Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Guardian Protection's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  Guardian Protection

  174 Thorn Hill Rd Warrendale, PA 15086-7528

  
• 

  Guardian Protection Services, Inc

  835 Sussex Blvd Broomall, PA 19008

• 

  Guardian Protection

  1809 Olde Homestead Ln Lancaster, PA 17601

• 

  Guardian Protection

  9852 Windisch Rd West Chester, OH 45069

  
• 

  Guardian Protection

  4423 Professional Pkwy Groveport, OH 43125

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/25/2023

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I am writing to file a formal complaint against DRB Homes and Guardian Protection Services regarding the unauthorized and persistent monitoring of my home without my consent. Despite multiple attempts to resolve this issue by contacting both parties on three separate occasions, I have not received a satisfactory resolution, and my privacy and security continue to be compromised.
  
  According to Virginia law, as a homeowner, I have the right to privacy and control over surveillance on my property (*** **** **** * *******). DRB Homes and Guardian Protection Services have blatantly disregarded my privacy rights by maintaining an active home monitoring account without obtaining my consent, making me feel violated and exposed in my own residence for 2 months.
  
  I have made multiple attempts to address this matter directly with both DRB Homes and Guardian Protection Services, but my concerns have been dismissed, and my requests for resolution have been ignored. The lack of responsiveness from both companies is highly concerning and indicative of a blatant disregard for their customers' rights and concerns.
  
  The constant monitoring of my home without my consent is a significant invasion of my privacy. The fact that this third party has access to information about my constant movements, ingress, egress, and even the blueprint of my house and home furnishings is deeply unsettling and unacceptable.
  
  I demand that DRB Homes immediately release the home monitoring account they have maintained without my consent. Additionally, I urge Guardian Protection Services to promptly cancel all monitoring services associated with my property.
  
  As per Virginia law, homeowners have the right to protect their privacy and personal space within their residences (*** **** **** * *********). By failing to seek my consent for home monitoring, DRB Homes and Guardian Protection Services have clearly violated this legal provision and undermined my rights as a homeowner.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/26/2023

  July 26, 2023
  
  
  BBB of Western Pennsylvania
  520 E Main St, Suite 100
  Carnegie, PA  15106
  
  ***      ***** ****** * ********* ** ********
  
  **** *** ***** 
  
  Thank you for forwarding the
  above referenced complaint to Guardian Protection Services, Inc. (“Guardian”).  Guardian values the opportunity to resolve the
  complainant’s issue and put her mind at ease.
  
  The complainant advised DRB
  Homes and Guardian Protection have been monitoring her home without her
  consent, despite multiple attempts to resolve the issue by contacting both
  parties.  At the time of her complaint,
  she had not received a satisfactory resolution and felt her privacy rights were
  violated and exposed.
  
  A review of the Guardian’s
  account for DRB Homes was conducted upon receipt of this complaint.  Guardian found it had not received notification,
  whether due to an oversight or lost communication, from DRB Homes to cancel the
  Monitoring Agreement to which Guardian was bound.  Guardian was able to resolve the issue on
  July 25, 2023 and the account was fully canceled that day.
  
  Guardian apologizes for the
  delay the complainant experienced in having this matter resolved.  Thank you for bringing this matter to
  Guardian’s attention to ensure it is resolved. 
  Should you have any questions, please contact Guardian at (800) 776-8328.
  
  
  Sincerely,
  Agency Complaint Response
  Team

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/26/2023

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********* and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  ***** ******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/12/2023

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I had this service since 2019 now I want to cancel but they said I have to pay them $1,224 but all they were offering was a service my equipment was paid off through a finance company

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/13/2023

  July 13, 2023
  
  
  BBB of Western Pennsylvania
  520 E Main St, Suite 100
  Carnegie, PA   15106
  
  RE:      ****** ***** * ********* ********
  
  **** *** ***** 
  
  Thank you for advising Guardian
  Protection Services, Inc. (“Guardian”) of the above referenced complaint.  Guardian appreciates the opportunity to
  respond and address the customer’s complaint.
  
