Some help needed please - of a sensitive nature

BillTrac

OP, you say the person buying the intruder alarm system paid £4k for 5 years cover.

The buyer paid for an intruder alarm system. How much was the installation cost? How much are annual service costs? Does it include remote monitoring? I have been in the industry since 1986 and know that if the installing company is one of the big 3 or 4 then they would cancel the contract and return some(NOT all) of the maintenance and, if part of the contract, the remote monitoring costs. Probabaly on a pro-rata basis. I know that when the company I worked for until a few years ago missed an annual inspection they would refund that without a quibble.

But I can't see any intruder alarm working out at £4k. Unless the buyer lived in a huge, out of this world , mansion then the installation costs by the bigger, national companies will be between £500 and £1000, even cheaper sometimesnyone would try to charge between £3500 and £3000 for annual services. You wouldn't pay that amount for fully inclusive contracts. But again a national company, even the one I worked for for 18 years before getting demoralised wouldn't try that. And they just love tying people into 5 year deals.

Seems more like a local rip-off company. And unless you name them we will never know. I can't see any reason, legally or morally, not to name and shame. If the OP is the truth then tell all. If they won't shift then others need to be aware.

crystyl

Takoda wrote: »

1) How can families and friends who go to visit someone ALL THE TIME not notice that the person has had a burglar alarm fitted? I could tell you which of my friends/family have alarms.

2)If the company are acting legally/honestly and with compassion they surely would be glad of the publicity. Of course if they are being money grabbing, underhand and sly I can see why they would not want people to know who they are!

3) It doesn't matter why she wanted an alarm - it was her money to do as she pleased with.

4) Why are 'the family' not getting advice from a solicitor if they believe they have a case?

5) Unless your family's surname is Crystyl then I fail to see how you can fail to be anonymous on MSE!

Hmmm. :rotfl:

okay lets answer the points in order so can fully understand me

1) of course it was mentioned and noted that she had an alarm fitted, but at no point was the finincial implications discussed as this was private to her - as you well stated it was her money to do with as she wanted. As for you noticing whether a family member or friend has an alarm fitted good for you are you casing the joint when visiting? I for one go to visit the person and not to see what the person has within their house which might be of value to me!!

2) I would not know whether the company would want to be known as I have had nothing to do with them, and how many companies have you contacted and asked permission if you are able to mention them to other people - let alone on MSe

3) Yes you are quite correct it was her money to do with as she pleased but if you think for one moment that a member of your family may be paying over the odds for something would you not be prepared to do something about it? She had very little money and used what was left of her saving to pay for this. At the moment there is not even enough left in her estate to provide the basic funeral costs!!!

4) Umm solicitors you know how much they are charging for the dealing with the will?? I'll shall tell you £196 per hour - which is why I am trying understand myself if there may be a loop hole (and will be contacting the CAB) to keep costs down as again this would come from her estate.

5) yes I do agree about being anonymous but I am just reflecting the wishes and privacy of the family.

I hope that, maybe, just maybe you can understand a little bit more - but then again maybe not. And please if you cannot offer any constructive advise then please do not comment at all.

crystyl

Takoda wrote: »

That's interesting - which particular bit did you find hurtful?

You know there's a company called Crystal Security Alarms in Morecambe. You wouldn't be connected to them by any chance?

Just a hunch.

And no I am not at all connected with the security system - silly women!:rotfl:

fthl

i doubt they have done anything 'illegal' that you could prove, misrep, breach of contract etc, too much time will have passed and I doubt you have the contract/sales brochure to see what was said. The only thing left then is general malpractice, stuff on the companies website, reputation issues that might give a clue where to look based on other peoples' experiences.

So, based on the info given so far, I think you are stuck and won't be getting any of the cash back.

the_insider

crystyl wrote: »

As for you noticing whether a family member or friend has an alarm fitted good for you are you casing the joint when visiting? I for one go to visit the person and not to see what the person has within their house which might be of value to me!!

If you're not looking for something that might be of value to you why are you interested in getting some money back from a contract that was signed by someone else?

BillTrac

I hardly think noticing someone has an intruder alarm system is 'casing the joint' - silly woman yourself!!

If someone has detectors and a keypad etc then I think it can be pretty noticeable,especially as, unlike in America, an intruder alarm still isn't the norm in the UK.

Anyway, OP you haven't answered any of my questions which might help answer your questions....

mountainofdebt

crystyl wrote: »

okay lets answer the points in order so can fully understand me

1) of course it was mentioned and noted that she had an alarm fitted, but at no point was the finincial implications discussed as this was private to her - as you well stated it was her money to do with as she wanted. As for you noticing whether a family member or friend has an alarm fitted good for you are you casing the joint when visiting? I for one go to visit the person and not to see what the person has within their house which might be of value to me!!

