Free ADT Home Security - What's the catch?
Discussion
Just had a chap knock at the door, offering complete installation, maintenance and annual charges, for free, because we live ona corner plot, and would be good advertising for them as the ADT box would be prominently displayed...
Anyone know anything about this...am I missing something...is there a hidden catch. Wife is keen on the security, but I'm always very sceptical of offers on the doorstep.
LB
Anyone know anything about this...am I missing something...is there a hidden catch. Wife is keen on the security, but I'm always very sceptical of offers on the doorstep.
LB
ADT are one of the biggest catches out there, things to bear in mind is you never "own" the system just lease it, they can and will come and rip it out if you cancel the monitoring agreement for which you will be paying a healthy sum. I knew a guy who used to do the door to door for them and found they were such sharks we went off to sell electricity 
Hey, I used to do door to door for ADT too. The things you'll do when you're desperate for money. Which I still am. 
Anyway, wouldn't agree about the sharks bit. Maybe that was just your local dealer. ADT happen to be one of the biggest names in security as a look at the number of their boxes on any high street or industrial estate will show (you start seeing them everywhere when you're working for them).
The 'catch' is the £25 per month monitoring fee you've got to keep paying once the system is installed. On the positive side, you do get a monitored system that will get acted on rather than just a siren that everyone ignores, and the fee includes any repairs, 24 hour call-out, maintenance etc.
Whether you think that's worth £25 a month is up to you.
Anyway, wouldn't agree about the sharks bit. Maybe that was just your local dealer. ADT happen to be one of the biggest names in security as a look at the number of their boxes on any high street or industrial estate will show (you start seeing them everywhere when you're working for them).
The 'catch' is the £25 per month monitoring fee you've got to keep paying once the system is installed. On the positive side, you do get a monitored system that will get acted on rather than just a siren that everyone ignores, and the fee includes any repairs, 24 hour call-out, maintenance etc.
Whether you think that's worth £25 a month is up to you.
Got to disagree here. I've had an ADT system for 13 years or so, and I just pay the basic, no maintenance fee of £199 per year. One free annual inspection, and it's never yet gone wrong. It's a deterent, and I reckon quite a good one. Still, I wonder if they'll come and fit a free new one if I move house?.....
I fit my own alarms (and better than ADT!). The ADT guys are not all that well trained and you might get some guy fresh from their training school who has not got a clue. My mate had one fit the alarm system in his shop - he was scratching his head while fitting it and left redundant wires all over the place. He had a break-in months later where was stuff was taken and the alarm never went off. He complained to ADT and they made a report which concluded: Alarm security inadequate. That was it - they never offered any compensation. They also charge mega bucks for call-outs.
Oh..and the stuff about your house being a good advert for them and hence the free offer is a load of cods. :-)
>> Edited by funkydredd on Monday 25th November 23:20
Oh..and the stuff about your house being a good advert for them and hence the free offer is a load of cods. :-)
>> Edited by funkydredd on Monday 25th November 23:20
Just to update you:
I told him to come back later in the evening, at 8.30. He said he'd only got 2 contracts left and might not return if other households had taken up his offer. Fine I said.
Then consulted the mighty "PH", where answers to all questions reside.
When the door rang at precisely 8.30 (what a surprise), I was greeted with a "hi how are you mate?" Excuse me but are we such close buddies already???
ME: Before you say anything, I'm not interested.
HIM: Even a free installation?
ME: No. Sorry.
HIM: Well its just as well, I only came back to tell you other residents took the remaining 2 contracts.
ME: Great....goodnight
Thanks everyone.
I told him to come back later in the evening, at 8.30. He said he'd only got 2 contracts left and might not return if other households had taken up his offer. Fine I said.
Then consulted the mighty "PH", where answers to all questions reside.
When the door rang at precisely 8.30 (what a surprise), I was greeted with a "hi how are you mate?" Excuse me but are we such close buddies already???
ME: Before you say anything, I'm not interested.
HIM: Even a free installation?
ME: No. Sorry.
HIM: Well its just as well, I only came back to tell you other residents took the remaining 2 contracts.
