Brinks as stand-alone alarm

[jj3000]

If the brinks sales rep says after 2-3 year contract is over and I
wish to discontinue the monitoring service, the alarm will still
detect entry/smoke/motion and make sound, only without the monitoring.
(stand-alone)

Is that true ? How can I hold this promise from them in writing, or
whatever.
I am afraid they might simply disconnect and make my alarm "not ready"
and I have a non-functional scrap metal box in my house. Like it is
now after I bought the house.

Does anyone have experience in this situation? Do you get the alarm
to be stand-alone after the contract is over?

I do want a monitoring service for the next couple of years but I
would like the eventual option of having a standalone (instead to
being forced to sign up for another 3 year contract)

The alarm was originally installed in 2001 by previous owner (model
BHS 2000). Probably is technology from 1980s. But my tiny house only
have 2 rooms I don't see why I should rip this stuff all out and put
it another system myself. No option for remote control and wireless
sensor, but honestly it is probably adequate for my needs.

 

[Crash Gordon®]

Read the contract carefully. Most alarm contracts, the initial term is 2 or 3 years then they will automatically renew for terms of 1 year after that, IF you don't cancel in writing with a 30 day prior notice. Not unusual. Just make sure that something to that effect IS in the contract and that you remember to cancel within their time period.

That being said...I'm not sure I've ever heard of a BHS 2000, so you may want to look at the box or IN the box to see what you really have there. It may be a private labeled Ademco panel (or something else). AS LONG AS IT'S NOT some Proprietary alarm panel manufactured JUST for Brinks, you should be ok.

BUT... Make sure (have them put it in the contract) That they will unlock the programming for you for free after you cancel monitoring with them. They will have to deprogram the dialing portion of the progamming anyway...make sure that they don't lock the programming after that.

 

[Crash Gordon®]

The 3 letter company's contract used to say the same on the back in tiny font...but just about the panel.

 

[Mark Leuck]

It is proprietary however that doesn't mean it can't be a local only system

Read the contract carefully. Most alarm contracts, the initial term is 2 or
3 years then they will automatically renew for terms of 1 year after that,
IF you don't cancel in writing with a 30 day prior notice. Not unusual. Just
make sure that something to that effect IS in the contract and that you
remember to cancel within their time period.

That being said...I'm not sure I've ever heard of a BHS 2000, so you may
want to look at the box or IN the box to see what you really have there. It
may be a private labeled Ademco panel (or something else). AS LONG AS IT'S
NOT some Proprietary alarm panel manufactured JUST for Brinks, you should be
ok.

BUT... Make sure (have them put it in the contract) That they will unlock
the programming for you for free after you cancel monitoring with them. They
will have to deprogram the dialing portion of the progamming anyway...make
sure that they don't lock the programming after that.

 

[Mark Leuck]

Look on the panel cover, if I'm correct they still should have a sticker
that says Brinks owns the system, you can get it setup as a local system
however nobody else can monitor it

 

[Crash Gordon®]

Absolutely true. I was thinking he might want to go to another monitoring station...I forgot.

What's the BHS 2000 based upon? I've never come across one of those I dont think.

 

[[email protected]]

Yes, I understand that I never "own" the system and never will unless I
pay a purchase price at some time. But as long as the system is in my
house... my question is whether they will hold their promise and let me
have the system work with no monitoring after the contract is over.
The salesperson seemed to remember his presentation quite well so he
probably isn't too new at this.

I did read on the contract that written notice needs to be sent at
least 30 days before contract ends. That's sort of a gotcha and I am
aware of this. The rest of the contract is quite clear but it doesn't
say what happens to the system after the contract is over, it never
said explicitly they are coming to rip it out of my house after the
contract is over and no further service is desired.

So maybe the code will continue to be the same and if I need any
programming I need to pay a brinks tech to come out to do something.

I am not too concerned about who owns what.. as long as the service
terminate in a state where it can make chime and siren it seems ok to
me. So is there anyone that officially had the contract term finished
with brinks that can tell me their experience?

 

[Mark Leuck]

It's an old Scantronics 665/670 varient, nice looking keypad but the system
was ancient technology even when new. Requires a programmer

Absolutely true. I was thinking he might want to go to another monitoring
station...I forgot.

What's the BHS 2000 based upon? I've never come across one of those I dont
think.

 

[Robert L. Bass]

Yes, I understand that I never "own" the system and never will unless I

pay a purchase price at some time. But as long as the system is in my
house... my question is whether they will hold their promise and let me
have the system work with no monitoring after the contract is over.

Unless you get it in writing at the time of the initial purchase, they will
NOT honor any promises of any kind. The salesman will say anything to make
the sale.

 

[jj3000]

Well I think I'm screwed now, I signed the contract and booked an
installation/activation date of the existing system which a tech is to
come out and program the system.

The sales did say, well you can cancel the installation date if you
change your mind, but at the time the verbal promise did sound good
and I wanted the alarm service based on the verbal terms that's why I
signed.

The contract says I have 3 business day to cancel but I have been
trying to call the sales guy, cell and office # and only left
voicemails and no reply.
It's now the 4th business day. I think he is dodging my calls so I
can't cancel it. I was told to go through him for any questions and
if I can't reach him at least to answer some questions I can't cancel
the contract now?
I want the alarm service but I think I've been misled..

 

[Robert L. Bass]

The sales did say, well you can cancel

the installation date if you change your
mind...

Has it been less than 3 business days since you signed? If so, fill in the
cancellation form or write a letter of cancellation right now. Keep a
signed copy and send it "Return Receipt" so you can prove you sent it.
Otherwise they can deny they received the cancellation letter.

