Imperial Security provides key holding and alarm response for commercial and residential clients across Havering, from retail units on Romford High Street to managed residential blocks in Hornchurch and Upminster.
Our guards hold your keys securely off site, attend the property whenever an alarm activates, and carry out a full inspection before the site is left secure again. This removes the need for a director, manager or resident to be on call outside working hours.
Romford town centre is going through a long period of change, with the Romford BID funding the My Local Bobby patrol scheme since 2023 and outline plans approved for an 840 home mixed-use redevelopment of the Rom Valley Way retail park and Seedbed Centre. Both point to the same underlying issue for property owners: as units change hands, sit vacant awaiting redevelopment, or trade alongside construction hoarding, keeping tight control of who holds keys and how alarm activations are handled becomes harder to manage internally.
A professional key holding contract means every activation is attended by a licensed guard rather than a member of staff driving in from home. It also means keys are never left with a single employee or passed between tenants informally, which matters on a high street with regular retail turnover and in residential developments with rotating lettings.
7 Day Rolling Contract
No hidden fees, hassle free, Flexible. Not locked into a long-term contract. Easy to scale up or down
Sector Specific Experience
Each security guard is selected based on experience relevant to that specific sector
Street Wise & Vigilant
Local, street-smart expertly trained to protect & deter threats. Confident & observant
| What Our Havering Key Holding Service Provides
From high street shop units to residential blocks and warehouse sites, our duties are built around the way Havering properties actually operate day to day.
Secure key storage
Your keys are stored off site to BS7984 standards and released only to authorised, vetted guards, not left in a drawer or with rotating staff.
Alarm response
When an alarm activates at your Havering premises, a guard attends, investigates the cause and liaises with police or fire crews where needed.
Premises inspection
Every response includes a walk-round of doors, windows and access points before the guard signs the property off as secure.
Emergency access and repairs
If a site needs an out of hours contractor for a leak, break or shutter fault, we supervise access so the property is never left open unattended.
Detailed incident reporting
You receive a written report after every call-out, covering the cause, actions taken and the state the property was left in.
Out of hours cover
Guards are on call 24 hours a day, so no one on your team needs to keep a phone by the bed for alarm calls.
| Who We Provide Key Holding For In Havering
Our clients across the borough fall into a small number of recurring categories, each with slightly different needs.
Independent retailers
Shop owners on Romford High Street and in Hornchurch who cannot be first on scene themselves when an alarm goes off overnight.
Residential developments
Managing agents for blocks in Hornchurch and Upminster who need a fixed point of contact when a communal alarm or fob system fails.
Offices and commercial units
Small and medium businesses in Romford and Elm Park who want alarm cover without paying a member of staff to be on call.
Warehouse and industrial sites
Units around Harold Hill and Rainham with large perimeters and out of hours deliveries that need supervised access.
We also support schools and community buildings across the borough that need a reliable response when a caretaker or site manager is unavailable.
| The Security Problems We Solve In Havering
Havering covers a wide mix of property types, from dense high streets to industrial estates and quieter residential roads, and each brings a different reason clients ask us to take over key holding.
Staff being relied on as unofficial key holders
Many shops and small offices fall back on a manager or owner holding keys personally, which means holidays, illness or a change of job can leave a property without proper cover. We take that responsibility off individual staff entirely.
Slow response to alarm activations
A keyholder driving in from home after a night call can take far longer than a guard already local to Havering. Our guards attend promptly and are trained to assess the scene before anyone re-enters the building.
Units left vacant or mid-redevelopment
With parts of Romford town centre subject to long-term redevelopment plans, some units sit vacant or change hands more often than usual. Unoccupied or transitional premises are a common trigger for alarm activations, and we make sure every one is properly checked rather than assumed to be a false alarm.
Uncontrolled key duplication
When keys pass between contractors, cleaners and staff over time, it becomes difficult to know who can access a site. Centralising key holding with one accountable provider closes that gap.
| Why Choose Imperial Security In Havering
Local operating knowledge
Romford BID has funded the My Local Bobby patrol scheme in the town centre since 2023, and outline plans are in place for a major mixed-use redevelopment of the Rom Valley Way retail park and Seedbed Centre. We factor changes like these into how we plan cover for clients nearby, including extra vigilance around units affected by ongoing construction or phased vacancy.
We cover the full borough, including Romford, Hornchurch, Upminster, Elm Park, Rainham and Harold Hill, along with the surrounding RM postcodes.
One accountable point of contact
Rather than splitting alarm response between whichever staff member is available, you have a single team who know your site, your access points and your escalation procedure.
Vetting, licensing and insurance
Every guard we place on a Havering assignment meets our company standards.
- Valid SIA licensing: appropriate to the role & verified qualifications
- BS 7858 compliant vetting: five-year employment & education history
- Enhanced DBS checks: The level appropriate for your sector
- Professional reference verification: All previous security employers
- Insurance: Public liability, employers' liability & professional indemnity
- First aid trained: Emergency response & CPR certified
- ACT counter-terrorism awareness training: Threat recognition & response certified
| How Our Havering Service Operates
01
Site survey
We visit your Havering property to record access points, alarm codes and any specific instructions before taking on your keys.
02
Secure key transfer
Your keys are logged and stored to BS7984 standards at our secure facility, away from your premises.
03
Alarm monitoring link
We connect with your alarm receiving centre so activations are passed straight to our response team.
04
Guard dispatched
A guard local to Havering attends the site promptly whenever an alarm is triggered, day or night.
05
Full premises check
Doors, windows and other access points are checked and any damage or forced entry is recorded before the site is re-secured.
06
Written report to you
You receive a full incident report after every call-out, so you always know what happened and what action was taken.
Get your free Havering key holding quote
Send us your address or postcode, the type of building, when you need cover to start, your hours of operation, the number of entrances and alarm points, and what has prompted the enquiry.
Call us on 0208 088 2878, or send your details through the quote form and we will come back to you with a written proposal.
Related services and nearby areas
See our full service page on key holding, or other cover in the area: all Havering security services, retail security in Havering, CCTV monitoring in Havering, key holding in Barking, key holding in Redbridge.