sites: locking the door is what sets the alarm. Our move-in guidance says the alarm "will be set and unset by your Mobile phone when you arrive and leave", and that if you don't have a smartphone "we can supply you with a fob instead." We don't publish what happens if you open the door in the wrong order; ask us when you book.
Some site pages also describe a "locate my unit" button: your unit "will start making a sound and then blink for about 15 seconds" so you can find it. That sound is the locate signal, not the alarm.
Chipping Norton works differently. Our move-in guidance says "Each unit in Chipping Norton is individually alarmed, your alarm will be set and unset by your unique PIN code when you arrive and leave." It also asks you to "bring a padlock to secure your unit or you can buy a keyed or combination one from our reception." Bring your own padlock or buy a keyed or combination one at reception, and don't fit it in our overlocking position (clause 21).
Containers and other units
Our container storage page describes controlled access and CCTV, but it doesn't say whether containers have their own alarm. If you're renting a container and the alarm matters to you, or your insurer asks, call us on 0800 2545585 and ask about that specific container before you commit.
To check a site, open its own page from our locations list and look for "Individually Alarmed" in its features. If it isn't there, ask us.
What the alarm does, and what it doesn't
The alarm is there to catch a locked unit being opened when you're not there. It can't protect a unit that's been left unlocked, and it doesn't change who carries the risk. Our terms say:
- "You will be solely responsible for securing the Unit and ensuring it is locked so as to be secure from unauthorised entry at all times when You are not in the Unit. We will not be responsible for securing any unlocked Unit." (clause 21)
- "The Goods are stored at Your sole risk and responsibility", including the risk of theft (clause 30).
- "We do not insure the Goods", and they must "remain adequately insured by You at all times for their Replacement Value" while stored (clause 31).
Our insurance FAQ says "All customers require contents protection for their stored goods": you either take our contents protection or "arrange insurance at your own expense". An alarm doesn't replace that cover. At smart-entry sites, check the light has gone red before you walk away; a latch left open means the door isn't locked and the alarm isn't set.
For businesses and trades: a record of every visit
The pages for Burton-on-Trent, Cheltenham, Chipping Norton, Dorking, Leatherhead, Lincoln, Marlow, Reading, Shipston-on-Stour and Tewkesbury say "Our security systems also log each time a unit is accessed," and that this "has proven especially useful for businesses who have to keep track of who accessed what and when." For any other site, ask. We don't publish how a customer gets a copy of that record, so if you need it for an audit or an insurer, ask us on 0800 2545585 how you'd get one.
Looking after someone else's belongings
If you're storing a parent's things during a move into care, or holding an estate's contents while it's sorted out, you can give a family member or colleague their own access, so they can open the unit without you. How it's set up depends on the site. Our guide to sharing access to your unit explains how, and why the unit stays your responsibility when they use it.
What if the alarm goes off?
While you're on site. If the alarm sounds, or the light won't turn red when you close up, call us on 0800 2545585, or your site's own number on its location page, before you leave, so the unit isn't left unlocked and unset. One Lincoln customer's Google review (November 2025) says our telephone staff "helped me when I set the alarm off (oops)". Office hours vary by site (check your site's page), and we don't publish whether calls are answered outside them, so if you'll be visiting early or late, ask what to do if the alarm sounds then. Access hours are on your site's page; Cheltenham's page gives two different sets, so ask.
While you're not there. Our move-in guidance says "If your alarm should go off when you are not on site then our security team will be on hand to investigate." We don't publish who is alerted, how quickly someone responds, or whether you're told. If your insurer asks, ask us on 0800 2545585.
Book a unit, or check one first
If your site's page lists individually alarmed units, get a price online. If you're looking at a container, or your site's page doesn't mention unit alarms, call us on 0800 2545585 before you commit. Questions worth asking, especially if an insurer is asking you about security:
- whether the unit or container you're booking has its own alarm;
- who is alerted when a unit alarm goes off, how quickly, and whether you're told;
- what happens if the alarm sounds while you're on site, including outside office hours;
- whether you can have a copy of your unit's access record;
- whether we can describe your unit's security in writing for your insurer.
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