Telecommunications service provider blink|bmobile and the T&T Mortgage Finance Company Limited (TTMF) have signed an agreement that will enable first-time home owners to enjoy greater peace of mind even as they enjoy the benefits of home ownership.
Speaking at the official signing of the TTMF and Blink Vigilance partnership, executive VP�Government and Enterprise Services, Rakesh Goswami, said: "We see this partnership with TTMF as a novel way to get new homeowners started on the right foot with peace of mind, and shifting the burden of worry and risk on to those who contemplate illegally breaching the boundaries of a Blink Vigilance protected property."
The agreement, which was signed at TSTT's Queen's Park Oval box, gives new homeowners who acquire mortgages through TTMF the benefit of discounted Blinl Vigilance packages to secure their homes. TTMF's chief operating officer Robert Green said the two companies did a trial run of the package deal in 2013.
"We now have a better appreciation of the benefits of this security system. The peace of mind that comes with knowing that your home is being monitored 24/7 with the support of rapid response is undeniable," he said.Goswami shared some statistics that underscored the need for and benefits of such a partnership.
"The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service online statistics for burglaries, break-ins and larceny at dwelling houses reveal that over 400 incidents occurred per month in 2012, but that figure encouragingly declined to 260 per month in 2013 and stands at 190 as the average for the first four months of this year," he said.
"Interestingly over that same period Blink Vigilance has become the fastest growing alarm monitoring service in the country and to date serves over 15,000 customers nationwide." Goswami emphasised that the Blink Vigilance package is not compulsory for homeowners taking out a mortgage with TTMF. However, he added: "Vigilance is affordable and flexible enough to ensure customers can get the level of protection best suited to their needs.
"From monitoring the key access points in a home and motion sensing technology, to armed rapid response and ambulance support and even wearable alarm triggers, Vigilance places emphasis on innovating to keep pace with customers' needs."
He also said the alarm monitoring command centre of Blink Vigilance responds to 15 alarm incidents every hour on average. Though all are not genuine emergencies, numerous interventions "have resulted in arrests, provision of medical assistance for customers or even chasing away would-be miscreants," Goswami said.
Green said: "With this partnership we at TTMF have truly achieved our mission of making home ownership an easy and rewarding experience. We firmly believe that this partnership is a mutually rewarding one that will not only benefit both institutions, but more importantly, the end-user–our customers, who truly are the beneficiaries of this partnership."