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Deidre of Brooklyn, NY September 9, 2008
I was contacted by this company and told that I could receive a brinks alarm system with free installation for a monthly payment of appx. 35. When the techincian showed up (over two hours late), he started to install the system. He handed me a contract that was for THREE YEARS with no cancellation! I told him that I would never agree to a three year contract with no cancellation option, and I was informed that it was a monthly fee for this service. Needless to say, I did not sign and he took his Brinks security system with him.
Appx. two weeks later, I received a letter from them, stating they feel i owe them 1295.64 for the installation of equipment that I dont have and gave me a contract # for a contract that I didn't sign
I now have to take the time off work to deal with this matter in civil court as well as the aggravation of being a potential scam victim Yvonne of Wilmington, DE September 8, 2008
I had Brinks install a security system in July 2008. I am in the process of selling my home and when I called Brinks I was advised that I still have a 22 month committment to the contract and that I would be billed for the remaining months. This is ridiculous! I will no longer own the home where the service is located. Since I did not recall signing a 3 year contract, I reviewed the documents and yes there it was in small print.
As it turns out, I had to run an errand while the service was being installed so I asked my estranged husband to stay at my home while the service was being installed. While I was gone, the Brinks serviceman got him to sign my name on the contract. I did not authorize anyone to sign my name to a 3 year contract. So I did not actually sign the contract.
Since I am the sole homeowner wasn't it the responsibility of the Brinks representative to make sure that the person singing the contract had the authorization of the homeowner? I would not have committted myself to a 3 year contract that ties me to a service even if I no longer lived at the address.
I have been informed by Brinks that I am responsible for paying for the additional 22 months of service eventhough I will no longer be living at the address where the service exists. I was also advised that if I do not pay, I take the risk of being reported to the credit bureau. I have an EXCELLENT credit credit score (800) and I do not want this to go against my credit record. I am retired and on a fixed income and can not afford this unneccessary expense.
James of Lawrenceville, NJ September 5, 2008
In August 2007 I attended a Trenton Thunder (Double-A baseball game) in Trenton, NJ). Brinks had a table display promoting a contest to win a free home security system and installation. I filled out a card and wasn't expecting to win anything. A few days later I was contacted by a salesman John to tell me I had WON the contest and would be receiving a FREE home security system and FREE installation.
An appointment was made and John came out to my house and had me sign a bunch of papers - with alot of fine print. Unfortunately one of them was for a 3 year service contract. I have paid for the service for 1 full year, but after my wife and I got 2 dogs we decided we didn't need the service anymore. So I contacted Brinks to terminate the service. They informed me that I still owed them over 800.00 for 2 more years of the service contract. I explained to them that I had WON the free home security system and free installation.
I did not know I was bound to continue a contract for three years or would be held liable for the outstanding charges. I feel as though Brinks used deceitful sales tactics and were not forthcoming as they should have been about the contract. I think I should be able to get out of the 3 year commitment since I won the FREE system and FREE installation. I would like them to terminate the remaining 2 years due to the way the contest was presented to me and the service agreement not fully explained to me. Otherwise had I been a fully informed consumer, I might have made a different decision.
Jean of Murfreesboro, TN August 15, 2008
I have opened the brink account for about 7 months. I have always assuming my house is very safe since I have the alarm system. However, until this month the intruder broke into my house and the motion detector can not even detects the movements. Later, I called the Brink securtiy and they told me that the system in my house was unable to send the signals. Then, next day they send a technician out, I asked him why someone can broke into the house and how can the motion detector not detected the movement. He was telling me that the system can only help prevent KIDS not the PROFESSIONAL THEFTS.
In addition, from his words he have already knew it from the first day when installed the equipment that the motion detector (the one is prewired in my house) is too far above the ground and he did not advise that I should have it adjusts or perhaps install another motion detector. I just think the security system is not secure at all. Because it can only prevent KIDS.
After the technician left, i called the brinks 1800 number and ask about why the sales and tech did not advise us how the system should be properly adjusted or position to be more effectively to secure the house. Then, they was telling me the motion detector is kept at the height because to prevent some of people who got pet in the house. But from first day when i called them about the price and the day when the tech was came out install the system, I have told them i have not pet in my house.
They just give me all kind of excuses tried to let me know they have no responablility for all of these, and all these things are happend is all my fault. In addition, this makes me feel like the alarm system is useless. Because just like me, if someone is breaking into my house next time, they probability will tell me again my system is not communicate and can't send signals. Then, they dont have to responsible for anything. So, why i have to pay for the monthly fee and sign the contract with them for 3 years
Karen of Duluth, GA August 9, 2008
Relocated to GA and leased a house for a year. All the homes in the community were protected by Brinks and this was even advertised at the entrance to the community. so I called Brinks to have the monitoring service activated as the keypads were already installed in the home. A technician came and activated the monitoring system and everything was fine until...I called Brinks 90 days before my lease was up to find out what the process was for discontinuing service. I was told all I had to do was send in a copy of the lease and the service contract would end.
Well, after that call, all of the keypads displayed an error code. I called Brinks and asked them what was going on and they said we thought you were cancelling the service. I informed them that I still had two more months on my lease and needed protection for the home throughout the lease period. I was assured that the service would be turned back in within hours. It never was reactivated. I called repeatedly several days in a row and was told repeatedly service would be turned back on in a matter of hours. it never was.
However, after we moved, Brinks sent a bill for 752 and some change which represented two years of monitoring fees even though our lease was just for a year. I have tried unsuccessfully to resolve this with them via phone fax and mail to no avail. What makes this even worse is I was a loyal Brinks customer since 1996 and this was the first time I had leased a home as opposed to being the homeowner and this is how I was rewarded.
