Everyone comes into the hallway. Not into your home.

Start at your own front door with a contact magnet, and put one motion detector in the hall — in most apartments all rooms open onto it, so that's where you catch anyone who comes in. If you live on the ground or first floor, the balcony door is your second point. And don't forget the storage unit in the basement: it's often behind a simple lock and full of bikes and tools.

Mainly you need fewer sensors, not a different system. That's why we recommend the same ShieldLink® Pro control panel as in a house, but with a smaller kit around it. That saves money where it can, while you keep the 4G alerts and battery backup. Want to expand later — a video doorbell, a smoke detector, an intercom down the line — then the control panel doesn't need to change.

Inside your own apartment you decide that yourself, and that's where everything of ours goes: sensors, control panel and indoor siren. What you do need permission for is anything on the façade, in the stairwell or in other shared spaces — an outdoor siren or a camera filming the gallery, for example. That's why for apartments we deliberately recommend a setup that stays entirely inside. Not sure about your storage unit? It usually counts as your private area, but check with your owners' association.