For 12 + years, from the time I first bought our last home, I was an ADT Security Services customer, home alarm and monitoring for burglary, fire, etc. We paid our bill each month, never heard from them except for when the alarm was tripped, no problem. Then about a year ago ADT reps showed up at door and offered an equipment upgrade if we signed a new contract. They said we would need to call ADT’s home office to cancel the old service, which we did and set it for the day before the new contract was to start. They put in a motion sensor and glass break detection device a couple of days later.
Then the same guys called back a week later and said ADT wouldn’t cover their equipment cost unless we’d not been customers for 3 months or longer, that the special had only been for new customers. Huh? That’s when we learned they were a sub-contracting security company representing ADT. They wanted us to go with another company so they weren’t out the new equipment cost. I checked into their recommended replacement, it failed the BBB report and I refused. So the new contract stayed in place, and they (subcontractors) were out the upgraded equipment cost since ADT wouldn’t reimburse them.
6 months later we moved to a new home. We left the existing ADT coverage running as the new owner said he wanted the coverage. But when he tried to call and roll it over to his name there was a problem, so he lost interest. We called ADT to cancel the remainder of the coverage, only to learn they were going to charge us 75% of the remainder to cancel, around $580. I said no, we’ll opt to just transfer the coverage to our new home rather than throw that much cash away on nothing.
So the service rep came out in March, 2010 to transfer the contract. We had to sign for another 3 years but that voided the old contract. She looked everything over and scheduled an installer. We have a security system already in place, it just isn’t monitored by police, fire, etc. The Installer came a week later but said since we have AT&T UVerse he needed some other equipment. That was in May. We never heard back and all our calls to the service rep and the 800 number went unreturned. They did, however, continue making monthly automatic withdrawals from our credit card account. I called no less than a dozen times, even speaking to the Regional Custom Home Account Manager. He agreed we owe nothing, promised to fix things with billing, promised he’d get someone out and promised he would call me back… but he never ever did.
Now it’s been 7 months since we resigned and over 5 months since it was supposed to be running. We get a bill from a collection agency on ADT’s behalf for $580 from the old house contract that apparently was never negated by the new contract because in ADT’s records we’re not being monitored. So despite us asking to have the service transferred, signing a new contract, allowing someone out to install, having money withdrawn monthly from our account and repeatedly calling to see why it’s not working yet, they’ve turned the supposedly negated account over to collections. Un-frikkin-belivable.
So I keep calling, speak to a half dozen other reps who all say they’re sorry and concerned, will look into it and all promise to call me back. Not one single person ever does. All the while with home invasions on the increase we’re without a monitored system. I’ve learned in those conversations that when they didn’t get everything running within a couple of months, that new contract we signed became void as well.
I’ve now reported them to the BBB, describing the issue and providing a log of all the calls I made and who I spoke with, have cancelled the monthly payment and keep calling both the 800 number as well as the Regional CH Manager. My wife just emailed me that ADT’s collection agency called (instead of mailed) and they want $580. My ears give off a sound like hot water kettles as steam shoots out from them. I invite them to break in and take it. It’s not like we’re being monitored or anything.
What can I do? Small claims court? Hire an attorney? I’ve tried going as high as I can on the phone to these people and every single attempt has been in vain. No way I’m paying them $580 for nothing, especially after transferring the contract. I’ve made every effort to be both a loyal and good customer and meet with only incompetence at every turn. Never have I seen a company so poorly run, so miserable at managing the simplest of requests or tracking what’s due.
I’m really, really starting to hate these guys. And if you’re considering service I strongly suggest you look someplace other than ADT. Abysmal Delivery Techs. Their incompetence exceeds what I’d thought possible… and then some.
