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ADT - Military Clause

ADT Security • Sales practices • Service • Military clause

Steven of Oklahoma City (10/11/03):
On April 11, 2000, my wife and I allowed an authorized ADT representative to give us information on a home security system. We learned that he worked for a company called Interactive Systems, and that they are an authorized dealer for ADT in the Omaha area. A gentleman named Robert Weidal came to see us and present the montitoring package. One of the important questions we asked Robert was if his company, and therefore ADT, had a Military Clause embedded in their contracts. He said yes, and that if we were to invoke that clause, we would be immediately relieved of further obligation to any contract in question with Interactive Systems and ADT.

Since I am in the military, and able to be moved pretty quickly from residence to residence, I thought that a good deal, and signed on for 3 years. I never saw a written military clause from Robert or ADT to this date, even though I continue to ask ADT for a copy. They have stated many times that they do have one, and that all their authorized dealers and ADT are bound by this clause.

I received Permanent Change of Station orders to proceed to Laughlin AFB, Texas that same year about one month after I signed ADT's contract. I was only able to move into base housing, where ADT security service is not permitted. When I called to cancel the service, invoking the military clause, ADT was more than willing to work with me and relieve me of the contract. Unfortunately, Interactive Systems was not. They said I was bound by the contract I signed, which was ADT's authorized dealer contract, and that I owe them the remainder of payments for the service agreement.

I contacted ADT, who said they would contact Interactive Systems and straighten it all out. Almost two and a half years go by, and I receive a collections notice in the mail from General Services Bureau. They claimed that I owed Interactive Systems $742.25 for monitoring service rendered during the past couple of years. I contacted ADT immediately, and asked them what happened. They stated that they don't have any jurisdiction over private, authorized dealers of ADT and their collecting of fees.

I contacted General Services Bureau with two certified letters and supporting documentation explaining my position. They responded to the first letter with another copy of the ADT contract, and the second letter recieved no response. I contacted ADT once again, and recieved a warm response from one of the sales representatives who gave me valuable information on how to alleviate this nuisance. I faxed her documents to support my case. She said she would pass the paperwork along to Karen Stitt, the ADT authorized dealer manager, who in turn would deal with the payment and fix the problem. I haven't heard from this sales representative since, even though I have contacted her extention about 20 times. About 3 weeks after I submitted this paperwork, I contacted General Services Bureau, who said that the account in question was now closed, and the balance was $0.00. I asked for a receipt, and they said they would send one ASAP.

When I didn't recieve a receipt about 3 weeks after the fact, I contacted them again. This time, the representative said that the account was "pulled," and the balance was $0.00 still. I asked again for a receipt, and her answer was that "We don't do that." I figured that I would contact Interactive Systems to close this problem once and for all and ask for information as to what happened. I wanted to know if ADT paid the amount, or is it still open. Before I could do that though, I discovered when refinancing my home that the payment showed up in my credit report as delinquent. I was stunned!

During this whole event, I was never contacted by Interactive Systems, or ADT that I owed any money to them. The only notice I received was from General Services Bureau. According to the Dealer contract, I need to receive notice of their intent to collect payment from me. In any case. I never received any invoices, a phone call, or a letter to signify their intent. It was not until General Services Bureau contacted me with a letter to collect that I realized the problem existed.

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