Thousands of UK residents pay for waking watch patrols. We examine when they're required and how to transition to alarm-based alternatives.. Understanding Waking Watch A waking watch is a fire safety patrol implemented as an interim measure where a building's passive fire protection has been found deficient. When Required Building has combustible cladding awaiting remediation Fire detection system is inadequate or non functional Compartmentation failures identified requiring immediate mitigation As directed by fire and rescue service Costs Typical cost: £10,000 £30,000 per month per building 24/7 coverage required with trained patrol staff Costs often passed to leaseholders (now limited by BSA 2022) The Common Alarm Alternative Government encourages transition from waking watch to common fire alarm BS 5839 1 Category L2 system as minimum Waking Watch Relief Fund provides grant funding Typical alarm installation: £50,000 £150,000 (one off vs ongoing patrol costs) For waking watch assessments and alarm installations, contact us.