The Daily Mirror published a “Royal Exclusive” front page story claiming that Harry and Meg - or to give them their proper titles Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Sussex – could face a cool £5m home security bill.
Most of us probably don’t need quite the same level of security as a royal couple but the story does beg the question: how much should you be paying for your home security? We have some answers. And they don’t come anywhere near £5 million!
At the heart of any home security system lies home security cameras: exterior surveillance cameras, which need to be weatherproof and mounted on a wall, and interior cameras which traditionally had a rather imposing presence hanging from ceilings but these days can be smaller, much less noticeable and either fitted or free-standing and highly portable.
Traditionally, too, old-style CCTV security systems needed to be hardwired, with network cables running throughout the house and some kind of central recording and monitoring system – expensive and very disruptive to install.
Nowadays, the smart home security camera is wirelessly connected, streaming its pictures and sound through the home wifi – and that means they can be monitored and managed over the internet from anywhere. The Duke and Duchess could be crunching the snows of Klosters or doing a walkabout down under and still use their smartphone to check the royal silver is undisturbed – or that the renovators of their new Windsor cottage are up to scratch.
But royal or otherwise, none of us is going to spend all day staring at a phone or tablet just in case something happens – and we don’t have to. Smart means a camera that has motion and sound detectors, able to send instant alerts to our phone if something moves or makes a noise, and able to play back a recording of whatever triggered the alert, as soon as it happens, so we can decide if we need to call out The Household Cavalry.
Even smarter – and this is when home security cameras start to become a smart security system – that alert might also turn on some lights or play music to convince a potential intruder that the cottage is not deserted.
And how much of that £5 million price tag would this modern magic cost?
Well, some of that royal outlay is bound to go on installation and setup. We don’t think it’s rash to assume that their Highnesses may have a team of contractors on board.
Yet installation and setup can be incredibly simple and finished in less time than it might take to put out a bowl of Winalot for the new royal Labrador, with no need for experts.
So what’s the starting point? Well, here at Time2, home security starts at less than £40, with no monthly fees. That’s all you need to buy Time2’s static indoor home security wifi camera, Sophia, who sits elegantly anywhere in your home to see, hear and keep a record of whatever’s going on, for your peace of mind.
Installation can be as simple as standing her on a shelf, though she can also be fixed in place if you wish. Setting her up to stream pictures and sound through your wifi takes only a couple of minutes and requires nothing more complicated than knowing your wifi password – no technical know-how.
Sophia’s big sister (though not really much bigger, in truth) is Olivia. She does everything Sophia can do but with added flair, as she can spin round and tilt up and down to give you a superb view of any room or hallway.
And for outside surveillance, Oscar struts his stuff. Ruggedly weatherproof and mounted on a wall or roofing, he’s a visible deterrent to intruders as well as providing continuous surveillance to protect and monitor your property, day and night.
Night time is no obstacle to any Time2 camera, as they all have automatic infrared night vision as well as motion and sound detectors, instant alerts, recording and playback – and they all work on a single system that we call the Clan, via a single app.
And you can be looked after along the way by Time2’s UK-based support centre, where friendly, knowledgeable people will help you by phone, email, live chat or social media.
One or two cameras may be enough for your home. The more you have, the cheaper they each become. So two Sophia cameras are less than £73 and two Olivia cameras are under £110 for the pair.
Exactly what you need depends on your type of home and how you want to protect it. The Duke and Duchess will have five bedrooms but they may not want a camera in every room. (However, one in the nursery would let them watch over their new baby, due in the spring, and continuous recording could let them capture that first smile or ‘mama’ whenever it appears.)
It’s a fair bet you’d want a mix of interior and exterior coverage, so Time2 has created some camera bundles. One outdoor (Oscar) and two indoor cameras (Sophia) are together under £140. Two outdoor (Oscar) and two rotating indoor cameras (Olivia) total less than £240, as a bundle.
And if you want your smart camera alerts to trigger lights, sounds or other appliances to warn off intruders, you’ll find that smart bulbs and smart plugs, which provide the magic, are as low as £18.99 each, all controlled through the single app - and they work with Alexa and Google Home.
The exact cost of securing your home depends on your needs and budget but it’s always Time2’s aim to make home security as accessible as possible: a breeze to set up and run, highly affordable and all running on a single system with a single app, so you can add to your security as you go.
Whatever you choose, the cost of securing your home is an investment. With Time2 it’s an investment that is very little compared to the value of what you’re securing … and what price would anyone put on the peace of mind it brings?