You are looking for a provider to guard a shop in Montpellier, secure a construction site in the Hérault hinterland or watch over a villa in the heights of the Hérault. The market has many players, from sole traders to national groups, and they are not all equal on the legal or the operational side. A wrong choice is costly: an officer poorly covered by insurance, an expired authorisation, a vague invoice, a non-existent response time at night.
This guide lists the verifiable criteria that separate a reliable partner from a provider to avoid. Each point can be checked before signing, with documents to back it up. The aim: to give you a simple reading grid to compare quotes on substance, not just on the price displayed.
Check the CNAPS operating authorisation
Every private security company must hold an operating authorisation issued by CNAPS, the Conseil national des activités privées de sécurité. Without this number, the activity is illegal and the company faces criminal sanctions. The manager must personally hold a manager's approval.
Ask for the authorisation number and check that it is consistent. TMG Sécurité Privée's, for example, is AUT-034-2124-12-03-20231012588. A serious provider gives it without hesitation and displays it on its quotes and contracts. Be wary of marketing phrases such as "CNAPS approved" used as a label: the exact term is operating authorisation for the company and manager's approval for the person in charge.
- The company's operating authorisation number
- The legal representative's manager's approval
- Consistency of the number with the registered name and address
Check the officers' professional licence cards
Every officer who works in the field must hold a valid professional licence card, also issued by CNAPS. This card attests to the training completed, fitness for the role and the absence of any record incompatible with the job. An officer without a valid card has no right to work, full stop.
Ask the question directly: do all the officers assigned to your site hold a current card? A structured company tracks the expiry dates and never puts an officer with an expired card on assignment. For a night surveillance assignment or a construction site post, this is a basic guarantee, not a detail.
- A valid professional licence card for each officer deployed
- Tracking of expiry dates on the company's side
- A match between the officer's qualification and the type of assignment
Require professional civil liability insurance
Private security engages the provider's liability in the event of damage, a theft not prevented through negligence, or an incident involving an officer. A current professional civil liability certificate protects your business and your personal assets alike. Ask for it before signing, check the period of validity and review the amounts covered.
A provider who hesitates to supply this certificate is a warning sign. Sending it is a routine formality for a serious company. Keep a copy in your contract file; it will be useful in the event of a claim.
Ask for verifiable references
References give an idea of the provider's real experience on sites comparable to yours. A player established in Montpellier and the Hérault knows the local specifics: seasonal tourist flows on the coast, construction sites in Béziers and Sète, co-ownerships in the heights of Montpellier, logistics zones on the Hérault plain.
Favour references you can cross-check: type of site, length of the assignment, sector of activity. Stay cautious with unverifiable claims. An anonymous testimonial or a list of logos without context is not worth a precise account you can question.
- Sites comparable to yours (shop, construction site, residential, logistics)
- The length and nature of assignments already carried out
- Knowledge of the local ground in the Hérault
Gauge responsiveness and availability
Security does not stop at office hours. A switchboard reachable 24/7 makes the difference when an alarm goes off at 3 a.m. at a warehouse in Lunel or a managing agent reports an intrusion on a Sunday. Test responsiveness before signing: call, send an email, measure the response time.
TMG Sécurité Privée maintains a 24/7 telephone switchboard on +33 4 85 69 00 86 and replies to emails in under four hours at info@tmgsp.com. In-house coverage extends to Montpellier, Béziers, Sète and the whole Hérault, with coordination through approved partners in the Bouches-du-Rhône, towards Marseille and Aix. Check that your site's area falls within the provider's direct operational scope.
- A telephone switchboard reachable day and night
- A response time for written requests that is stated and met
- Genuine coverage of your site's area
Compare pricing transparency and the fit with the site
A clear quote details the hourly rate, the number of officers, the time bands covered, and any night, weekend and public holiday surcharges. Avoid abnormally low prices: they often hide underpaid officers, poorly covered or without a valid card, which ends up falling back on you. An honest rate reflects the real cost of a declared, trained and insured officer.
The fit with the site matters as much as the price. An isolated villa, a city-centre shop in Montpellier, an open construction site and a logistics platform do not call for the same arrangement. The right provider visits or precisely frames the premises, proposes a consistent number of officers, suitable patrols and written instructions. Ask for a proposal built on your real need, not a standard package applied without analysis.
- A detailed quote: hourly rate, headcount, time bands, surcharges
- A rate consistent with the cost of a declared and insured officer
- An arrangement sized to the type and exposure of the site
