ADT mis-selling

[Johnny]

That's probably why they are exercising all their options. Whenever you break
a contract, you become the bad guy and they are just a company (like any other
company) enforcing their rights as written in that contract.

Was the reason you broke the contract directly related to the operation of this
system? If not, using another issue to mitigate your actions with this system
is a hard road to walk.

I broke the agreement because of a CCTV system I had that broke.
I wrote to them many times stating that if matters weren't resolved then I'd
cancel my alarm system.
I ended up cancelling the alarm system 6 months ago - although they still
state that it's 'on going' and have kept sending me bills - which they can
shove up their @rse.

Reason for cancelling:
In August 2002, engineer came and went (informing his manager that the CCTV
recorder needed fixing/replacing), November 2002 I complained to them that
NOTHING had been done, end of November 2002 they took the recording unit
away - January 2003 I still ain't got it, although apparently it's sitting
in the managers office fixed!!! WTF, it's no good there, it's mine!!! Here
we are November 2003 and ADT still have my recording unit....THAT'S how
reputable they are. (They've since 'disposed' of MY recording unit and have
now offered me a 2nd hand unit.....)

Incidently, the ADT engineers have been superb, no problems with their work
at all - it's the management / administration side of things (as well as the
salesman - oops, he's not a salesman cos he don't SELL anything, the
"rentsman")

 

[Paul C]

No

Eventually ADT will be well in their right to charge you for each visit that
YOU failed to make, this is just digging yourself into a bigger hole

 

[Johnny]

No

Eventually ADT will be well in their right to charge you for each visit that
YOU failed to make, this is just digging yourself into a bigger hole

And do I have any rights to charge them for the many failed appointments
(and I really do mean many) ?

 

[fly in the ointment]

Johnny wrote

"fly in the ointment" wrote

Believe me, I have big list of faults with ADT, this was just one of them.

The engineers have missed more appointments for routine inspections than
appointments made on time (not the engineers fault, it's the
administration).

I do not doubt you. ADT is the AOL of the alarm industry here, from what
I've seen.
js

 

[Peter Ramm]

Believe me, I have big list of faults with ADT, this was just one of them.

The engineers have missed more appointments for routine inspections than
appointments made on time (not the engineers fault, it's the
administration).

How about the CCTV system I had that broke in August 2002, engineer came and
went (informing his manager that it needed fixing/replacing), November 2002
I complained to them that NOTHING had been done, end of November 2002 they
took the recording unit away - January 2003 I still ain't got it, although
apparently it's sitting in the managers office fixed!!! WTF, it's no good
there, it's mine!!!

Are you sure????

--
Pete Ramm
[email protected]

Stamp out Spam - See my anti-spam pages:
http://www.spamfreezone.org

 

[Johnny]

Are you sure????

Yes, amazingly it is mine - although the contract is near identical to the
one for the alarm, just a tiny bit of small print changed.

 

[Jackcsg]

Yeah, if we could just get ADT to start losing 330,000 customers a quarter
like AOL, that would be even nicer.

Jack

 

[Johnny]

Just breaking a contract is not the way to go. There are many options
available and the worst is to just break the contract without any third party
legal assistance.

I agree with what you're saying, but actually nothing whatsoever has been
mentioned of the contract's 'term' of 3 years.

That's why they are still
billing you because they have not agreed to the contract cancellation.

They're still billing me because they don't know their @rse from their
elbow, I've even been sent letters stating that if I don't resume my bank
direct debits then the contract is terminated - yet they still send bills!!

Just because ADT is the biggest, slowest, most unresponsive company in many people's
book.....snip

You can say that again. almost 1 and a half years and I'm STILL without my
CCTV recorder, they are a f'king joke.

 

[Johnny]

Im my opinion you need to take a look at what you can realistically hope to
achieve, and at what potential cost to you if you don't succeed, you could dick
them around by missing appointments, you could get involved with endless and
time consuming "discussions" with them, you could even drag it to court and who
knows who would prevail, my advice would be to accept that you were misled by
the salesman, accept that its partly your fault for not reading the contract
before signing, give them access to the system or remove it yourself and place
it a box for them to pick up, buy a new system and chalk it up to experience.
Even if you do succeed in getting what you want from them, will it really be
worth the time & effort to do so.

Thanks, that's pretty much what I'll do, put it down to experience -
although it'll now be my 'duty' to tell anyone who's thinking about getting
an ADT alarm some facts about the company )

 

[Johnny]

No

Eventually ADT will be well in their right to charge you for each visit that
YOU failed to make, this is just digging yourself into a bigger hole

I posted a reply a short while back, didn't appear - nice one Tiscali !!!
Here goes again:
I arranged with an engineer to come out and remove the alarm, 9:30am
appointment as I'd be out of the house before then...
The day of the appointment: I see the ADT van drive past me at speed (over
the limit!!) turning into my street at 8:50am. I get back home at
9:20am....no sign of any engineer!!
I ring ADT at 9:45am, they said "oh, you popped out didn't you, and the
engineer missed you".
WTF, I never popped out, I was in my house 10 minutes before the arranged
time.

You know how Eskimos have like 25 different words for 'snow', I reckon ADT
must know around 150 for 'time-wasting'...

 

[Robert]

I never had any gripes with the monitoring side of things, although they did
once ring the keyholder when the alarm went off - instead of me first.

My beef with them is simply that I was NEVER told that it was a 'rented'
alarm system.
I've searched on google groups, and it appears to be a bit of a common sales
tactic surely they can't get away with this?

Common "sales" method for many of the larger companies that offer a
low install price, not just ADT. Our salespeople often have to point
out the fact that Brinks or ADT is a lease and that's why our sale
price is higher. Some people prefer leases because it means they can
get a new system with more features in a few years once the lease is
up; most want to own however.

ALWAYS ask if you own the equipment and verify it in the contract.

 

[Aegis]

Common "sales" method for many of the larger companies that offer a
low install price, not just ADT. Our salespeople often have to point
out the fact that Brinks or ADT is a lease and that's why our sale
price is higher. Some people prefer leases because it means they can
get a new system with more features in a few years once the lease is
up; most want to own however.

ALWAYS ask if you own the equipment and verify it in the contract.

I've seen the ADT contract. The part where they indicates whether you are
leasing vs buying isn't exactly hidden. You DO read any contracts you sign,
don't you? Stupid not to; especially in this day and age.