ME: Great....goodnight
Thanks everyone.
nevpugh308 said: Slightly related, anyone know where I can get hold of a nice tasteful sign for the front door which says "NO COLD CALLERS" ..... fed up of the little bu**ers calling round the house, and the paper message I wrote is about to fall off the door (and looks tatty anyway)
Why not just get one printed up and laminated? You could do it yourself or go to a sign writers and get a big old banner over your door
Depending on where you live you should also add - "and no free newspapers or flyers" I get sick of those being stuffed through my door
mel said: Could you also add "And you barstewards flogging Betterware, Avon, and poxy Amway can piss off too"
I think its quite funny when they come back to ask for the catalogue after a couple of days.
Had a skip on my driveway for a couple of months now, I pointed at it and said "Its in there somewhere"
Having been involved in the Security Industry for 18 years, first 8 installing & the last 10 distributing, I feel this is a subject of which I can voice a professional opinion.
As previousley said, the system installed is merely rented & most systems do not have an external siren. This means that once the contract expires, you have a silent (except for internal siren) system.
Also the system is monitored but only by a digital communicator, which will be useless if the telephone line is cut / faulty. A more secure form of signalling is BT Redcare, but as the rulings on communicated signals have recentley changed, even this is not always adequate. The best form of signalling is a dual path system as this will transmit over the telephone or GSM network.
The rulings now for a Police communicated (via a central station) are that a confirmed signal must be sent before the Police will attend. Therefore it is possible for an intruder to cut / disable a telephone line & if on Redcare only a fault will be logged at the central station & a keyholder contacted. The intruder is now free to break into the premises without further signalling occurring. Whereas with the same scenario if dual path signalling were installed the confirmed (break in) would be signalled via the GSM & would act as a confirmed signal, & then Police notified.
This is only for new installations (after 1st July 2002) & existing systems are not affected. However if an existing system repeatedley false alarms the Police can insist that to maintain response, the system must be upgraded to comply with the new regulations (know as DD243).
I feel I have been boring, but this is my living. Also all the information I have stated is freely available to all & therefore have not given away any secrets.
In summary be very wary who you are dealing with & ask questions.
If anyone would like to cantact me through my email for more clarification please feel free to do so.
As previousley said, the system installed is merely rented & most systems do not have an external siren. This means that once the contract expires, you have a silent (except for internal siren) system.
Also the system is monitored but only by a digital communicator, which will be useless if the telephone line is cut / faulty. A more secure form of signalling is BT Redcare, but as the rulings on communicated signals have recentley changed, even this is not always adequate. The best form of signalling is a dual path system as this will transmit over the telephone or GSM network.
The rulings now for a Police communicated (via a central station) are that a confirmed signal must be sent before the Police will attend. Therefore it is possible for an intruder to cut / disable a telephone line & if on Redcare only a fault will be logged at the central station & a keyholder contacted. The intruder is now free to break into the premises without further signalling occurring. Whereas with the same scenario if dual path signalling were installed the confirmed (break in) would be signalled via the GSM & would act as a confirmed signal, & then Police notified.
This is only for new installations (after 1st July 2002) & existing systems are not affected. However if an existing system repeatedley false alarms the Police can insist that to maintain response, the system must be upgraded to comply with the new regulations (know as DD243).
I feel I have been boring, but this is my living. Also all the information I have stated is freely available to all & therefore have not given away any secrets.
In summary be very wary who you are dealing with & ask questions.
If anyone would like to cantact me through my email for more clarification please feel free to do so.
nubbin said: Got to disagree here. I've had an ADT system for 13 years or so, and I just pay the basic, no maintenance fee of £199 per year. One free annual inspection, and it's never yet gone wrong. It's a deterent, and I reckon quite a good one. Still, I wonder if they'll come and fit a free new one if I move house?.....
Nubbin, is your system comunicated? If so the minimum is 2 visits per year to comply with the Police reccomendations.
Also, have you really paid £2600 over the last 13 years?
mannginger said:
nevpugh308 said: Slightly related, anyone know where I can get hold of a nice tasteful sign for the front door which says "NO COLD CALLERS" ..... fed up of the little bu**ers calling round the house, and the paper message I wrote is about to fall off the door (and looks tatty anyway)
Why not just get one printed up and laminated? You could do it yourself or go to a sign writers and get a big old banner over your door
Depending on where you live you should also add - "and no free newspapers or flyers" I get sick of those being stuffed through my door
There isnt all that much point, most of them will ignore it anyway.
Ive done a little door canvassing in the past and everyone just ignores those signs a lot of the time.
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