Am I right to be livid?

Grumpy_chap

It is quite common with alarm systems that you either get a cheap installation and pay over time through the monitoring charge, so you only ever hire the alarm system.

OR, you pay more for the install but then you own the alarm system and the ongoing cost is lower.

Our ADT system cost £2k - £3k install but we now only pay £26 per month monitoring. The OP is seemingly paying around £25 per month for the hire of the system, but has saved the bulk of the upfront cost.

My Brother previously had a "free" installed ADT system with only the monthly cost. He left it behind when he moved house and simply cancelled the ongoing contract. ADT never requested their stuff back. I suppose my Brother had paid for long enough that ADT had received enough for the upfront costs to be covered.

This should, however, have been apparent to the OP how their agreement would be set up.

user1977

Before sending the 19 pages document they sent me a short contract that I signed

And what did this pre-contract contract say?

GDB2222

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81861760#Comment_81861760

It was a quote that they got me to sign, and then they took payment. It said this:

Dear Customer

Thank you for the opportunity to work with you in building a security solution for your home. Below and on further

pages you will find details of the package we have quoted you for as well as how to proceed.

Your quote includes ...

ADT Smart Home

Our state-of-the-art Qolsys alarm panel combines beauty with brawn. Behind the HD touchscreen is a powerful alarm

control centre connecting all the alarm's wireless devices using military grade encryption. The ADT Smart Home app

allows complete control of your alarm system from anywhere, anytime. The panel includes how-to videos, and even a

real time weather feed.

Peace of Mind

The highest level of maintenance cover available on the market, ADT's All Inclusive package covers;

- All Routine Inspections and Servicing

- All Callouts 24/7/365

- All Parts costs including batteries

- All Labour costs

- All remote support

With All Inclusive cover you can rest assured in the knowledge that anything - even due to accidental damage or

vandalism - is covered.

ADT Monitoring - Always There

With an ADT Police Monitored alarm you can rest assured that if the alarm is triggered, you and your nominated

keyholders will be informed. In the event of a "Confirmed" detection, the police will also be automatically dispatched to

your home.

Summary

Supply, Install and Commission (incl. VAT): £374.40

Total Monthly Price (incl. VAT): £48.49

Initial Payment Required: £250.00

On the following pages you will find a breakdown and proposed layout for your package. When you are

ready to proceed, please initial and complete this document. This will automatically contact your

security consultant who will be in touch to arrange the next steps.

Please note, this quote is valid for 30 days.

If you have any further questions, please do get in touch.

Yours sincerely

Janice Boyd

janice.boyd@jci .com

For ADT

A Tyco Business Registered Office: ADT Fire and Security plc,

Security House, The Summit, Hanworth Road,

Sunbury-on-Thames, Middlesex TW16 5DB.

Registered in England No. 116 1045

---

ADT

ADT Always There

ADT intruder alarm system takeover of monitoring and maintenance of existing system: ADT wireless package, police response

(ref Qolsys IQ4 HUB) [was: ADT standard package, Grade 2 security package (ref Domonial Panel)] Response: Police and panic

[unchanged], Monitoring by ADT: via mobile network (set-up charge: £0.00) [was: Digital Communicator], Maintenance: All

Inclusive service cover [unchanged], Contract term: 36 months

Standard items to supply, install and commission

Control panel (House, House)

- Location to be confirmed with engineer on install.

Additional devices to supply, install and commission

Keypad with Prox (House, House)

- Location to be confirmed with engineer on install.

Hold-up alarm (House, House)

- Location to be confirmed with engineer on install.

(I've snipped most of the detailed spec.)

I'd have thought that words like 'Supply' imply selling, not hiring?

Undervalued

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6652885/am-i-right-to-be-livid

This certainly used to be the normal terms from the larger alarm companies. Or sometimes that they owned the panel and sounders but the customer owned the smaller items like movement detectors and door contacts..

However that was 15 to 20 years ago and may have changed.

They would argue that you were just paying for the labour in installing the system and if you were to own the larger items the cost would be quite a bit higher.

However the norm may have changed since then??

GDB2222

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81862101#Comment_81862101

The present alarm was installed 25 years ago, and I paid for it outright, with a maintenance/monitoring contract.

That alarm is now obsolete, so I asked ADT to quote for a replacement.

Anyway, I'm getting a reputable local firm to install an alarm on Monday. ADT have hung onto my money, though.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81862257#Comment_81862257

Have they said they are keeping the payment or just lax in refunding it?

Okell

"… I'd have thought that words like 'Supply' imply selling, not hiring?"

I would say not necessarily.

Alderbank

I agree with @Okell.

ADT used to sell alarms which they called 'Blue by ADT'. They still sell alarms under the name 'ADT self-setup' brand name, but their main product is a security service. The service is a guaranteed response to intruder attempts which they guarantee by assessing your home then providing appropriate equipment, maintenance and monitoring 24/7 for as long as the contract runs.

Is your product called 'Smart home'?

I have always seen their service as like broadband service suppliers who supply you with a router to use the service while you are a subscriber.

But most of what they supply such as ADT Command is proprietary stuff and can't be used by anyone without a current ADT subscription so it is worthless even if they just leave it.

eskbanker

While I agree that 'supply' doesn't in itself imply purchase rather than hiring, there's presumably an argument that CRA s69 applies, i.e. that any ambiguity is decided in the consumer's favour (albeit this could be something of a pyrrhic victory if there's no realistic prospect of having another supplier take on the kit)?

Alderbank

The quotation above which the OP 'supplied' includes:

Summary

Supply, Install and Commission (incl. VAT): £374.40

On the following pages you will find a breakdown…

The actual breakdown on those following pages might be useful for us to see.