A3 Smart Home Reviews

Safe Security has been extremely disappointing in many facets of their company. In March, we had two false alarms on our home on back-to-back days and we never set the alarm. We were away from the house both times the alarm was presumably set. Come to find out, we were billed $625 from LAPD for false alarms. Safe Security never informed us we needed to register the alarm with LAPD. Of course, we assume that it is a malfunction with the equipment and that Safe Security would handle it considering we weren't home when the alarm was set. No. After three different calls to have a technician come out, not one time did they return the call, set-up an appointment, or come to see the alarm. We were deemed liable before they even checked the equipment.

For over a year, after sending in a cancellation, they continue to bill for service. I explained to them that they breached their contract because the PUC changed the calling prefix to include a 408 dial code in addition to the phone number. So since Nov. of 2012, they were not monitoring me and I called many times to ask why haven't they acknowledged an alarm. They made many excuses, i.e.: the third party monitoring company. Now I get a phone call from Valerie ** at the San Ramon office threatening to ruin my credit if I don't pay for the service that they never provided. What we need to do is to file a class action lawsuit against this company and teach them a lesson in poor service and less than ethical communication to consumers. We can't let these people get away with this type of extremely poor service.

I was with a different company and my contract with that other company was only for 42 months and has ended. I have talked to 8 different people (one of them twice) and the very first person I spoke with transferred me to the collection department and says that I have to pay at least some of the money in 3 months or I would be turned into the collection agency. I have tried to explain to everyone that I spoke with and told them that I have lost my job and am trying to cut where I can because we have to basically live on my husband's salary.

There are too many incidents to list. Bottom line: poor customer service and poor tech support. Since June 2015 (now December 2015), I have attempted to get my system fixed. Because there was no technician available in my area (found this out 4 months later) I was given the option to cancel my account. Well, it had taken me two months to get that done. Horrible! I was told to expect a partial refund but now the refund is being denied. Don't do business with this company!!!

Absolutely terrible customer service experience. My alarm stopped working and I tried for months to get technical support. Finally was told that I should have never cancelled my home phone service and it was my fault the service wasn't working. I requested to cancel and they offered to credit my bill and give me an updated system. I agreed against my better judgement. Months passed and I heard nothing. One day, some equipment showed up at my home. No instructions, just equipment. I finally called and was told that I should have called when the equipment arrived (OK, never told that). I said again that I was unhappy with the service and that I had been waiting for months with no system while they continued billing me.

I am just confirming that all the negative reviews are true and accurate and perfectly match our experience with Safe. An overly complex process to cancel, and when you follow the steps customer service gives, they inform you that there is something you forgot, and your contract auto renews for another year, something we were not told when we purchased the service. Our system has not worked in over two years, which is made more infuriating considering a service tech came out about 6 months ago to replace a battery in the panel and said everything was working now.

Sold our house in March. Realtor took care of information for transfer to the new owner. We are now getting billed and explained that the house was sold in March. They are making us pay for service now on a house we don't end. Told we had to pay out since they renewed our contract in June. Then they hung up and are refusing to give us the payout price after repeatedly telling them we want to cancel.

Tried canceling security monitoring with Safe Security in July of 2014. When I called and requested cancellation, I asked what I needed to do. They said that was it. Withdrawal from my checking account continued. Called back in February of 2015. They said I did not send in a letter, so my contract was automatically renewed for another year. Requested another cancellation at this time. Sent in a letter via email and fax. They stated since there was a misunderstanding, they would finish my contract out from Feb 2015-Nov 2015 for half price. Called and emailed to inquire if they received my letter and to make sure I was cancelled. Safe Security emailed and said yes, they received my cancellation letter. As of this time, I thought we were done. They continued to bill for the full amount.

They continue to charge me after service was terminated months ago. They have a bunch of small print to do it legally and won't let me terminate account until everything is paid for. A company like this should be out of business!

The worst company I have ever experienced. They should be shut down. Even though I had no contract with these crooks they are still billing me. Beware of this company because no one will help you.

