Need sugestions on security guard for residence in Santiago

lisagauss

Bronze
Feb 16, 2011
721
0
0
So we (junta de vecinos) finished the small room where a guard is supposed to sit/sleep while he guards our residence. I was talking to our neighbor and he suggest we use a 'cereno' instead of hiring a company. I suggest using a company because if that cereno cant make it then who will we get? Do you guys have any suggestions based on experience on a security guard? Company, Haitian with colin, cereno? Also, could you guys share cost for say a 12 hour shift or so. Cheers.
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,329
113
Prices can vary.... in our area, not Santiago, an armed guard is 50-60 pesos per hour.

We chose to go the company route after an awkward dismissal.
The company pays all the benefits, fills in for sick and vacation days and if you don'tlike your guard - ask for a new one.

Much easier especially when we here only half the year.
 

Mauricio

Gold
Nov 18, 2002
5,607
7
38
I would recommend getting a sereno. If you hire a company, first of all you have to count with a LOT higher cost. (One shift could be 20,000 to 25,000 pesos at least. Second: the company you contract can send whoever they want and often you find another guy there every now and then.

A watchman of a company will , just like a sereno, fall asleep at night, but while he is armed might easily become victim of someone taking his weapon.

We have two serenos working a 10 hour and a 12 hour shift and we pay them around 9000 pesos per month and one of them gets 6000 more for also covering Sundays and holidays.