Problem Solver: ADT Customer Outraged

By Dianne Derby
Anchor
Published: December 26, 2008

When Fred Waddell purchased cell phones to replace the landline at his home he had no idea it could affect his security alarm monitoring with ADT.

“We called them before we ever switched over and told them ‘Look we are going to cell phone is that going to interfere with our alarm system? Oh no everything’s cool’,“ said Mr. Waddell as he described his conversation with ADT.

Or so he thought until recently when his wife, Helen, noticed a trouble light on their keypad. When they called ADT to check on it…
“(The customer service representative) said ‘Mr. Waddell, Mrs. Waddell we’re not getting your signal’,“ said Waddell. “She said ‘We haven’t received your signal since March’.“

That’s nearly 10 months of service and peace of mind the Waddell’s paid for but never got.

“She said ‘We’ll have a manager call you within 24-48 hours’,“ said Waddell. “No one called. I told my wife well I can’t get an attorney and I can’t find anyone to handle this case I said let me call WSPA and see what they can do for somebody. I guarantee they can build a fire under somebody right quick. News travels fast.“

And with our help it did. ADT Spokesperson Bob Tucker issued a statement saying:

“ADT apologizes for any inconveniences Mr. and Mrs. Waddell may have experienced. We are dispatching a technician to their home to inspect and repair the system. Additionally, we are crediting them for the 10 months of service they did not receive and adding an additional two months of complimentary service as a goodwill gesture. We value Mr. and Mrs. Waddell’s business and hope they will continue to be ADT customers.“

“They look at us like well you know we can do what we please and there’s nothing you can do about it,“ said Waddell. “I beg your pardon there is something we can do about it we’ll fight you tooth and nail and that’s what I intend to do.“

But with News Channel 7 On Your side he doesn’t have to. And until his alarm is back up and running Mr. Waddell isn’t taking any chances double checking his security doors to make sure they work.

If you’re thinking of purchasing an alarm system the Better Business Bureau suggests you consider the following before signing up:
-The length of the contract. Most are two to five years.
-The cancellation policies. Find out what you can do if your are not satisfied.
-Find out what your rights are if your monitoring company is purchased or acquired by another alarm company.