This nightmare started when a door to door salesman came to my house selling alarm systems. She told me that they were installing free systems for some homes in order to promote their company. They would do it for free if we put a "Monitronics" sign in our front yard.
When we moved in the house there was already an existing system, but we never set it up. She explained that they could upgrade the control panel and add to the system at no additional cost. Since there was no fire protection in the existing system, and they would add the fire alarm at no cost, with keyless entry, and a few more sensors, we figured why not. Sounds like a good promotional deal.
We agreed to a 3 year contract @ $44.99 with a $99.00 install fee spread over the first three months. This did not seem like a bad plan since we did not have a landline phone, just voice over IP, they threw in a 499.00 cellular transmitter at no additional cost.
All in all we received (2) Keyless Entry Remotes, an additional window sensor in the basement, a motion detector in the garage, an incorporated fire alarm, an upgraded control panel, and a cellular transmitter. They said this was all free in exchange for putting their sign in our front yard.
On 4/10 we signed the contract around 7:00pm. During this process our sales representative called her company Platinum Protection, to verify personal information and set up the account. We PERSONALLY GAVE OUR PRIMARY, SECONDARY, HOME, AND WORK phone numbers to call in case of a security breach, emergency, and/or a fire.
After that was concluded she called the "Installation Team" to set up an appointment. She said that the install would only take an hour or so and that they could squeeze one more in for the night. The appointment was made for 8:30pm on that same day. This did not seem like a reasonable business practice to us, but we agreed. I should have known from this point on that this was not going to be an unpleasant experience.
This "Install Team" did not show up until 9:30pm, they were not in any sort professional uniform, neither was the sale representative, expect for some cheesy ID card around their necks. They did not get the job done until around 11:00pm, and that was after sitting on hold with their own activation team for about 20 min.
When they left, they assured me that the monitoring company was receiving signals and that the system was working. They gave me a demonstration and instructions for basic operation of the system.
My wife and I went out of town from 5/4 to 5/6. We set the alarm before we left. We assumed everything went ok while we were gone. We did not receive any phones calls regarding burglary or fire.
On 5/12 I was mowing my lawn when my neighbor approached me. He said "Did you get the alarm thing figured out? I was puzzled; I did not know what he was talking about. He said that on 5/6, prior to us returning I guess, that our alarm system was going off "all morning" as he put. He never seen any police dispatched or anyone else for that matter check on our house. He walked over, got the phone number of the MONITRONICS sign and called them. Opposed to contacting the correct people they are obligated to under contract, they remotely shut off the system.
While our system was going off, our home potentially being robbed or burned down, we were not notified. They did not call the authorities, primary contacts, secondary contacts, home phone (pointless) or work phones.
I would like to say at this point, Platinum Protection & Montronics both breached their own contract. The first clause of the contract that I signed with Platinum Protection says, and I quote, "Company, or its contractor, upon receipt signal from Customers Premises indicating that the System has been activated, IS RESPONSIBLE ONLY FOR ENDEAVORING TO NOTIFY THE POLICE, FIRE, MEDICAL SERVICES UNIT, GUARD SERVICE, OTHER AUTHORITIES, OR OTHER PERSONS WHOSE NAMES AND TELEPHONE NUMBERS ARE SET FORTH IN THE SUBSCRIBER CONTACT LIST TO BE COMPLETED AND SUBMITTED TO COMPANY"
So by failing to contact myself, my wife, the police, the fire department, our secondary contacts, our home phone (pointless), and our work phones, they breached their own contract.
This is where the run around starts.
Being very puzzled and confused I called Monitronics, the company name and number posted in my front yard. They confirmed receiving signals and notifying the property owner. They didn't call me or my secondary contacts. He read several different phone numbers, none of which were my listed contacts on the contract I had right in front of me. He advised me to call the "broker" of the contract, Platinum Protection.
I then did as he instructed and called Platinum Protection. After being transferred a few times I finally got to tell my story. They told me I need to call Monitronics back and verify my contact information. I said that I had already talked to Monitronics, and they told me to call you. (Platinum Protection). They then transferred me again to a "supervisor". She told me that she would call Monitronics and see what was going on.
She called me back about 20 minutes later and said she had set up the account correctly with the right information. She assured me that everything was ok.
I then took it upon myself to call Monitronics back to test the system. The Monitronics customer service representative had me trip the system. He said they received the signals and that everything was ok. He than abruptly ended the conversation saying, he needed to cancel the call, if any, to the authorities.
Again, we assumed everything was ok with the system. We figured that we were entitled to a credit for the first month of monitoring service that we paid for but did not receive due to the account being set up incorrectly. No fault of our own mind you.
So again, I called Platinum Protection. I, again, got the usual run around until I was pawned off on some poor sap. I, again, told my story. The customer service representative then told me she would have to contact Monitronics, verify what I had said, talk to her accounting department, and then calls me back with a verdict.
She called me back about a half an hour later. She told me that they could give me a credit for the first month of service. (Admitting I was not being monitored.) She then informed that they needed to send a technician out because it appeared that my system was not working. (Relayed through her from Montitronics.)
This is where I lost it. I was pleased with them giving me a credit that I was entitled to. HOW WAS MY SYSTEM NOT WORKING? THEY TOLD ME SEVERAL TIMES THAT IT WAS!!!
By this time I was sure that I was dealing with two very incompetent companies that are not in the least bit customer oriented. Can I trust them with my house and everything I had worked for? Absolutely not.
I refused to have a tech come to my house. I wanted to cancel my service, and demanded a refund for the monitoring service. I had paid for installation of the new equipment. (I paid for the installation of a system that did not work, and paid for a monitoring service that I did not receive.)
She then told me that we would have to pay 80% of the contract per the cancellation terms of the contract. I was outraged. Why should I be entitled to hold my end of the contract if they did not hold theirs?
To me, that is like getting a car loan to buy a new car., paying all of the payments on time for the first few months. Then the bank comes and takes the car back, then expects you to pay 80% of the loan. That is nonsense and a scam. Or should I say MON-sense?
I pleaded my case to the representative, even the breach of contract on their part scenario, to no avail. She said that since they offered to fix the problem, it was not a breach of contract. Even though no where in their contract does it state that they reserve that right.
After a very heated conversation I refused to give them another dime. I immediately closed the checking account they were withdrawing the money from.
A few weeks later we received a bill for another month's service. Fearing judgment and/or credit damage, we contacted them (PLATINUM PROCTECTION on 8/6. They said they would review the matter.
I have to call back, again, tomorrow to talk to a customer service manager. I don't feel that they will resolve this tomorrow.
Further more, in the bottom clause it is read as follows:
"THIS AGREEMENT SHALL NOT BE BINDING UPON COMPANY UNLESS EITHER APPROVED IN WRITING BY AN OFFICER OF COMAPNY OR COMPANY BEGINS MONITORING SERVICE." An officer from the company never signed the contract on their behalf; and according to their customer service team was I never properly being monitored. Contract was never legally binding. Thanks for playing.
Brianmilliner
west valley city, Utah
U.S.A.
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