  Our customer states he is
  being quoted a settlement fee of $1,224 to cancel his account when he had paid for
  his equipment through a finance company and all that was being provided was
  service.
  
  For
  background, our customer’s security system was sold and installed by NWT Surveillance
  Group (NWT) whereby all aspects of the sale and installation of the monitored
  security system, including the electronic paperwork, took place directly with NWT.  NWT is a separate and distinct company from
  Guardian, for which Guardian provided 24-hour monitoring and related services
  for customers whose security systems were sold and installed by NWT, and later
  purchased our customer’s account for the monitored security system NWT.  Guardian does not control any day-to-day
  business activities or any internal policies or procedures of NWT, including
  security evaluations, sales processes (including sales of separate stand-alone
  systems), installation practices or any other aspects of NWT’s business.
  
  Guardian would first like to
  address the cost of the monitored security system and financing.  The customer’s security system was installed for
  $0.00 in exchange for the 60-month Monitoring Agreement with a monthly fee of
  $39.99 which our customer accepted when he initialed and signed the agreements and
  addendums on file (attached).  Our customer
  appeared to be aware he had a monitoring commitment when he called Guardian on
  October 25, 2022 to confirm the end date of his monitoring term.  A representative confirmed the end of his
  monitoring term is October 1, 2025.
  
  Our customer called again on May
  22, 2023 to discuss his monitoring agreement.  He stated he was going to cancel his account
  effective Thursday of this same week (May 25, 2023).  The representative he spoke with on May 22nd confirmed the number of months he had remaining on the term of the Monitoring
  Agreement and advised he would have to pay an Early Termination Fee.  Our customer ended the call while the representative
  was still researching the amount of the Early Termination.
  
  Guardian would like to note
  that our customer called in for camera support on 11/25/2022.  The system Guardian is monitoring has no
  video devices connected to it.  It is
  Guardian’s belief that NWT also sold the customer a stand-alone video surveillance
  system, and it is this video system that was financed and paid for.
  
  Our customer next contacted Guardian
  on July 12, 2023.  He informed a
  representative he had called in June and canceled the service.  He said he also wrote a note on the invoice he
  sent with his June payment that asked us to cancel his account.  The representative who spoke with him on July
  12th confirmed again he has an agreement that is not satisfied and there
  would be an Early Termination Fee.  The representative
  advised he could pay the Early Termination Fee of $1,250 plus the balance due
  on the account, or pay off the remaining unpaid 27 months, whichever was less,
  within 30 days to fully cancel the account. 
  Our customer advised the rep there was no way he was going to pay it.  He also said he was very dissatisfied with the
  service, though the only issue our customer ever communicated to Guardian was a
  problem with cameras which Guardian did not monitor or service.  Our customer also admitted on this call he had
  changed providers. 
  
  Our customer was well aware
  he had an unsatisfied Monitoring Agreement prior to changing companies.  Had he not ended the call abruptly on May 22nd,
  he would have had the details of his options for canceling prior to signing up
  with another provider.  Guardian would
  like to note our customer referenced canceling service with ADT without penalty.  He said he had been with ADT for many years, so
  it is likely he had already satisfied his ADT monitoring agreements prior to
  canceling with them.
  
  To date, the cost of the free
  installation of the security system has not been recouped.  Our customer has the option to pay the $1,250
  Early Termination Fee plus the current account balance or pay off the remaining
  twenty-seven unpaid months of his monitoring term, valued at $1124.24.  Our customer will continue to be billed
  monthly until the end of his term if his final payment is not received.
  
  Thank you for advising Guardian
  of this matter and providing an opportunity for Guardian to finally resolve the
  issue.  Should you have any questions,
  please contact Guardian at (800) 776-8328.
  
