ADT

My mother called this company to get an alarm system installed and she wanted the $27.99 a month payment that she had seen advertised. Knowing that my mom does not have a landline they never told her that the bill would be $52.99 after she repeatedly told them that she doesn’t want to spend more than the $27.99 a month. The salesperson continued to install the system even though again she kept telling them she didn’t want anything extra. She called the next day after the installation and they said she would be paying $52.99 a month. I am so disappointed in this company that they LIE to their customers and don’t LISTEN to what their customers want.

Please be very careful with ADT, I thought they were more of a respected company but I guess I was wrong. Terrible way of doing business. She canceled the contract within 24 hours and I’m sure they will try and make her pay something. If they do I will be back on to write another review to warn consumers because again that’s another rip off that this company makes money from. ADT should be disappointed the way they run their business.

I called ADT today to get those sensors removed and also to get a refund since the sales rep guaranteed the weather would not make the sensors set the alarm off. ADT tells me they don’t “own” my account for another seven months, their authorized dealer does for now, and I would need to contact them for a refund. Corp cannot make such decisions on my account. That’s another thing I didn’t know, I didn’t know an authorized dealer had installed our equipment! Defender is horrible!!! So when I called to cancel, the customer service with Defender stated I couldn’t cancel because I was locked in a three year contract! The sales rep had told us it was only one year! It’s just sad and ridiculous how these sales rep lie to customers to get service! After the three years, I will never use ADT again or recommend them to anyone who needs security system service!!!

I only get the two months after that period where they continued to bill me, and if that wasn't insulting enough I get to wait 10 business days to get my money back unless I call yet again to get the funds released early. Between the irritation of being on hold after numerous calls, emails asking to Test an alarm that to my knowledge after each attempt had been disconnected, and the lack of follow through to quickly resolve their mistake I can safely say I WILL NEVER USE ADT again.

Now, I'm getting that higher priced bill monthly (so there was really no promotion) with no money back from ADT for the difference...and to top it off, when I call customer service, they state that there IS no promotion for me because of the lack of the landline. I was NEVER once told this by anyone, and I spoke with at least 3 people before agreeing to the system, including a manager named Elbey (employee #**). ADT states that because I didn't cancel in the first 30 days, "We can't help you." I didn't want to cancel (at that time)! I was waiting for a check (I know, silly me) which I was told could take a few weeks (check's in the mail...oh my, I think they want their customers to feel stupid!). The thing is, the installer (from Protect Your Home) truly thinks this is how it works. I assume he's been told this by ADT? I called him back (after no check in mail) as well and he actually stated "They don't educate us much on this".

So, you have 2 companies (ADT hires out the installation) that each are telling customers something different, and when you call, ADT acts like they've NEVER heard of such a thing... "Are you sure about this?", "We don't even have an offer for $19.99", and my favorite, "The manager isn't available right now, but I'll have him/her call you back". I've never gotten a call back from ADT. It's because they absolutely DO NOT care about their customers. They are out there trying to get YOUR money. I am legitimately afraid of what will happen at the end of this contract when I try to cancel. Based on people's reviews, I have a reason to be scared (why oh why didn't I read these before purchasing from ADT?...because the reviews speak to what this company is about)!

There aren't that many companies out there that you truly cannot even call customer service for help. Trust me, it will feel like you are talking to brick wall. Do NOT call them if you have high blood pressure (or at least take your meds before you call)! This whole experience with ADT feels like a REHEARSED SCAM. And they are getting away with it, so they will keep doing it as long as they can. The only thing I know to do (other than a letter to the CEO, which I've already written) is to tell everyone to please avoid this company at ALL costs. Sadly, I picked ADT based on name alone to secure my home, and they are not at all what I thought they were. I hope I can save even one person from making the same mistake.

On another note, we've had one issue within 3 days of our alarm being installed, it was not connecting to the local tower already. This issue was resolved on our own via phone with ADT. We've contact customer support and I addressed these issues and concerns. The lady I talked to over the phone for customer support was very rude, unprofessional, and refused to let me speak with a manager or supervisor.

Long story short, the installer called to explain to his supervisor that the customer had a different understanding of the incentive that was provided. The supervisor declined to talk directly to me, and told the installer that all incentives had been maxed out and the substitution was the only way to complete the transaction. At that point I asked the tech to remove the control panel that he had just installed as well as the wiring that had been fished thru the wall and into the garage.

Upon his departure I asked for a Customer Service number to call regarding the damage and it was provided. After two phone calls to that service I now have an e-mail address for which to send two professional estimates (on letterhead) and pictures of the damage. So now my wife or I have to arrange to get these estimates... We both work and one of us will have to make special arrangements for this. Summary: Make sure you understand every single charge/fee for everything that you "think" you are getting, and confirm each and every piece BEFORE anything is touched in your house.

