Complain about a product or service

Brinks Security

Darren of Paradise, CA April 8, 2009

This is a sub-contractor for Brinks Home Security. Contact on our rear door was placed in middle of the glass door. When opening, contact hits frame of door. Adhesive was used and not permanently screwed in. First, we cannot fully open door. Second, contact needs to me moved to proper corner of frame. Three, alarm sounded 2am in morning due to improper contact placement. Four, Brinks calls for alarm event, I explain the problem. Was told they would be happy to repair at no charge. Brinks main office scheduled appt for tech to come for Weds, April 1, 2009. No call, no show.

I called three times since then, and get same lame answer that they would be happy to send tech out from main Brinks corp. Requested call from business owner on Thursday, April 2, 2009. They informed me it would take up to 48 hours to get call back. No call back due to a weekend. Called again and informed them that I would not honor their contract, if they are not going to honor the proper installation as they said they would at no charge. Finally talked to subcontractors secretary directly last Friday. I told her that the 48 hour turn around for a call back is going to be longer than 48 hours. Suggested manager/owner contacts me as soon as possible. Still no call.

Called Brinks this morning, again getting the same lame message. They will send a message to contractor. As of today, April 8, 2009, no contact from subcontractor listed above. First complaint I have ever had to make as I have worked in corporate business management in years past. This is by far the most unprofessional service we ever had. Was wondering if I can pay another electronics engineer to come and repair and send the invoice to above named business. Before we default on payments, I deemed it necessary to file this complaint to protect later when we refuse to pay or get referred to a credit agency. They just need to complete the job before we send any money for their lack of customer service and professionalism. We have a life and a lot to do to sit around and wait for these people to show.

The only consequence that may incur is the potential of this company referring us to a credit agency for non-payment and late charges due to default on their part of an improper installation. And again, possible loss of work hours to be available for a tech if they ever come. Already happened one time, we refuse to take paid time off to be available for unprofessional conduct on their part.

Anthony of Palm Coast, FL April 3, 2009

When we built our home in Fla in 2005, we had Brinks install the home security system as we had used them before in Texas.Brinks charged us approx 1,600 broken down by items on thier installation order. We just recently cancelled the alarm monitoring and to my chagrin, the contract states that after all this time, the equipment still belongs to them. Unfortunately, we did not take the time to read the contract, so we are somewhat at fault ,although when we dealt with the salesperson from Jacksonville, he never once mentioned that the cost was all for installation and the equipment would always be owned by Brinks. We called Brinks today and the customer rep. just pointed me to the contract and said there was nothing they could do.

The result is we have paid almost 3,000 to Brinks, we cannot use the equipment and their equipment is not compatible with any other alarm monitoring co. We do declare that Brinks was deceptive in their dealings with us and want to make the public be aware of this. Do read your contracts but more importantly, we strongly recommend you DO NOT USE BRINKS.

Ida of Elizabeth City, NC March 27, 2009

I order Brinks Homes Security months after my new husband and I moved into our new home. There was a rash of home robbery in our community. The home already had all the Brinks equiptment, all we had to do was turn it on. The sales person was too eager to have me to sign the contract & turn on the equiptment building off the fear of home invasion and robbery. I never heard it explained that if you chose to no longer use your service, you will be billed for 3 years of contracted time. Six month or so, my marriage went bust, I had to move out in the middle of the night. I sought refuge with my 91 yr old mom.

I called the Brinks, cutting off service, explaining my hardship situation (due to economic times, am not able to find work in my mom's rual town & now I am her caregiver).The husband & I got divorced and the home sold. Brinks told me to write a letter to billing dept explaining my hardship. then they denied me... and sent the denial letter to the sold property That was over 2 years ago. Now my credit report is scarred up and the best they can tell me is to transfer the service my husband paid for over to my 91 yr old mom's house in another state...and let her pay for it! This is an OUTRAGE!

Please, where is the Class Action suit. My bill at Brinks is Now 700. WHY? Are they crasy, where is the buy out clause? They make no offer to work with costumers on any level. Please. Lawyer, contact me. I am ready! The consequences is called STRESS! who wants to have terrible migrane headaches every day because you can't work out solutions with your creditors!

Sue of Aurora, CO March 19, 2009

I had a false alarm sound that would not turn off. Brinks was totally unaware of the alarm which makes me wonder if they were monitoring at all. Their commercials are very misleading. I believe their equipment is faulty and when you contact them, you get very poor and unsatisfactory service from their customer service department. Their contracts are too long term, especially for the poor service you receive.

They keep billing me for service I don't receive or that is totally unsatisfactory.