The security system in my home has not worked correctly for over 2 years. After calls for service resulted in my being told that I must pay for service at their outrageous rates, I simply put up with the discomfort and lack of security at $42.77 a month. I finally found a better company and had their system installed. I was unable to reach anyone at Safe for several days, then was told A) I could not cancel my service, B) I had to cancel my service 30 days in advance in writing, C) I could fax the cancellation letter, but D) my service was due for RENEWAL in one week, so D) I was going to have my service renewed whether I wanted it or not and would have to pay the full year's service charges or pay it in one lump sum!! First, the fax number(S) I was given did not work. Then, after 5 days, the fax suddenly went through. Outcome? No response except Safe deducted the service payment from my checking account.

I signed a contract with Pinnacle in 2007. I too was a faithful, loyal customer and satisfied with their services. The original company dissolved and was replaced by SAFE Security. A company I was not allowed to evaluate or approve for services agreement. I switched to another company in 2013 that had better equipment and monitoring services. SAFE Security will not stop taking automatic payments from my bank account despite my positive efforts to terminate both services and payments. After paying a bank fee to stop automatic payments, I called SS about a pending automatic payment. Annette stated that automatic payment has been terminated by SS. The next month I received a letter requesting a payment for monitoring services.

Company continues to bill past contract cancellation. They are no longer providing home monitoring service and are using continued billing as an intimidation tactic to get me to pay for a disputed auto renewing contract that they misrepresented as being month to month. They lie to you and deceive you to keep you from finding out you are in a auto renew contract which wasn't even taken out with them but with a previous company.

NEVER DO BUSINESS WITH THIS COMPANY! I was a customer for over five years and when I sold my home I tried to transfer service to my new home. The sales team never returned calls (and don't answer the phone) and the customer service team won't cancel your account even after multiple notifications, so I continued paying for a new homeowner to have service in my old home. After almost a full year trying to resolve the situation I asked what it would cost to terminate the contract and was given two different prices in the same phone call (one nearly $300 and the other nearly $800!!). They refused to provide in writing that they acknowledged receiving my cancellation letter (even though they verbally confirmed it had been on file for months). This is the most unethical company I've ever done business with in my life. Beware.

The technicians were extremely professional and went the extra mile to ensure that my security system was repaired within 24 hours. They call the local contractor and placed us on three way to coordinate repair. The technician arrived after normal business hours and promptly repaired the system. Safe Security has a customer for life. Thanks for a job well done.

Our Service was bought out by Safe Security Systems in late 2013 and takeover in 2014. Has not worked correctly since fall of 2014. We called and after the system beeping 24/7 Three different techs came to try and fix it. In Feb we thought it was fixed and agreed to renew for a lesser price. BUT it still was beeping again. Another tech that came out said to change the batteries and that would help. NO that did not fix it. Finally after more calls the tech support tried to fix the problem from the center because it is a wireless system. Still not fixed.

Service stinks! For an alarm company, we can't send service man on weekends. Next available service is in 2 weeks! When he finally shows up, won't do any work unless gets paid first although we have service contract!! Terminated contract per their 30 day requirement. After being run around, after 6 months, we are still waiting for refund! They are a bunch of frauds.

I had a positive attitude when I started but noticed there were many temps, as there was a lot of turnaround with employees. Not sure how many made it to permanency. First, the employees were not friendly, acted like a mean girl clique towards the new people. Second, they didn't want you to use your mouse at all, even to get to files in your computer. Thirdly, they expect you to work sick, a very bad cold, stomach flu or anything. With everybody there working while sick, you are bound to catch something. I did catch a horrible cold from a fellow co-worker and missed my 7th day there due to the fact that the other employees were giving me dirty looks when I was having my chest rattling cough the day before. They informed my temp agency the same day that my assignment was ended because I was expected to work no matter how sick I was or how contagious I was. I think that is unsanitary and unreasonable.

Was not told that the contract would be renewed after the original three-year contract unless you submitted a letter declining renewal 30 days before end of contract. HOW DOES THE RENEWAL OF THE CONTRACT BENEFIT ME? What is the purpose of renewing the contract? Sounds like a gimmick just to keep customers.