I usually notice the motion sensors flickering and that big alarm box usually at the front of the house - which is a good giveaway as to whether the house has an alarm fitted

2) I would not know whether the company would want to be known as I have had nothing to do with them, and how many companies have you contacted and asked permission if you are able to mention them to other people - let alone on MSe

What does it matter if they want to be known or not ? If they've done a scam on your family member then surely they've lost their rights to anonimity.

3) Yes you are quite correct it was her money to do with as she pleased but if you think for one moment that a member of your family may be paying over the odds for something would you not be prepared to do something about it? She had very little money and used what was left of her saving to pay for this. At the moment there is not even enough left in her estate to provide the basic funeral costs!!!

Yeap - and told the family member as well ! However this was before they bought the item and not 18 months afterwards.

4) Umm solicitors you know how much they are charging for the dealing with the will?? I'll shall tell you £196 per hour - which is why I am trying understand myself if there may be a loop hole (and will be contacting the CAB) to keep costs down as again this would come from her estate.

Can understand why you are trying to do the donkey work yourself but bear in mind that everything has to go through the executors.

5) yes I do agree about being anonymous but I am just reflecting the wishes and privacy of the family.

I can't see why keeping the company name a secret would further your cause - to me the adverse publicity they would get on this site would be aid your case more

I hope that, maybe, just maybe you can understand a little bit more - but then again maybe not. And please if you cannot offer any constructive advise then please do not comment at all.

We are trying to help but to be honest I feel as if I'm being stone walled when it comes to getting information out of you

crystyl

Please bear with me the full storey is as follows.

My retired parents are executors of the will jointly with the solicitors, they are at the moment responsible for all the funeral costs which they can ill afford and unfortunately I am not in a position to help them financially. She died with nothing in her estate as she borrowed against the property a few years ago to release the equity and had quite a few debts, the house contents have been valued as worthless and she had no policies to cover her funeral costs which stand at £3,500 at the moment

Yes we knew she had an alarm fitted but was not aware until she had it fitted until she had booked the appointment and had it fitted, at no time was she asked the cost as this was her own private affairs. It wasn't until going through her affairs that the cost was known and the company contacted that we realised the consequences - that the contract dies when the person dies. In effect the company are getting 3 and a half years of money for doing nothing - would the same thing happen with say a car insurance policy? if you paid for this upfront and then the person dies surely there would be a refund of premiums? or if a car had been taken out on finance the car would be given back and no more monies would be paid?

I don't know if they have scammed her so I really can't comment on the morals of the company. This is the question I an trying to get the answer to. The company (Direct R*sponse) was on watchdog in june, it wasn't until I googled them i found this out.

I understand that some of you are trying to help but to have hurtful comments that I don't care or that I am basically trying to gain something form our loss isn't fair, especially as we are due to say our final goodbyes tomorrow. As I am sure most of you will appreciate the loss of a family member is upsetting but considering the circumstances - that she had gone into hospital for planned surgery and then died 11 days later it is perhaps even more incomprehensible.

I thank everyone for your input and hope that I haven't offended anyone with any of my comments :A

Takoda

Women is plural btw... I am just ONE silly woman. :rotfl:

crystyl

BillTrac wrote: »

OP, you say the person buying the intruder alarm system paid £4k for 5 years cover.

The buyer paid for an intruder alarm system. How much was the installation cost? How much are annual service costs? Does it include remote monitoring? I have been in the industry since 1986 and know that if the installing company is one of the big 3 or 4 then they would cancel the contract and return some(NOT all) of the maintenance and, if part of the contract, the remote monitoring costs. Probabaly on a pro-rata basis. I know that when the company I worked for until a few years ago missed an annual inspection they would refund that without a quibble.

But I can't see any intruder alarm working out at £4k. Unless the buyer lived in a huge, out of this world , mansion then the installation costs by the bigger, national companies will be between £500 and £1000, even cheaper sometimesnyone would try to charge between £3500 and £3000 for annual services. You wouldn't pay that amount for fully inclusive contracts. But again a national company, even the one I worked for for 18 years before getting demoralised wouldn't try that. And they just love tying people into 5 year deals.

Seems more like a local rip-off company. And unless you name them we will never know. I can't see any reason, legally or morally, not to name and shame. If the OP is the truth then tell all. If they won't shift then others need to be aware.

As far as I am aware the system was an intruder alarm, and had direct access the the poilce - so they say. The full cost for 5 years cover was just under the £4k which (i think) includes the service costs, the installation and the remote system.

HTH