- Report: #161022
Complaint Review: Brinks Home Security - Irving Texas
-
Author Confirmed
Why?
Brinks Home Security
8880 Esthers Blvd. Irving, 75063 Texas, U.S.A.
Phone:
800-725-3537
Web:
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Business Rating:
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Brinks Home Security relies on the fine print to keep you paying Ripoff Irving Texas
When I signed up with Brinks, I asked what would happen if I moved out before the three years was up. The salesman said it was not a problem and that you could choose to either move the service with you or terminate the agreement, but that it was not a problem. However, when I did move out and try to terminate the agreement, Brinks made me pay the full amount of fees for the 3 years. It's in the fine print, and don't think for a minute that Brinks is going to deal with it in an amicable manner.
Just ask around because they have a reputation for this kind of thing. Also, don't think that you agreement will eventually expire and go month to month like a cell phone contract. There is an auto-renewal built in to the contract, and before you know it, you'll end up under another term, and of course if you want out you'll have to pay all the way until the end of the new term. Brinks is relying on this type of arrangement to keep their revenues coming in. Also, when you deal with the salesman, notice how keen they are to get you onto Easypay. What that means is that Brinks will get paid without you having to do anything to make a payment. Seems convenient, only they won't mention the biggest reason they want you to do it - you are much more likely to forget when your 3-yr term is up, and if you forget, you'll be stuck for another term, and the WILL enforce every minute of it.
When you think about it, why should you need to sign up for a set term at all? If their service is so good, why don't they let the customers go month to month? I don't mean they have to let you be month to month immediately after they install your system, but after you've completed the initial term and they've had a chance to recover the costs of installation. My fiancee moved into a house with a system that was left by the previous customer, and signed up for a 3 year deal even though Brinks didn't install anything new. Now that she moved out, Brinks has her on the hook for 2 years of payments left on the contract.
The salespeople may be friendly and seem trustworth, but read the fine print on the front and back of the contract. Note the tone of the terms and waivers included therein. That is the same sort of tone you'll hear from their customer service representatives after you are a contracted customer.
The point of mentioning these tactics is to demonstrate that Brinks Home Security is not a customer-friendly company. If you are comfortable doing business with a company that puts a lot of tricky provisions in the fine print and acts like each customer is sophistocated enough to read the fine print even though it contradicts what the salesman says, then maybe you'll be happy with them, but I'd rather deal with another company where I can rely on the verbal statements of the salesmen.
James
Denton, Texas
U.S.A.
Just ask around because they have a reputation for this kind of thing. Also, don't think that you agreement will eventually expire and go month to month like a cell phone contract. There is an auto-renewal built in to the contract, and before you know it, you'll end up under another term, and of course if you want out you'll have to pay all the way until the end of the new term. Brinks is relying on this type of arrangement to keep their revenues coming in. Also, when you deal with the salesman, notice how keen they are to get you onto Easypay. What that means is that Brinks will get paid without you having to do anything to make a payment. Seems convenient, only they won't mention the biggest reason they want you to do it - you are much more likely to forget when your 3-yr term is up, and if you forget, you'll be stuck for another term, and the WILL enforce every minute of it.
When you think about it, why should you need to sign up for a set term at all? If their service is so good, why don't they let the customers go month to month? I don't mean they have to let you be month to month immediately after they install your system, but after you've completed the initial term and they've had a chance to recover the costs of installation. My fiancee moved into a house with a system that was left by the previous customer, and signed up for a 3 year deal even though Brinks didn't install anything new. Now that she moved out, Brinks has her on the hook for 2 years of payments left on the contract.
The salespeople may be friendly and seem trustworth, but read the fine print on the front and back of the contract. Note the tone of the terms and waivers included therein. That is the same sort of tone you'll hear from their customer service representatives after you are a contracted customer.
The point of mentioning these tactics is to demonstrate that Brinks Home Security is not a customer-friendly company. If you are comfortable doing business with a company that puts a lot of tricky provisions in the fine print and acts like each customer is sophistocated enough to read the fine print even though it contradicts what the salesman says, then maybe you'll be happy with them, but I'd rather deal with another company where I can rely on the verbal statements of the salesmen.
James
Denton, Texas
U.S.A.
5 Updates & Rebuttals
broadviewtech
shreveport,Louisiana,
USA
what u get for 30 a month ?
#2UPDATE Employee
Sat, October 03, 2009
what u get is a little or no cost up front security system they ask u to sign a three year contract (as with any security system u pay little or nothing for) as far as the monitoring goes of course they call and try to verify that its actually an alarm ask any police officer how seriously they take a alarm call from a company who has a lot of unconfirmed calls . thats the point. what i see from this form is 12 complaints out of the millions of customers that brinks/broadview has and if this was a standard problem with all there educated customers who READ THE CONTRACT BEFORE THEY SIGN IT than brinks/broadview wouldent have such a high rating with jd power and assoiciates i by the way am a lolely technition for a dealer who is very proud of working for such a reputial company and am able to offer a free system to the general public not just the super rich and all we ask is a three year contract to recupe the costs what an evil empire they are thank you very much
James
Denton,Texas,
U.S.A.
What do we get for $30?
