Vivint
Complaint 147377 Details

I just filed a BBB complaint, and here is my email to their legal department.

Nathan Wilcox,

On July 2, 2012, a sales representative, Chris Kranenburg (Rep 58850), sold me an alarm system under what I consider to be false pretenses.

He told me there had been recent break-ins in the neighborhood where homes were monitored by alarm systems with the company I was using – Northstar – and that the wires were cut so the monitoring was ineffective, which turns out not to be true, and that the Vivint system uses the cell phone system instead of land lines. That part is true, but Northstar can do the same. He also said that Vivint makes the equipment used by Northstar, and that they were having financial difficulties, so I should switch to Vivint. He said the equipment was free as long as I displayed the Vivint sign out front. He also said that neighbors had recently switched, and had successfully canceled their Northstar monitoring contracts. All I had to do was write a letter to Northstar to do that. That is absolutely not true.

I went ahead and proceeded with the installation, which took place the same day, before the 3 day cancellation period had elapsed. Subsequently, when I was unable to cancel the Northstar monitoring contract (yes, it was after the 3 day wait) ,I contacted Vivint and was told the Vivint monitoring contract could not be canceled so now I am stuck with both. Anything can be canceled if there is the will to do so. I want the Vivint sale and installation reversed, and my Northstar alarm re-installed. I want Vivint to do the right thing, not hide behind legalities.

I see the practices used in my case have been the subject of other BBB complaints. The specific complaint I am referring to is this one: “On September 10, 2010 the State of Arkansas Attorney General's Office filed a complaint against APX Alarm Security Solutions Inc ("Defendant") in the circuit court of Pulaski County, Arkansas.” – a summary of which can be found here: http://www.bbb.org/utah/business-reviews/burglar-alarm-systems-dealers-monitoring-and-service/vivint-in-provo-ut-4002276#govtaction, which includes, but is not limited to the following:

“3) violated the consumer's absolute right to cancel by installing alarms prior to the expiration of the three-day cancellation period; 4) falsely represented that consumers have been specially selected to receive the Defendant's services for free in exchange for displaying the Defendant's sign;”

As you can see, numerous other actions are listed at the above site, and it looks to me like this is not uncommon. At the site, there is also this request, “If you have a complaint with the company or would like to have a technician sent out to your home, please contact Nathan Wilcox at (Personal Information Removed) prior to filing a BBB complaint.” So I am doing just that – contacting you, but unless this is resolved to my satisfaction, I too, will be filing a complaint with the BBB.

I want the entire transaction reversed, and my Nortstar system reinstalled. That is the morally right thing to do.