I wasn't completely dissatisfied with their monitoring, but was very upset to find out our system wasn't working and no one from SAFE Security called to tell us. We were just without protection for several months, but they kept taking their fees. What really upset me was when we tried to get updated equipment. Our stuff is getting pretty old and since we run a business out of our home, we wanted to make sure the equipment was the best they offered. The problem is that they won't give you better equipment as it becomes available. They don't even give you a break on the equipment. So, when a different alarm company came knocking at our door offering free equipment with a two-year monitoring contract, we decided to do that. The equipment was better as well.

I signed a contract with Pinnacle Security which was later sold to this company. Not once did they ever call me when my alarm went on yet my bank account was automatically withdrawn by them on a monthly basis. I had no information from them at all till I called my bank to get the number from the company that was charging me. When I finally got their number I called them and told them of a few issues that were going on with my alarm system. They told me that my system and labor were under warranty so there would be no charge but a trip fee of $25. Now the company is charging me $149 plus the regular monthly fee.

I ended my monitoring service with Safe Security shortly after my 42 months contract. One month later, I received a call from a debt collector wanting $550. They stated that my account was automatically renewed and my cancellation letter was received after the contract renewed; therefore, I owed Safe Security for the one more year of service.

We were approached by Pinnacle Security even though we had an ADT sign on our lawn, and stupidly we signed a 3 year contract with Pinnacle with the agreement that we could cancel any time after that contract term was up. Then Pinnacle was sold to Safe Security. They sent us a letter advising us of the sale but said nothing about their policies. We stayed with them for a year and a half and then tried to close our account. We were told that there is an automatic renewal and that we can only close the account in August which was the original contract date with Pinnacle. We never had a contract with Safe Security but they are trying to hold us to the terms of one that we never agreed to.

We were loyal customers to this home monitoring company for over seven years. After our first five years as customers, we bought a home in a nearby suburb of Fort Worth, TX and transferred our contract to our new address. This was a relatively seamless process with the exception of SAFE Security requiring us to purchase a second smoke detector from them for $90 for the upstairs. All of the customer service reps that handled our address change and transfer of equipment to the new home referred to our account changes as a "transfer". Never once did anyone from SAFE Security mention that a "new contract" would begin with the address change. We unknowingly signed what we thought was a "transfer of service" to the new address.

Billing continues on and on and on and on...... This has been cancelled. They don't even have a signature from original security system Pinnacle showing transfer. We were never contacted about change. Cancelled in writing and was told by one of their representatives - no signature on file - and that there would be nothing owing. Today is September 2014 - Charged for August - Cancelled in letter mailed and signed, plus an email in March - Still not cancelled.

Their lack of service - Let me count the ways: They are the fourth company taking over our "protection" since we originally had our system put in. 1) The previous three at least allowed me to access the records of arming and disarming. This company did not and has stalled even about telling me whether they did or not. Moreover, 2) they did not even know until we told them when the power was off, and they purportedly changed that. Then, 3) one of the sliding door sensors went out; we had to pay for a tech to come and replace the sensor. Then the same one went out again and he came out again. They sent us one coupon for a free month and promised another, which never arrived. I talked to them 2-3 times on the phone. Then they sent us the bill for the two months for which we had free coupons and we were required to send the one back with a letter explaining why we hadn't paid. WHY DIDN'T THEY JUST HAVE THE INFO IN THEIR COMPUTER?

I am very disappointed with Safe Security right now. Long story short, I was originally an ADT customer, Pinnacle came to my door (even though my home was clearly marked with ADT security stickers and signs) and got me to switch promising me all kinds of things. I did, WORST MISTAKE EVER! Then they went down and Devcon took over, then they went down and Safe Security took over. I cancelled the account because I moved to Utah and my renter could not afford an alarm. I just moved back and would like to start fresh but ADT cannot unlock the panel and Safe Security of course won't give out their "code".

Finally settled with Safe by paying out the remainder of my contract. I must admit, when I finally was able to speak with someone, we were able to work out a solution acceptable to both parties.