Technician came in and changed batteries on my remote key system and confirmed that batteries from my wireless keypads should be changed because keypads were continuing to generate warning message, but he did not have it on the stock. So he placed an order on online and made it ship to my address and he left. To my surprise, the package I received had batteries for remote key system which he already changed when he came in. Again, I called ADT and explained the whole story. I am now being told that we need to make one more technician visit to change these batteries for which I need to pay for trip fee and battery cost. Reason I am provided is that last time, the trip was made to change only the remote batteries.

Questions I have are, why did ADT system not know that the batteries had to be changed for wireless keypad systems before the first technician visit itself? Was the first trip not set up for diagnosing and fixing all the issues? Why am I supposed to pay for ADT’s mess and waste my time by going through all these unproductive activities when the technician misplaced order? Note that I spent almost $2K-$3K on devices alone, but it is pathetic that ADT is driving me crazy just to get the batteries changed. Soon, I will definitely be moving out of them. From my experience, I warn you guys to stay away from ADT. It is not worth our money and time.

When the alarm is set the camera should start recording when movement is detected, this did not happen. The alarm never went off. We came home to our alarm still being still set, yet failing to trigger at all of the above discussed events. My jewelry was stolen in addition to many sentimental items that cannot be replaced. I reported the events to ADT. They sent someone out, who confirms my system is working and has no explanation as to why it failed. After his visit, I tested the alarm system myself. I set the alarm as I do when we leave home. However, we stayed inside the house and walked the path that the intruder would have walked. The motion detectors never triggered the alarm. My husband, niece and myself stood in front of the upstairs motion detector and jumped up and down waving our arms and hands, it took nearly 3 minutes for the alarm to trigger.

A manager comes out the following week to check the system and again tells me that everything appears to be working. I explain that I tested it myself and there is an obvious issue. He tells me he will put in a ticket to escalate the problem and have it addressed. It has been a month and I have not heard anything from them. I emailed the manager over one week ago and I have not received a phone call or response. I am paying a monthly fee for a defective alarm system. I do not feel safe in my own home. They need to take responsibility!!!

ADT is refusing to allow me to change from Hikvision cameras to ADT Pulse Cameras, even though I submitted request to cancel contract for Hikvision the day after installation & had 3 business days to change my mind. The Hikvision cameras were double the price of ADT Pulse cameras. I am 76 years old, have an inoperable brain tumor & plan to file a complaint to Federal & State Commerce Divisions & other agencies about ADT abuse of elderly, disabled, & most vulnerable.

Updated on 09/20/18: I am a long-time ADT customer but began having continual problems with ADT cameras beginning August 31, 2018. Since 8/31/2018, I've had multiple ADT camera problems with multiple hours of ADT employees being at my house. This has caused me a lot of stress. Today, ADT notified me they were cancelling my service because they can't "seem to satisfy" me with the camera problems. My camera complaints were legitimate and I pay monthly for a maintenance fee, which covers work performed by ADT to repair or fix system and camera problems. I would prefer to stay with ADT because I have a lot of money invested in their products.

I'm a senior citizen and need ADT service but ADT said they had the right to terminate my contract. I plan to have my attorney check into the contract my ADT to see if this is legitimate. All the money I have invested in ADT products since 2011 are not compatible with other security companies so I have lost a lot of money. There are State & Federal Laws to protect elderly, disabled, and most vulnerable from physical and monetary abuse. This is an example of WHY these laws are necessary.

I found out because of my cancellation (this was from a charge that they tried to run through my checking account with and final bill sent) ADT had charged me $932. Let me say this again - I was told whenever I moved, all they had to do is transfer service to whichever location I move to free of charge. They have since then sent my information to a collection agency, in demand of payment. I promise, I will never use them again, I will see to it that no one I know ever uses them again. The power of social media. I will cost them far more than $932.

Update 8.25.18. I received my smart switch and had to call in to install. After 45 minutes I was told that the most recent technician DID NOT install everything I need and they need to send out a technician again!!! WOW. And these people are supposedly protecting my family. Oh and they need to call me back to set up the return technician.

Update 9.1.18. I was guaranteed that a technician would fix the problems today. The technician comes in today and informs me that his visit today is only to see if the installation was done correctly. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!! I was told it was not by the company. Oh and he tells me that they are sooo overworked! HE does not have the proper equipment. HE has to reschedule to come out. He gives me an attitude. I call ADT. Ask to speak to a supervisor. I get the, "I am sorry to hear that. I do not see your claim that the previous installation was not completed." Oh really you think a technician that was not prepared and did not do his job would actually write notes. The supervisor is going to check on this but I am not allowed to speak to his supervisor. WOW ADT.

