ADT Alarm in just-bought house

Curly_Hoop

We've juts bought our first house, and it has an ADT Alarm fitted. It was disconnected from the phone line by the previous owner when they terminated their contract, but it was not disconnected from the electric mains. Whenever we turn the mains electricity on, the alarm sounds - all the time. No matter what I do, I can't stop the alarm. So I ring ADT, and they say they have no responsibility, and I have to pay to get an engineer out to power down the system. If it's their system that is making the house unliveable in, and I have not entered into any contract myself, how can I be responsible for a fault in their system?

I have to call an alarm engineer to power it down anyway as we can't live with this, but are ADT not responsible?

S

Alias_Omega

The alarm will have 3 power sources..

1) The mains electricity
2) A backup battery in the alarm panel
3) A backup battery in the bell box

With the power cut, the alarm will run on its standby battery until that becomes flat. You say that the alarm system is totally dead until you turn the power back on.

To stop this, you can remove the power source to the alarm panel. This is usually by the use of one of these -



Locate this, pull the fuse out and turn the power on. The alarm panel will not power up, nor have chance to charge any of the batteries.

Whilst the box maybe installed by ADT, its your responsibility and i would ring around local engineers for them to come and re-instate it.

George_Michael

If you can get hold of the previous owner, they should hopefully have the code for the alarm system. (or its possible that the estate agent who was dealing with the sale has it)

Once you have this, you should be able to mute the system or turn it off totally.

TadleyBaggie

The backup battery in the control box is dead. These are usually small lead acid batteries (might be 6volt or 12volt) that can easily be replaced.

I've had to do this a couple of times in the last 20 years. The battery in the bell box however seems to last forever!

Forwandert

Curly_Hoop wrote: »

We've juts bought our first house, and it has an ADT Alarm fitted. It was disconnected from the phone line by the previous owner when they terminated their contract, but it was not disconnected from the electric mains. Whenever we turn the mains electricity on, the alarm sounds - all the time. No matter what I do, I can't stop the alarm. So I ring ADT, and they say they have no responsibility, and I have to pay to get an engineer out to power down the system. If it's their system that is making the house unliveable in, and I have not entered into any contract myself, how can I be responsible for a fault in their system?

I have to call an alarm engineer to power it down anyway as we can't live with this, but are ADT not responsible?

S

Surely you just need the alarm code off the previous owner which you should have anyway. Can yout not contact them?

neilmcl

OP, the alarm belongs to you not ADT and as such how can it be their responsibility! I suggest you either track down the code from the previous owner or arrange for a service engineer to come out (doesn't have to be ADT) and reinstate the system, which wouldn't be a bad thing anyway assuming you want to carry on using it.

Alias_Omega

Forwandert wrote: »

Surely you just need the alarm code off the previous owner which you should have anyway. Can yout not contact them?

Once the panel is de-activated with power on, the OP could open up the alarm panel (Note - The keypad might be seperate from the alarm panel) and identify the make & model of alarm fitted.

From here, they could search for a guide online to reset the system to factory codes, pick up a user manual etc. Similar to this http://www.doityourself.com/forum/electronic-alarms-home-security-devices/381015-adt-alarm-how-reset-codes.html


It is easier to take the hit on a call-out of a local alarm engineer. Who would probably replace both batteries, reset the system and let you input your codes etc.

mattyprice4004

Are you honestly suggesting you think ADT, a company you have no contract with and have paid no money to, should spend time and resources coming to your house for free?

It's not their problem, end of. You have no right with them.

Evilm

I'd suggest either contacting the old owners about the code (via the estate agents maybe) or actually have it unwired from the system completely.

Its not ADT's problem once its installed and out of the original maintenance contract and warranty period. The same as your computer or a second hand phone etc.

tired_dad

Good conveyancer might have picked this up and included transfer of codes at purchase. Call the previous owner.