Safe Security have been trying to make us pay for an alarm monitoring service that does not exist. We originally were persuaded to sign up with Pinnacle while we were tenants of a house we were renting. The salesman convinced us to sign on the basis that if we moved, the alarm system would be transferred to a new property. However when we moved, they did not fulfill this part of the contract. We were stuck with paying the contract until the end of the original term. Long after the original term had expired and we had not had an alarm system or any kind of monitoring we discovered that Safe Security had started debiting our bank account. I called them to find out what was going on as we never even had any alarm and had never even heard of them or signed anything with them.

On 8/5/13, my parents got a letter from Pinnacle and ADT letting them know that services were changing from Pinnacle to ADT. It had a phone number on the letter. My father called the number and said that he wanted to cancel service. He was given a fax number and told to send a fax with some information and cancellation info and send a hard copy. He did so and has a copy of the letter as well as the completed fax. Safe security said that this was not sufficient and the only way to get out of the service was to pay in full the remainder of the contract. The customer service agent Ricky was unhelpful and refused to allow me to speak with someone else or help in any way. Extremely disappointed with the customer service so much, so that I am filling this out for the first time.

On March 7, I made my first call to Safe Security to report that my alarm system was not working. I told them that on 3/5 I had a new furnace installed and it set off the fire alarms. No one from Safe Security called. I told them that a few days prior to that my alarm would not allow me to set it. The keypad had the reading of "back window not closed". I told them that I had opened and reclosed all back windows several times but nothing changed on the keypad information. The agent I talked to walked me through some things to try with keypad. One of which was to bypass that "back window open" message. When I told her about the alarm going off on 3/5 and no one calling me from Safe, she said she was going to send someone out.

I also was a Pinnacle customer in the beginning, had no real issues with Pinnacle although I heard their reputation was not the best. When they sold out (or whatever they did) to Safe Security I had no problems in the beginning. After a while with them, I had a problem with my alarm console, I called to schedule someone to come out and also asked about adding some features to my current alarm system as we had expanded our building and needed another garage door sensor and I was interested in installing some cameras inside and outside of my business. They said they would get a representative to get in touch with me. Well needless to say I didn't hear from anyone.

My security was with Pinnacle, then was transferred to Safe. I cannot believe the horrible customer service and demands. They advised me that I had to sign a new contract. My contract was or so I thought still in good standing. They increased the rates. Then I moved. They told me I had to take the system with me. How do you take the magnets out of the doors and windows and then install them myself? Are you kidding me. I would NEVER use this company again. Customer service reps yell at you and won't even listen to you without talking over you. Horrible!!!!

This company want moneys for service not render. You do not, and I say you do not want to do business with this company.

The irony of my situation is that We never signed any contract with Safe Security! Prior to November 2013, I had not even heard of Safe Security. We had a 1 yr security service contract with CastleRock security which ended 10/31/13. We sent our timely cancellation letter to CastleRock clearly stating we would not be renewing our contract and paid all monies owed to them up to the end of our contract on 10.31.13. We received confirmation from our security company stating they received our cancellation letter and would apply the cancellation to our account; thus, our association with CastleRock security ended.

I have tried countless times to resolve issues with this company. Not only are they rude, will not return phone calls, send contractors to my house without calling me first then cannot find out any information on the business card the contractor left me (which nowadays could be a home invader). Also, was billed $112.00 for the service this contractor did not perform as I was not at home at the time and all he did was leave a card. This is being disputed at this time (my question is how are they going to dispute this when it is his word against mine). Found out on 12-20-13 that my account has been on month to month for as long as it was bought out by Devcon which was well over a year.

We had the alarm system for 8 years didn't know about (Annual Renewal Clause). We called and were told it would go month to month after the first three years. This is the third alarm system company to buy out our contract. Our contract renewed in July and we put our house on the market in the end of August. We sold the house in September and called the alarm company to cancel at the end of October. They informed us that if we didn't pay out the rest of the contract until July that they would sue us and send us to collections! They were rude and very threatening after having this system for 8 years. We were going to get an alarm set up at the new house and after this experience forget it. This is the worst customer service ever! Do not do business with this company!