  Sincerely,
  Agency Complaint Response
  Team

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/12/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Repair to my Hardy siding, the Gaurdian Protections technician took it upon him self with no authorization to screw 4 holes into my siding to mount my security camera. He refused to acknowledge where we told him to put the camera and took it upon him self to mount it on the wall and into the siding. Now they are refusing to reimburse my monies for the replacement of siding to fix what they destroyed. The company is giving me the run around when I reach out to see what kind of solution they have come up with to reimburse me for their wrong.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/18/2023

  July 18, 2023
  
  
  BBB of Western Pennsylvania
  520 E Main St, Suite 100
  Carnegie, PA  15106
  
  RE:      **** ******* * ********* ** ********
  
  Thank you for forwarding our
  customer’s complaint to Guardian Protection Services, Inc. (“Guardian”).  Guardian is a customer-centric organization
  and values the opportunity to address any concern.
  
  The complainant states a
  Guardian technician took it upon himself, without authorization, to screw four
  holes into his siding to mount his security camera.  The complainant further states the technician
  refused to acknowledge where he was told to put the camera and took it upon
  himself to mount in on the wall and into the siding.  The complainant states Guardian is refusing
  to reimburse his monies for the replacement of the siding to fix what the
  technician destroyed.  Our customer is
  seeking a repair or refund.
  
  Guardian would first like to
  note the complainant was not present at the May 5, 2023 installation
  appointment.  Guardian’s technician
  discussed the camera location with the complainant’s wife and questioned what
  she would like to see through the camera. 
  She explained what she would like to see and pointed to a general
  installation location up high near the corner of the home where she thought the
  camera should be located.  The technician
  suggested a position lower on the wall and to the right for an optimal view based
  on best practices.  The complainant’s
  wife indicated the technician’s suggestion was fine.  At no time did the complainant’s wife
  indicate they had any restrictions as to where the technician could mount the
  camera or run the wire to an outlet.
  
  At some point after the
  camera was installed, the complainant’s wife indicated she had been in contact
  with her husband, and he wanted the camera moved.  The technician offered to move it that same
  day, but the complainant’s wife indicated it was fine and maybe they would have
  it moved at a later date if they had Guardian add another outdoor camera to the
  job. 
  
  Per Section 8.  INSTALLATION OF A SYSTEM in the Sales and
  Installation Agreement (attached), our customer had an obligation to notify
  Guardian and the technician of specific constraints that should be followed
  with the camera installation.  Guardian’s
  investigation determined that no constraints were provided in writing or
  verbally.
  
  Guardian did agree to remove
  the newly installed equipment and cancel the customer’s account without payment
  for any of the equipment or 7 hours of labor for the system upgrade
  installation on May 5, 2023, nor the 3.5 hours of labor for relocating the
  camera on May 10, 2023.  The equipment
  has been removed and the screw and drill holes have been sealed with
  silicone.  Guardian will not be
  processing a refund or performing further repairs but would like to point out to
  the customer that James Hardie Fiber Cement Siding Touch-Up Kits are available
  through many home improvement retail companies.
  
  Thank you for providing
  Guardian with the opportunity to respond. 
  Should you have any questions, please contact Guardian directly at (800)
  776-8328.
  
  Sincerely,
  Agency Complaint Response
  Team

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/19/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********* and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  
  
  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, we would like to know your view on the matter.]
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  **** *******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/10/2023