So, I made an appointment for the following day for someone to come out and talk to me. The installer/sales rep came out and first thing he did was install a keypad. This was a little bit confusing at first but it all makes sense when the hustle begins. After he installed the keypad, he basically walked us through the house and gives a spiel about break-in statistics and asks you leading questions to get you to agree to whatever they are going to add. Typical sales tactics. For example, "statistically, the bathroom window is the 2nd most broken into area of houses" then later "wouldn't you agree that the bathroom window should be protected? Then we could put 3 sensors in there." And it never ended after that.

After the walkthrough and all the add ons we sit down and then they hit you with it. He tells us all the stuff that we wanted was over $9k and the monthly is $58 because the system has a cell signal and we can use the app. He said he is going to bring it down to $7k and "because I have good credit, they can break it into 4 payments." I told him what the representative on the phone said and he basically told me that for that we won't be getting any of that stuff from the promotion at the price they said. To use the App it has to be the $58/month package. No cameras. Those were major selling points for us and the person on the phone took advantage of that to get an installer out and hustle us.

The representative on the phone completely mislead us about the promotion and now we are dealing with an installer that is up-selling us on everything to an insane package. Still part of his tactics. So after telling him no, he then goes on and on about this is the full "Fort Knox package" and we can start reducing stuff. This went on for about 4 rounds and I told him this is not what we were expecting at all, we won't be doing anything today, we of course now know why he installed the keypad first and then went through the package. Well he kept going on to reduce the package to things that made it not even worth getting. And going and going and going on to make the sale. They don't take no for an answer. We kept insisting we wanted to think about it. But no budge from him.

In the end we gave in to a small package that is just the keypad and few sensors and monitors, no extra cost for the equipment and the monthly is $36.99. A fraction of what was offered to us on the phone and a higher monthly. And as he was installing, he STILL came back and said "hey my manager just called me and he said he will offer blah blah blah for the $58/month." It doesn't end.

I never authorized anyone to run my credit, so how did this guy know I had good enough credit to make payments on a $9k system? Well, I checked my credit report and they ran my credit without me asking. I don't even know how they got the information to run a credit report because I didn't give them my Social or any permission to run it nor did they make any suggestion that they would run it. Not really sure how legal that was.

We plan on cancelling tomorrow. There are a lot of other security services out there. Really not satisfied with the way the installer didn't stop trying to sell. Really not satisfied with the rep on the phone lying and promising more and not delivering. We did not get the features that we were looking for like the use of the app to arm/disarm and monitor the home and some more security around the house. The installer wasted 5 1/2 hours of my day that I won't get back. He could of just let us think about it like we asked several times when we said no but they wanted the sale and now they're going to have to uninstall this stuff. I have been in a sales position before and this is all a part of their training.

This is the worst I have ever been treated by a company that is supposed to be providing excellent service. ALWAYS THERE is a good slogan for them because they are always here and never fixing the problem and blaming me because I want out of a contract that ADT did not honor. I could go in to how many times I've called and been given the run around by their accounts managers, the people over the phone who are rude and condescending. Still not over. I hope I finally get my money back and this nightmare is over with!!! Seek a security system elsewhere.

When I asked if there is a superior I could talk to about this, he said he is the escalation manager and there is no one else at ADT I can talk to about this. This was already my 10th phone call about this issue and the company never reached out to me. I asked them to charge me up to $200 cancellation fee but $818 is a lot of money for me. The manager retorted he cannot do that and told me I should read the contract. The contract was multiple pages long and this was not told to me verbally. I think if they charge such high cancelation fees, it needs to be discussed verbally at the time a contract is offered and signed, that would be true informed consent. Expecting a customer to read the entire contract paperwork is ridiculous and is a burden on a customer.

I have so far not received any resolution from ADT and have been charged $818 as cancellation fees. I have disputed this and hope that someone from ADT will reach out to me to arrive at a mutually agreeable agreement on this issue. I am quite displeased with their customer service. All other services at my old home had to be canceled suddenly due to my change of job and drastic move to Missouri from Texas and they all worked with me except ADT. - A dissatisfied customer, Dr. Suchitra **.

We just switched to another company, since the HOA had negotiated a better price. We cancelled our contract with ADT. It turns ADT had put a new multi-year contract into our hands when the temporary system was installed. So when we discontinued ADT service, they sent us a bill for remaining contract period ($940) and refused multiple times to reduce or adjust the amount. ADT felt that because they e-mailed us a contract, we had ample understanding of the terms.

Don't know about others, but after Harvey we dealt with insurance companies, FEMA, SBA, City of Houston, State of Texas and many other services to try to recover and almost all the Houston merchants offered discounts or help. ADT had the worst response I have ever received and backed it up with additional excuses for their poor service response.

Updated on 09/07/2018: It was finally completed this morning... It was a very tumultuous experience... many calls and disappointments. I am hoping that everything runs smoothly now. It has been long overdue. My doorbell cameras have been working well. No issues there.