My home lost my telephone line for over several weeks due to road construction. This wasn't the first time so we decided to cancel our land line phone and just use our cell phone. All works great until I received my quarterly statement from SHS. This made me think SHS really didn't care that my alarm line was disconnected from my home to their office. They had my cell phone for backup but SHS never called to question why they couldn't monitor my home over the past 2 months because they weren't monitoring my home ever. So I called to cancel for which they advised I still have 4 years to pay and they expect payment.

We moved into a house that already was set up with Safe Security. Upon trying to contact the company for over a month leaving several messages via phone & internet, FINALLY someone called us back so we could switch the service to our name from previous owner. However, they were more interested in "upgrading" our alarm than anything else. Unfortunately, they're making us look bad to the old house owners as they are STILL being billed for the alarm service even AFTER the information update. I have made even more phone calls to the company to no avail. You might want to reconsider using this company for your home security needs as they obviously don't care whether they have you as a customer.

My experience with this company is that they only have one goal, to keep you trapped in their never-ending contract for as long as possible. They will try every sleazy method possible to keep billing you including automatically renewing your contract for another year. I will never use another home alarm company after this experience.

Like the others, I found out about their policy of auto renewal and 30-day written notice when after I had submitted a letter I was billed for another month. They said they received it 3 days too late. They are completely unwilling to work with customers. Their primary goal is to take your money without having to provide any service. I am now paying for 2 monitoring contracts since SAFE will not close my account.

I moved from one home to the other and they would not install or transfer service. It has been 4 months and I have to keep paying without any service being provided. It is totally at their discretion when they will install the equipment in my new home (or maybe give the account back to the local dealer), but I have to keep paying till my contract ends in 3 years. When I asked for the contract, they emailed it over with another caveat that the contract will automatically renew after the 3 years. What a scam! So this is unending till you die (I guess). Okay, now please raise your hand if you would like to sign up with such a security company? I suggest a class action lawsuit. If I get enough people who have been burnt, I think my lawyer is willing to take this California company to court and remind them that this is the US of A.

I called Safe Security a week before my service contract was to end and stated they needed a letter. I faxed the cancellation letter over to them but never heard anything back. When I called, I spoke with Josh and Jessica stating that since it was not 30 days, they would automatically renew my contract for a year. I did not receive anything stated that they would automatically renew my contract for an entire year. This is unacceptable behavior and these types of business practices are criminal.

Contract term end date: February 4, 2012

I called SAFE Security in San Ramon yesterday to cancel my contract and was told that I couldn't cancel it until 2010 because I have to call at least one month ahead of the termination of the previous. They automatically renewed my contract for one more year since I didn't call to cancel in July. I never got any notification that that my contracts were about to be renewed. I totally agree with Crystal of Reseda, CA that SAFE Security is unethical and conducts business like corporate terrorists. I've been wondering how this kind of junks could even survive for so long in the first place?

I was contacted 7/21/2005 by 2 door-to-door salesmen who used high pressure tactics at my home and continued to urge me to sign the documents right away. I have tried to cancel the contract with Safe Home several times. I was bullied and threatened that if I cancel the contract before the 5-year contract was up, they would make me pay over $2000 in equipment fees. My equipment broke and does not work.

My problem has been going on for over one year when through a routine service call (preventive maintenance, system check, etc) I discovered that SAFE Security's monitoring stations were no longer able to monitor my Sprint Fone Safe equipment. According to the SAFE Security technician, this was due to an upgrade of SAFE's monitoring station systems. While SAFE was fully aware of the situation, the only remedy/option I was offered was to purchase new equipment. Despite the fact that new equipment was the only way for them to continue to offer monitoring services, SAFE did not offer any other concessions/remedies such as discounted monitoring fees or even a discount on the new equipment they were trying to force me to buy. SAFE Security simply expected me to pony up the money for new equipment and refused to cancel the agreement though clearly (through no fault of mine) they were unable to provide monitoring services.

I called GE Safe Security in Sept. 2006 to cancel my contract. I was told that I had to call back in Sept. 2007. I asked for a copy of my contract. I never got it. So I called back in 2007 and was told that I couldn't cancel it until 2008. They automatically renewed my contract. I never got a copy so I didn't know the terms.