Over the last 18 months we’ve all spent more time at home than ever before. And as a result, our relationship with our homes has changed beyond recognition. The same four walls have been our home offices, study areas, workout studios, cinemas and so, so much more.
Consequently, many of us have spent hundreds if not thousands of pounds on home renovations, home improvements and generally ensuring our homes are the safe and stylish havens we've needed them to be during this difficult period.
Now that we're slowly returning to work, booking holidays and looking forward to what the 'new normal' means, we'll need to make sure that we don't drop our guard when it comes to looking after our home, as well as we have our health.
Regardless, we know that millions of us are more attached to our homes than ever before, and products like Hive HomeShield can play a pivotal part in protecting what we should consider our safe space.
Why the Hive HomeShield is a must-have solution
1. Contact emergency services via the app
In the unfortunate event of a home intrusion taking place, you can ensure officers are there as quickly as possible, even if you aren't at home – all with a touch of a button.
Hive HomeShield technology works with your local law enforcement and home insurance company to provide a crime report extract, so you don’t need to fill out any extra paperwork or describe foggy details.
This includes a time log of what happened with camera stills and footage. An incident report can even be shared across social networks including Facebook, NextDoor and your road's WhatsApp group so that your next-door neighbours can be vigilant in their homes too.
Burglaries can trigger feelings of distress and concern, long after they've been carried out, so the Hive HomeShield technology can be integrated with victim support groups to call should you need emotional support following an incident.
2. Deter potential intruders with a camera siren
While we dread the thought of calling upon the police to report a break-in, the reality is that sometimes making this phone call is inevitable for many of us. But rather than waiting to get home and see the evidence of the crime, you can take instantaneous measures to deter trespassers with a camera siren.
This will alert them that you have protective measures in place and will discourage them from trying to force entry into yours and other homes in the neighbourhood.
3. Receive intelligent reports on your home
There are a multitude of reasons why customers invest in Hive HomeShield technology. Whether they've had a neighbour whose had a recent intrusion, have a young family they want to protect, or just don't want to miss an important delivery.
British Gas take an empathetic approach to each and every household they cover, knowing that family circumstances and dynamics are different from door to door.
Whatever your reason, ultimately, you'll want a comprehensive breakdown of what the technology covers and how it compares to similar offerings. In today's world where many of us are time-poor, there simply isn't enough time to sit and watch out of your window.
So they’ve designed the app to provide comprehensive, intelligent reports – all included in your affordable package. Because no one should be priced out of peace of mind.
4. Arm and disarm using your smart technology devices
With HomeShield, you can arm your home from your smartphone, tablet and even your Apple Watch. It has three modes, Home, Sleep and Away to give varying levels of smart notifications depending on the level of communication you want to receive at any given time of day – even when you're on holiday!
So whether you're in a busy meeting at work, or putting baby down to sleep, or can't hear anything over the sound of home renovations, rest assured Hive has your work and life interests at heart.
Learning from their experiences of heating homes across the land, British Gas understands that you want a traditional and human approach, providing reassurance, support and a family-orientated common sense approach.
5. Instantly alert family and trusted contacts
If you're a lover of routine, we understand how stressful unexpected events like a burglary or an unknown visitor surveying your home can be. So you shouldn't be losing sleep wondering whether your property presents itself as a potential target for thieves.
That's why, the Hive HomeShield team provide you with proactive help with tech you can trust. The app will notify you and trusted contacts with an automated phone call through notifications, so that you don't have to do any investigative work.
What's more, each family member gets their own security login, so you know exactly who has entered the home.
6. Check on your home in real time or retrospectively
While the safety of your family is paramount, it's hard to put a tangible price on the protection of your loved ones. And many home security providers can take advantage of this.
As part of their comprehensive package, British Gas will provide customers with multiple Hive devices as part of the HomeShield service as well as 30-day video playback home security service for a subscription fee of just £9.99 for premium features.
Of course, each and every customer has different plans and schedules so British Gas can provide a no-obligation quote at a time that suits you – not the other way round.
How to get Hive's HomeShield technology
Whether you've heard about this home security solution from a neighbour, locksmith or local paper, Hive HomeShield is the ‘go-to’ gadget to keep your home securely monitored with intelligent smart devices.
Visit the Hive website directly, or via one of their trusted retailers to buy HomeShield online or in-store.