#3Consumer Comment
Tue, October 18, 2005
If you do read the fine print you'll realized exactly how little you get for $30. Basically, if you alarm works and it goes off, Brinks will first attempt to call you and then they'll call the police. Unmonitored alarms at Radio Shack will do the exact same thing, and the monitoring cost is $0 per month. Various things that Brinks has listed in the fine print: 1. They don't promise that anyone called (ie police or fire dept) will actually respond. 2. They don't provide any guarantee of any kind that the equipment will work beyond 90 days, even though Brinks owns the equipment and you pay for repairs to it. 3. They disclaim the implied warranty of merchantability for the equipment. This is expressly disclaimed. The merchantability warranty is normally implied unless expressly disclaimed. In other words, they are saying "What we are selling you may be unfit for sale without us being subject to lawsuits for selling you garbage, but we are putting in this disclaimer, so you can't sue us for selling you garbage." 4. If you die during the 3-year term, the fees for the entire term will be paid out of your estate. I am not disagreeing that I was a fool not to read the fine print. Now, having read the fine print, I would say that anyone who does sign the agreement is a fool. I wrote this ripoff report to warn other potential fools to beware and read the fine print and consider what they are actually getting for their money before they throw it away. Basically you are agreeing to pay $30 per month and all you get in return is an alarm that will auto-dial you and then the police or fire dept if it is set off. They have those available at Radio Shack for $99 and you don't pay any monitoring fees or sign an agreement that can hold your credit score hostage if you have a disagreement with the monitoring company or choose to terminate the service. That is what I would recommend for anyone considering Brinks Home Security. Over three years you'll save about $1000.
James
Denton,Texas,
U.S.A.
What do we get for $30?
#4Consumer Comment
Tue, October 18, 2005
If you do read the fine print you'll realized exactly how little you get for $30. Basically, if you alarm works and it goes off, Brinks will first attempt to call you and then they'll call the police. Unmonitored alarms at Radio Shack will do the exact same thing, and the monitoring cost is $0 per month. Various things that Brinks has listed in the fine print: 1. They don't promise that anyone called (ie police or fire dept) will actually respond. 2. They don't provide any guarantee of any kind that the equipment will work beyond 90 days, even though Brinks owns the equipment and you pay for repairs to it. 3. They disclaim the implied warranty of merchantability for the equipment. This is expressly disclaimed. The merchantability warranty is normally implied unless expressly disclaimed. In other words, they are saying "What we are selling you may be unfit for sale without us being subject to lawsuits for selling you garbage, but we are putting in this disclaimer, so you can't sue us for selling you garbage." 4. If you die during the 3-year term, the fees for the entire term will be paid out of your estate. I am not disagreeing that I was a fool not to read the fine print. Now, having read the fine print, I would say that anyone who does sign the agreement is a fool. I wrote this ripoff report to warn other potential fools to beware and read the fine print and consider what they are actually getting for their money before they throw it away. Basically you are agreeing to pay $30 per month and all you get in return is an alarm that will auto-dial you and then the police or fire dept if it is set off. They have those available at Radio Shack for $99 and you don't pay any monitoring fees or sign an agreement that can hold your credit score hostage if you have a disagreement with the monitoring company or choose to terminate the service. That is what I would recommend for anyone considering Brinks Home Security. Over three years you'll save about $1000.
James
Denton,Texas,
U.S.A.
What do we get for $30?
#5Consumer Comment
Tue, October 18, 2005
If you do read the fine print you'll realized exactly how little you get for $30. Basically, if you alarm works and it goes off, Brinks will first attempt to call you and then they'll call the police. Unmonitored alarms at Radio Shack will do the exact same thing, and the monitoring cost is $0 per month. Various things that Brinks has listed in the fine print: 1. They don't promise that anyone called (ie police or fire dept) will actually respond. 2. They don't provide any guarantee of any kind that the equipment will work beyond 90 days, even though Brinks owns the equipment and you pay for repairs to it. 3. They disclaim the implied warranty of merchantability for the equipment. This is expressly disclaimed. The merchantability warranty is normally implied unless expressly disclaimed. In other words, they are saying "What we are selling you may be unfit for sale without us being subject to lawsuits for selling you garbage, but we are putting in this disclaimer, so you can't sue us for selling you garbage." 4. If you die during the 3-year term, the fees for the entire term will be paid out of your estate. I am not disagreeing that I was a fool not to read the fine print. Now, having read the fine print, I would say that anyone who does sign the agreement is a fool. I wrote this ripoff report to warn other potential fools to beware and read the fine print and consider what they are actually getting for their money before they throw it away. Basically you are agreeing to pay $30 per month and all you get in return is an alarm that will auto-dial you and then the police or fire dept if it is set off. They have those available at Radio Shack for $99 and you don't pay any monitoring fees or sign an agreement that can hold your credit score hostage if you have a disagreement with the monitoring company or choose to terminate the service. That is what I would recommend for anyone considering Brinks Home Security. Over three years you'll save about $1000.
Kirsten
Santa Rosa,California,
U.S.A.
Read before you sign!
#6Consumer Suggestion
Mon, October 17, 2005
I am a Brinks customer for over four years and have never had a bad experience. But of course before I signed the agreement I read the contract. I don't understand why people just sign obligating them financially WITHOUT reading the fine print! I suggest in the future you: 1. Do your homework: research the company vs. other providers. 2. Read the contract thoroughly before you sign. If you do the above it will stop you and others from feeling they have been taking advantage of.
