ADT alarm and armed response

[murdock]

they say you shoulnt write threads when you are angry but here goes...i have just finished tried to get hold of someone from ADT security...man can this company dodge and duck and dive the md is out of town the second in charge is not in the office and unfortunately there is nowone else with any authourity available at this point in time...i have just got back to my house to find the alarm has been going for i dont know how long...so i try contact ADT and speak to someone with authourity because this is now just becoming a joke...for 4 month now i have had a problem with this alarm so i contact them we run a test and all is clear...yet everyday i receive a sms to niotify me that i need to test my alarm.

we had a vehicle break in so i pressed the panic button and did not get a response so i contacted them and compained the following evening i had a response vehicle every hour on the hour come screeching into my driveway get out the vehicle with the dogs going crazy put a piece of paper into my letter box get bacj into his vehicle and screech out again until after 5 hours i finally had enough and could not get to sleep so i waited till he arrived at the next hour and threatened him if he did it again...i think he got the hint and didnt come back.

i will give them until 14.00 today to sort this problem out otherwise i will canceal the contract due to no service delivery and change to blue or coin security.

[Graeme]

Murdock I am so glad I read your post - I was right on the verge of contacting ADT to instal some security devices at my home to beef up my security measures. I guess I shall think again about this. Kind regards.

[Dave A]

Oops! Now that has cost another client so far.

This internet thing can be scary sometimes...

[murdock]

14.00 came and went no response from ADT i decided to get an independant in to rectify the problem...to find it was the ADT installers fault...due to incorrect installation...the problem was rectified at a nominal fee which will be forwarded to ADT for collection...i then proceeded wit a 911 panic button as if i was a hostage within a couple of seconds they responded...i decided not to answer the telephone so they called 3 times...i decided after 3 calls to answer...they asked my password which i gave to them...now this is the joke i have a person holding a gun to my wifes head while another person is raping her they ask the password what do you think i do... i am faced with a problem do i give them the wrong password and hope they handle the incident "proffessionally" or do i give them the correct password??? well from experiense dealing with ADT i take my chances and try sort the problem out myself...rather than having 1 person come screeching into my property causing panic probably resulting in the hijackers killing both of us.

put your armed response to the test and see how they handle this type of situation as this is becoming a comon one in this sad rainbow nation...i would be interested to see how your armed response reacts...and if they are any good i would ike to change to that company...because at the end of the day i can look after myself it is my wife and childrens safety i am concerned about...once it has happened it is already toooo late.

one of the biggest problems i find with armed response companies is that when they need to promote their company in your area they will have all their vehicles parked on the verges and driving around...until they finish marketing then once you sign up...some of them take 20 minutes or longer to response...what is the good of that...the other joke is they arrive with 1 person in a vehicle...normally when these caring loving people of this rainbow nation attack you they are normal 4 or more...go figue.

[Upstairs]

The big problem is our shortage of techs. These people are sent on courses to do the installations according to spec. They then become installers. The system is an RF setup, and these guys do not understand radio. There are so many factors than can influence just the antenna, and when you are not a qualified radio tech, you will make mistakes. On the other hand it boils down to the individual who does not care about the job, or the knobs who calls themselves execs who put so much pressure on their workforce and care more about the profit than employing more people or pay qualified people what they are worth. Fact is it could cost someone his life. Go around to the repeater sites and have a look at the shoddy work!

[murdock]

just go around the country and see how it is falling apart...never mind the technical skills...my best is still the 3 security gaurds...1 supervisor...2 artisan who sit in the vehicles watching the 1 labourer actually doing the work on the side of the road.

[murdock]

i almost forgot... i did get a message on my phone from ADT yesterday.

[murdock]

just a something to note when installing a security system... the security companies always fit sensors etc inside the house never on the outside...by the time the alarm goes off the caring loving people are already in your house and they then normally have about 15 to 20 minutes to clean you out before the security company arrives...so if you plan on having a system fitted make sure the out side of the house is covered first...so that the alarm goes off warning you that there are people on your property giving you time to either defend yourself or get your family into a safe room...and test your system frequently...you dont want to get caught with your pant down.

[duncan drennan]

..you dont want to get caught with your pant down.

So no sleeping naked

just a something to note when installing a security system... the security companies always fit sensors etc inside the house never on the outside...by the time the alarm goes off the caring loving people are already in your house and they then normally have about 15 to 20 minutes to clean you out before the security company arrives...so if you plan on having a system fitted make sure the out side of the house is covered first...so that the alarm goes off warning you that there are people on your property giving you time to either defend yourself or get your family into a safe room...and test your system frequently.

I fully agree. We were fortunate enough to not be home when our house was broken into (in Pretoria a couple of years ago). We did have an alarm which was easily circumvented by the criminals and did not even sound. Try wrapping a duvet around your self and see if your sensors pick you up - you'll be shocked.

In my opinion the only thing an alarm is good for is as an early warning so that you can make sure that you are safe. Have something on the outside of your house to alert you to intruders so that you can phone the police or alarm company as soon as something happens. The police are fast if they know that a crime is in progress (well, that was my experience).

Protect yourself and your family. All you stuff is insured and has no value compared to your family's and your own life and safety.

[Dave A]

So no sleeping naked

I guess that explains this, then.