Do not go protection one

If you paid by credit card, contact your card provider (usually your bank). File a "charge-back" request based on merchandise not being as described and failure to provide contracted services. The credit card company will withdraw the money from the alarm company's bank account and return it to you. This will cause the alarm company to completely change their service priorities.

Next, regardless what they do for you -- good or bad

-- at this point, write a letter to the local newspaper and television station consumer editors. Just write one letter and send copies to every station and every paper within a 100-mile radius. Describe accurately and concisely what they screwed up. Include a photo of the contact interfering with the window blind. Explain that they connected the transformer to a *switched outlet* which is specifically prohibited by the manufacturer's instructions and the electrical code (they have to be installed according to the mfrs instruction manual) and how this makes the alarm system go into "trouble" mode if you turn the light off.

Document every conversation you have with these scoundrels. Keep copies of all correspondence.

Also, contact your state Consumer Protection agency and ask to speak to someone in the alarm licensing office. Explain what has been done to you and that the alarm company has cheated you by refusing to provide what you paid for -- a properly working alarm system. Ask for an official complaint form. Include a copy of your complaint plus any response you get in your letters to the media.

All this might seem like overkill to some but it's important to understand that the company has cheated this customer. Now they are refusing to honor the warranty (they installed the transformer wrong) even though he's paying for warranty service. That and the poor quality workmanship (installing sensors in such a way that the gentleman can't even close his blinds) is indicative of a bad alarm company.

If this was the first time we'd seen such horror stories about that company perhaps I'd have suggested a more friendly approach. Unfortunately, there us a long history of customer abuse and shoddy workmanship from P1 dealers. Nothing short of a "shock and awe" (apologies to the Shrub) campaign is appropriate.

Your installation should mention something about a warranty. If you

The "contact" you're referring to is probably the wireless transmitter. It's usually located on the wall adjacent to the window. The sensors (contacts) are on the window track (or inside the track if concealed contacts were used).

Protection one will have to move the transmitters if they're interfering with your blinds. Call them back and mention their warranty on installation.

That's another warranty issue.

It may be that a "cancel code" has been programmed into the system (or there is an additional delay on communication to enable you to turn off the alarm before a signal is sent). You're going to have to actually put your system on test and ensure it's properly transmitting alarms and restorals outside of the programmed delays.

Conclusion:

Protection One is one of the "bigger" alarm companies out there. If their installer didn't provide you with the expected service, then their service department should look after you. Speak with the local service manager and if that doesn't help contact their corporate office. All this information should be on their contract.

DO NOT contact the papers or the local radio station. Doing so without all the facts at your disposal will make you look like an idiot and there's already one "idiot" that's left you with advice you really don't want to follow.

I'll tell ya why it's a remodel and not a warranty, because it's happened to us several times....we install wireless system...and put the transmitters in the most logical spot after asking; Mr. Smith do you intend to install any special window treatments or wooden window blinds? No.

Three weeks later we get phone call from Mr. Smith that they had window blinds installed and WE have to move our transmitters...or have to repair them because the window blind guys took them down (and probably lost some parts or broke a few).

Well...maybe we will or maybe we won't fix something that's not our fault...kinda depends. Whoever's equipment is installed first has right of way :-)

| > summary: | > expensive system. they do not call when the alert goes off. Bad | > service. bad installation. Save your many and time and go to some one | > else | | | Conclusion: | | Protection One is one of the "bigger" alarm companies out there. If | their installer didn't provide you with the expected service, then their | service department should look after you. Speak with the local service | manager and if that doesn't help contact their corporate office. All | this information should be on their contract. | | DO NOT contact the papers or the local radio station. Doing so without | all the facts at your disposal will make you look like an idiot and | there's already one "idiot" that's left you with advice you really don't | want to follow.

Which makes it all the more ludicrous to "contact the local newspaper and television station consumer editors", don'tcha think?

absamalutely

| > Three weeks later we get phone call from Mr. Smith that they had window | > blinds installed and WE have to move our transmitters...or have to repair | > them because the window blind guys took them down (and probably lost some | > parts or broke a few). | >

| > Well...maybe we will or maybe we won't fix something that's not our | > fault...kinda depends. Whoever's equipment is installed first has right of | > way :-) | | | Which makes it all the more ludicrous to "contact the local newspaper | and television station consumer editors", don'tcha think?

Do you figure the installer also put the transformer in a switched outlet *before* the customer installed a switch?

Look, we all know what a rotten outfit P1 is. They treat customers worse than Sonitrash. They screwed this installation up. They need to go back and move the transformer anyway. If they were a decent firm they'd move the window transmitters at the same time as a courtesy (*assuming* they didn't already know there would be blinds).

Often (though not always) the most logical place for a transmitter is on the wall near the window with the wire from a recessed or a miniature surface mount contact buried in the wall. The same applies to many door transmitters. When the window design permits this approach will avoid most problems with blinds, shades or whatever else the customer has.

That said, it is the contractor's responsibility (as a professional, he should know that these things can interfere with common window treatments) to ask the customer if he plans to use blinds, shades or whatever. My windows have heavy, wooden shutters inside them. Since I installed alarms for a living for many years, I know in advance what I need to do to protect my windows without interfering with the shutters. The average homeowner does not. It's one of the things I routinely ask DIYers when helping them choose an alarm system.

BTW, speaking of DIYers, tonight I walked a home owner through connecting and programming his first alarm system -- a Napco Gemini P9600. He already had the system wired up from earlier guidance. It took 35 minutes on the phone to guide him through configuring the software, writing the program and downloading it. We spent a few minutes more going over the siren driver hookup and a few misc. details. After that he tested everything, sent alarm signals to his cell phone (prior to connecting to the central monitoring station) and taught his wife to use the system. Tomorrow they start their vacation, presumably spending some of the roughly $2,000 they saved on a "professional" installation. Best of all, they won't be posting horror stories about Brinks, Monitronix, P1 or some "authorized dealer" because the person who installed the system actually cares about what he's protecting.

I suggested 911Alarm for the monitoring. They're decent, honest folks and a number of my clients have spoken well of them in the past.

switched outlet is kinda dopey yah.

| Bass Home Electronics | 941-925-8650 | 4883 Fallcrest Circle | Sarasota · Florida · 34233 |

| | > absamalutely |

They're incompetent. They need to fix this. If they still refuse, I've given the gentleman some ideas as to how to fight back without the expense or bother of taking them to court.

Heh... Suuurrre, Bass... 35 minutes to "configure the software, write the program AND download" the panel... On a P9600!!? I'll bet the keypads all display "Attention Burglar! Go Ahead Make my Day." too.

What is the complaining about? The light switch thing is not a bug, it's a feature. It is the automatic random A/C fail report tester with battery load wellness indicator. That was an extra cost item provided gratis. Now the contact problem on the windows is easily explained. I am sure that there was a proper wireless placement test done prior to installation of the blinds, so therefore there is a blind bulge to allow proper electron interaction and propagation of the Kundt's tube sine wave signal. A particle velocity signal in the perpendicular direction of the wires changes the temperature distribution on the blinds instantaneously. It is a green feature designed to reduce utility bills as well as carbon emissions. Again an extra charge item provided free. Protection One is just way out in front of all of us on technology providing product value as well as outstanding customer service, and we all should show them the respect they deserve.