Even though Brinks failed to provide monitoring service for the full term of my lease, Brinks has turned my account over to collections and I will have to fight this in small claims court. My credit was excellent until now. I am incensed that Brinks would have the audacity to do this to me. Unfortunately, it appears my recourse is limited and their immunity is unlimited despite a pattern of disreputable business practices in several states.
Dianne of Emporia, VA July 29, 2008
New customer has to pay an additonal 20.00 for a yard sign to advertise for Brinks. We feel that with the amount of real and personal property we are trying to protect that two free yard signs is a reasonable request. after all we sign a three agreement and visibility of the sign would be free advertisment for Brinks. The other option is to leave the two free ADT signs in the yard; all we want is security protection anyway. We are not happy with the service thus far. Thank you
Kristen of Brentwood, NY June 20, 2008
A sales reprensetative came to my home in which I purchased a complete alarm system wich included the system, installation and monotoring. The price given to me from the sales rep then changed when the technician came to install. I then paid for the year in full and since then have gotten 2 bills from Brinks. I have contacted them and disputed as 2 different amounts from the sales rep and instalation gentelmen.
I since got 2 bills with 2 different balances. I paid the bill and now have a credit which I had to request to get back, otherwise would be credited to my bill next year April. Now I am having a problem with my system in my home and i have only had the alarm two months and they want to charge me labor fees to send someone out. However, my alarm is setting off on its own.
I am completely aggravated and frustrated with them and there terrible service and all the different things i was told by my sales rep. i signed a contract with one rate and now charged another. i do not understand how they can do this. i would never recommend anyone to this company as you will have complete fustration and dissatisfaction.
Steve of Hillsboro, OR June 19, 2008
I should first point out that I worked for Brinks for one miserable month. The sales tactics they teach you are beyond slimey. They use fear to sell try to get you to do a quick one-call sale so you don't have time to read their full contract. After I quit them I e-mailed them that I wanted to cancel my service. I was at least smart enough to sign a month to month contract rather than a multi year agreement. I hear they don't even offer those any more.
They kept trying to get me to call them which I would not do because I knew the tactics they would try to use to keep me. They try to play on your guilt by saying things like so you're not concerned about your family's safety? To make a long story short I ended up having to have the Oregon State AG's dept of consumer fraud write them a letter to get them to cancel my service.
Their reply was that they would have canceled my service if I had faxed them a letter (something they never mentioned in any previous communication with me).
Karen of Plan, TX June 15, 2008
I purchased a Brinks security system and monthly service. Initial cost for equipment was 535. In order to reduce expenses I decided to disconnect my land line phone and go to a wireless security system. I discussed this with Brinks prior to the end of the 3 year contract. No mention was ever made of the clause in small print on the contract of the automatic renewal of the contract unless they were notified within 30 days. After the three years were up I believed that I had fulfilled the terms of the contract and once again spoke to Brinks regarding a wireless system.
I eventually scheduled an appointment for a Brinks wireless installation but then cancelled that appointment when I found another company at a much cheaper rate. I did at that time cancel the appointment and also cancelled the Brinks service. Sometime after that I received a call from Brinks regarding the cancellation and was transferred to an individual who told me about the small print clause and said that I owe an additional 272.79. Since I paid up front over 500 and then 38 mnthly for the next three years and then some I have refused to pay this. I am concerned about the reflection on my credit.
I am a 70 year old single woman who wants to stop working and to reduce expenses. I am appalled that a company of Brinks stature whom I thought to be reputable would go to this extent to squeeze out dollars. My account has been turned over to a collection agency and I have received a threatening notice saying that I have failed to pay for equipment and services. This is just unbelievable to me and I look forward to spreading the news about Brinks.
Consequences will be damage to my credit if reported to a credit agency; humiliation if I were obligated to pay, as well unbelivably taken advantage of.
Ray of Los Angeles, CA May 30, 2008
Brinks Security call me and said thet were recevieing a trouble call from my box and that I needed to disconnect my system by disconnecting my battery. I told that my back had been injured and I was unabe to do that and please sedn out a technician. The agent then said, Can I get my neighbor to do it and I said, my neighbors are doctors and I am sure thet have better things tto do than work on my burgular alarm. I then explain to the the customer service agent that I was having work being done at my house and possibly one of the workers cut a wire and that I would by pass the doors that was giving a trouble call to their office. The custimer service agent insisted that I disconnect my system all together and refuse to send me a technician and that thet did not have a techician that work over the holiday weekend (momorrial day). I told him okay, send me a tech out the next tuesday and I would pay for it if its my fault and I am no longer going to take these rude comment from you and let me speak toa supervisor.
I spoke with a supervisor and he explain to me that they will only send a tech out when its their own fault with theor system. I told him this is a dumb idea and that you have no regards for your customers and should't matter who fault the problem was cause by as long as it is rectified and especially if I am willing to pay for it. Any way, I told them to get a custmer service tech again by tuesday.
I sat around all tuesday and no service tech. So I called again, and spoke to a different customer service agent and was made aware of that no sevice call was never sent to my home and the earliest one that could be sent 2 days later. I threaten to cancell after 9 years of service and was told they would come take their equipment out of my house. I was then greeted first thing the next morning with a Brinks service tech to remove the system out of my house. After paying for this system for over nine and half years I am sure I have paid for this system at least three times. I would not recondmend them to anyone and their policy [is bad] from techs to management.
I also had damage to my walls where he ripped the systems off my walls
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