Barbara of Miami, FL March 16, 2009

I had a Brinks alarm installed the end of last year and after reading one of the complaints I am going to reread the contract and make sure a date is in because I am going to cancel the day it is up. I keep getting false alarms. Once I told them my password and Brinks still sent the police out. I have a letter from the City of Miami that I get two a year and then I must pay 50.00 for each one after that. Every time the false alarm goes off, it is a different zone which makes me think all their equipment is defective. Also when you call to report the false alarm you are left on hold for some time. I never had this problem with ADT. I made a real mistake switching.

T. of Upper Darby, PA March 6, 2009

I am a current customer as a result of the commercial Brinks have which implied that Brinks system was secure. WELL! I activate my alarm as soon as I enter my home and as soon as I leave. Earlier this week, I'm upstairs in my bedroom, relaxing about to fall asleep and I roll over and realize someone is about to enter my bedroom! I jumped and yell who's that!?!? Thank God it was my brother, who has the code. After I told him that he scarred the begeebies out of me, I said but I didn't hear the sound that something was open. He said it went off and he put in the code, which I didn't hear either.

Since then I've been examining the system to find the volume so that I could adjust it higher in order to hear it when someone enters. Couldn't find it so I called and was told that it didn't have a volume. I responded I paid a lot of money for a system that I can't hear, that doesn't make since. The sound is to notify me that someone is in my home but I can't hear it. She transferred me to the manager of customer service and I was told for an additional fee I could have a key pad placed in my bedroom or I could press Instant.

Both options were not feasible as it broke my purse to sign up for this fake security so to give them more money for a poorly designed system is not an option and my brother checks on me and my son often, so when he comes in the alarm will go off if I chose the Instant option. She the thought she was reassuring me by letting me know that I would have 40 SECONDS! I told her that it takes less than that for someone to break in, come into my bedroom and force me to press the code to turn off the activation with seconds left! Then I just found out that the response time should the alarm go off is not as soon as I was believing it was. WHAT A POOR SYSTEM! I wonder how many lawsuits they have.

Ron of Crestview, FL February 17, 2009

I owned and operated several professional alarm companies in Florida between 1974 and 1994, and have installed over 2000 home and business security systems. I have recently been watching Brinks alarm tv commercials that are blatently untrue and fraudulent.

The typical (and most commonly sold or leased) alarm system depends on a digital communicating device to report an attempted break-in, and the reporting and call-back time averages 30 to 60 seconds, and sometimes longer. The commercial shows an elapsed time of only 5 seconds, with no disclaimer that actual response time may not be that fast. Immediate alarm signal transmission is still possible for systems monitored by leased by dedicated phone lines, but this is technology that is rarely used today. A disclaimer should be used, otherwise users may expect to receive that level of service....a lie that will certainly result in more sales for Brinks.

Further, at the close of the commercial, the police are shown on the victim's porch taking a report, and a Brinks yard sign is in the foreground. Intruders rarely want to break-in to a property that has an alarm system. An alarm system works best by it's mere presence as a deterrent. If the alarm is activated, then it's activation is a secondary deterrent. This commercial was poorly conceived and is misleading in nature and gives the professional alarm industry a tarnished image.

Angela of Brandon, FL February 9, 2009

I tried to cancel service and they refused saying I signed a 3 year contract for service when service was activiated. I did not I pulled out my copy and noted that the time of service was blank, the said it was filled in on thier copy and there is nothing they can do I would like to know why my copy is blank when it is a copy of the original.I am now forced to pay or have a mark on my credit score they offered me a reducded rate and I feel this is unjust and poor if not criminal business practice.

10 months of payments for not wanted service.

Carol of Longwood, FL February 8, 2009

Brinks Security employees are thiefs and liars. The salesperson told us lie after lie to sell us a Brinks security system. For example, he said we were purchasing the equipment, not leasing it. He told us that when we remodeled, there would be no additional charge to add more sensors. He told us that it would only take one hour to install the new system (it took about 5 hours) and that there would be no visible wires (there is a big wire running along my kitchen ceiling). When the installer left, he stole my existing security system that was still in working order. I have not had any problems with the system, however I plan to cancel the service as soon as my contract is up because I do not want to deal with such a dishonest company.

Existing Moose security system was taken by installer without my permission.

Missy of Corona, CA February 6, 2009

Brinks forces consumers to go into an annual contract (small fine prints) & collects due without providing service to the consumers. Whether one sells home or not, financial difficulty or not, it's annual collection. Although consumer provide 30 day notice of termination to Brinks, it is meaningless because consumer still liable for full year payment to Brinks.

I've been with Brinks for past 6 years, Per Brinks, only I can cancel the contract without monetary due is 30 day written notice to Brinks before my annual renewal date. Whether I am moving, fiancial difficulty, or dissatified with their service, I am still binding by their contract and can not cancel anytime except 30 days window of annual renewal date. Therefore, I am liable for full payments to Brinks per Brinks employees.

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