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On 04/04/23, I had a conversation with Thomas H*** from Guardian Protection about inst***ing a new security system at our new house in MD. I asked if their system worked with Alexa, he said it did. I told him he was talking too fast and my English isn’t so good but he assured me I was in good hands.
  He never told me the contract was for 60months and there was no trial period.
  He sold me 4 cameras, doorbell, door lock garage openers, siren, sensors and glass break sensors, totaling $3600. He told me that I would have to make a thousand dollars deposit and the technicians would come out on 05/02/23. After I signed the contract, I had additional questions, when I emailed him, He referred me to a 1-800 number. On 05/02, after inst***ation, the technicians said I had 90days to test out the equipment.
  Within 2 weeks., we found out their equipment didn’t work with Alexa, the cameras didn’t record 24/7 and there was a threshold for the camera, after which it would stop recording. No one mentioned this.
  I c***ed them to on 05/17 to cancel my services because it wasn’t compatible with my Alexa and the cameras do not work as we were told and we were within our 90day period as we learned from the technician, but they said “if You cancel or terminate the Services or Agreement for any reason other than Our breach of the Agreement, You will pay Us an Alternate Performance Charge (“APC”) equal to the product of (a) $35 multiplied by (b) the total number of months remaining in the Initial Term multiplied by (c) 90% (e.g., If 60 months remain in the Initial Term, the APC would be calculated as follows: $35 x 60 months x .90 = $1890). The APC is an alternative to You paying the full amount of the MSCs remaining in the Initial Term and is not a penalty”.
  I believe this is a breach of contract because they assured me that their system was compatible with my Alexa but it is not and They never disclosed how their cameras worked.
  I want to cancel my services with them, a refund of my $1000 and my contract with them cancelled without paying any fee. They are more than welcomed to come get their equipment from my house with prior notice.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/24/2023

  
  July 24,
  2023
  
  BBB of
  Western Pennsylvania
  520 E Main
  Street, Suite 100
  Carnegie,
  PA   15106
  
              RE:      **** ******* * ********* ** ********
  
  **** *** *****
  
  Guardian
  Protection Services, Inc. (“Guardian”) is in receipt of our customer’s
  complaint and values the opportunity to provide a response and assistance to
  our customer.
  
  Guardian apologizes
  to our customer for her expressed discontent with her Guardian sales consultant.  She had contacted Guardian’s Inside Sales
  team by phone to discuss the existing system Guardian had inst***ed for the
  previous owner of the home she was purchasing, as well as adding new features.  The telephone conversation with Inside Sales
  representative Thomas H*** was quite lengthy, over an hour, with a lot of
  information discussed regarding the existing system, new equipment and features
  to be added, and the agreement and discounts.
  
  Guardian’s
  Agency Complaint Response team researched our customer’s account and reviewed
  the recorded c*** between our customer and Thomas H***, the representative she
  spoke with on May 7, 2023.  We will address
  each issue our customer has noted, though not in the same order as noted in our
  customer’s complaint.
  
  Our
  customer’s first issue was with the inside sales representative advising the
  system worked with Alexa (Amazon Echo). 
  This question was asked at the beginning of the c*** when our customer
  and representative were discussing the system already inst***ed.  It was not a discussion about getting a new
  system inst***ed.  The representative,
  referring to the existing equipment, advised Alexa would work with the system. 
  
  Approximately
  fifteen minutes after the start of the telephone c***, our customer began
  discussing home automation and cameras offered by Guardian.  The inside sales representative was clear at
  this time, and repeated it several times during their conversation, that the
  cameras would only be accessible through the app, website, and touchscreen
  panels, with a chance our customer could project video from their phone to a
  television.  At no time did the
  representative state the cameras would be viewable on an Amazon Echo device
  (Alexa).  
  
  Our
  customer’s next issue is the cameras do not record 24/7 and have a threshold.  The cameras do in fact record 24/7, though
  Guardian’s technicians missed inst***ing a MicroSD card in their rear camera
  and it currently does not record 24/7.  Guardian
  has offered to inst*** the missing MicroSD card or, if the customer chooses to
  purchase MicroSD cards with more storage, to inst*** their new cards in each
  camera at no charge.  Guardian also found
  the inside sales representative neglected to discuss a “threshold” (clip limit)
  with the customer.  The threshold does
  not impact the 24/7 recording of video. 
  The clip limit (“threshold”) is a limit on how number of monthly notifications
  and short video clips the customer will receive when the cameras detect motion.  Guardian’s system chose the incorrect number
  of ***owable clips for the number of cameras our customer purchased.  The clip limit has already been increased by five
  thousand clips per month and can be raised again if needed.
  