If there is a written clause in the sales literature or the contract which
you signed stating you can cancel after more than the mandatory 3-day right
of rescission, exercise that option by return receipt mail as well.

You should *also* call them at once and notify them of your decision to
cancel. Make a note of the date and time of the call. Ask for a name
before you tell them why you're calling and write it down with the
documentation of the phone call.

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

=============================>
Bass Home Electronics
2291 Pine View Circle
Sarasota · Florida · 34231
877-722-8900 Sales & Tech Support
http://www.bassburglaralarms.com
=============================>

 

[Jen...tel]

No wonder alam techs and sales people are stupid fools, they only have
stupid fools as customers!

Yo JJ3000, when you called the office to speak to the sales rep to
cancel the contract, why the hell didn't you just tell the person who
answered that you were excercising your 3 day cancellation? Where on
any of those papers does it say you have to speak to the sale person?
Don't they have a toll-free number you could call to cancel? If you
get stuck because it's 4 days, you deserve it you moroon!

First you listen to an alarm salesperson to get information as truth,
next you act like a girlie-man and can't even cancel a contract. bet
when the alarm guy shows up, he'll be able to convince you to also
install a smoke detector out on the mailbox incase there's a forest
fire.

Jen-
"It'll take 24 alarm guys to equal just 1 female telcom girl"

 

[R.H.Campbell]

Sheesh !! Do yourself a favour and dump Brinks. Find a reputable local
installation company, many of whom will replace the system at a fair market
price and set it up properly with or without monitoring. Why do you continue
to deal with a company that clearly is not consumer oriented, and only gives
your grief....

The panel and keypad is only worth a pittance (nowhere near the $500 they
want to extort from you). Don't stay with them simply because they own the
hardware !! Enduring all Brinks's limitations on your alarm use is simply
not worth the hassle. I read your first post describing all the hassles and
couldn't believe there are companies around that still treat the consumer
that way....

Staying with them is clearly trying to fit your way of wanting to deal with
your alarm into a situation where they want control over everything. Dump
'em..........!!!!!!!

RHC

 

[Crash Gordon®]

If they show up tell; them you mailed the 72 hour right-of-recision cancellaton...didn't your office tell you?

BTW, out here 72 hrs is only for residential not commercial sales.

 

[Bob Worthy]

No wonder alam techs and sales people are stupid fools, they only have
stupid fools as customers!

Yo JJ3000, when you called the office to speak to the sales rep to
cancel the contract, why the hell didn't you just tell the person who
answered that you were excercising your 3 day cancellation? Where on
any of those papers does it say you have to speak to the sale person?
Don't they have a toll-free number you could call to cancel? If you
get stuck because it's 4 days, you deserve it you moroon!

First you listen to an alarm salesperson to get information as truth,
next you act like a girlie-man and can't even cancel a contract. bet
when the alarm guy shows up, he'll be able to convince you to also
install a smoke detector out on the mailbox incase there's a forest
fire.

Jen-
"It'll take 24 alarm guys to equal just 1 female telcom girl"

And I'll bet you piss standing up.......

 

[[email protected]]

billy, you are right, I called the CA office and talked to saleperson's
supervisor and what you said is true, he said I'm not liable for
anything until the installation takes place. He also said it will cost
me about $500 to purchase the system after the contract is done so the
sales did lie.. (what a surprise)...

I do not feel comfortable with a company with lack of sales ethics, and
hardware that you do not own at this point.
I'm going to look for another company or install a local system myself.
Then call brinks to retreive their hardware..

 

[Crash Gordon®]

You should be able to get a new system installed at a reasonable price...after all, all that has to be changed will be the panel and keypads and an hour or two labor (unless it's a huge house).

 

[Jen...tel]

Russ your right i'm wound a bit tight, overtime and all. Didn't help
that my last job that night was a 8pm emergency call for dead lines.
Got there and L1 was being used for the alarm and returned to L2 which
was also active so we had two lines colliding together. The home owner
said the alarm company had done some work but he didn't know they
worked out at the NID, but he left before they finished. Not only that
but they tapped in on the CO side of the NID and cut the wire short.
Couldn't move the NID as it was wedged between two boxes. Had to make
a temporary jumper to restore service and will need to have a new line
ran to the house all because the alarm guy didn't want to unwrap 6
inside lines so they tapped the single CO side. I'm the one who had to
tell the customer that we need to charge him for it, and I'm the one
who had to get yelled at by him because the alarm company said
everything was working when they left. Not only that but had to deal
with the crap about not hooking back the alarm. Not my job to fix the
F-up of the alarm guy since he had it wired ass backwards. That was one
of Crash's never do anything wrong jobs probably. Jen.

 

[Crash Gordon®]

I can't answer for something I didn't see or do. I can only relate my personal experiences for the past 20 or so years. WE NEVER touch the CO side of the NID...there's no reason to. I wonder why any alarm company would...I can only guess.

I can tell you I've seen more L1/L2 cross connects done by homeowners not knowing what they were doing, electrical contractors mis-wiring jacks, and yes of course..telco guys that had now idea what they were looking at when they tried to reconnect line seizure. This is not a mistake an alarm guy would make, any good tech will always check for a clean line and line seizure before leaving a job...YAH... WE DO GO IN PEOPLES HOUSES...and we don't even charge extra for it!!

 

[Crash Gordon®]

those pig-tails are 3 or 4 bucks...we'll worth the time.
they sent me 2 for free
however, they'd be another thing to remember to load on the truck