  With
  regard to the term of the Monitoring Agreement, Guardian’s representative
  offered both a 36-month term and a 60-month term.  Our customer chose a 60-month term.
  
  Lastly,
  regarding the 90-day “test” period, Guardian’s technicians assured their
  managers and the Agency Complaint Response Team they notified the customer of
  the 90-day warranty on *** newly inst***ed devices.  Guardian’s tenured technicians advised at no
  time did they state there was a 90-day test or trial period.
  
  Guardian
  has a significant investment in this inst***ation, as does our customer, which
  has not been recouped.  Guardian will not
  release our customer from the agreement she signed, nor refund any payments.  Guardian has increased the clip limit and
  will do so again if needed, has offered to inst*** the missing MicroSD card or
  new cards provided by the customer, help set up recording rules for her
  interior cameras, and assist her with setting up her Echo/Alexa service with
  the devices that are compatible. 
  
  Thank you
  for informing Guardian of our customer’s concerns and the opportunity to
  resolve the majority of her issues.  Should
  you have any questions, please contact Guardian directly on (800) 776-8328.
  
  Sincerely,
  Agency
  Complaint Response Team

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/31/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********* and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  
  
  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, we would like to know your view on the matter.]
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  **** *******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/04/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have been a member of Guardian Protection since 2022. I have never had any problems with them until I decided to get more equipment. I asked how much it would cost to purchase a doorknob and garage door opener, and I was told that it would only be $1.00 more on my bill. Everything was installed and worked fine, then all of a sudden I get a 600.00 bill. I call them to figure out what is going on, and they tell me that I owe this from the products that I just ordered. You can understand why I was confused since my understanding was that I owed 1.00 more. I was told they would review the transcript of the call and give me a call back. I never received a call back, and that was months ago so I assumed they resolved the issue. Just recently they have shut down access to my app. So now I am not able to view any doorbell camera footage or have access to my garage. I called them just a couple of days ago about what was going on; and they told me it was because of the balance on my account. You can imagine my surprise, as I did not receive a call in months to try to resolve the issue. Obviously I am not valued as a customer, and they just want money out of me. I feel like any other business would have tried to problem solve with me especially because from my perspective, I don’t owe them anything. Also, if I knew how much it was at the time that I ordered it, I would have simply paid. However, I was either unintentionally or intentionally told something different. I am extremely disappointed with this company, and currently waiting for a call back on cancelling. Since they didn’t call me months ago at the time of the issue, I doubt I will receive a call to discuss. Also, they have reviewed the transcript of the phone call, but I did not receive a copy. This just all seems very shady.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/07/2023

  July 7, 2023
  
  BBB of Western Pennsylvania
  ***** ********* ****
  520 E Main St, Suite 100
  Carnegie, PA   15106
  
  RE:      ******* ******** * ********* ********
  
  **** *** ***** 
  
  Thank you for advising Guardian
  Protection Services, Inc. (“Guardian”) of the above referenced complaint.  Guardian values the opportunity to further research
  and resolve our customer’s issue.
  
  Our customer has disputed the
  charges for the installation of a door lock and garage door opener controller.  She states she was told it would only be $1.00
  more on her monthly bill and was surprised to receive a bill for $600.00.  She contacted Guardian to discuss the
  charges.  A representative explained the
  charges.  The representative then offered
  to have her call when placing the order reviewed and call her back, but she never
  heard from anyone.  Our customer assumed
  the billing issue was resolved, only to find her use of the Guardian app had
  been recently shut down.  Our customer was
  extremely disappointed and still waiting to hear from a representative about
  the transcript of the call and also wished to discuss cancelation.
  
  Guardian would first like to
  apologize for the lack of follow up to our customer after she voiced her
  billing concerns on April 20, 2023.  A
  new review of our customer’s call with member of Guardian’s loyalty team on
  February 28, 2023 for pricing to add a door lock and garage control was
  performed by a liaison of Guardian’s loyalty department.  She found the loyalty representative did
  quote the cost of the equipment to be $510.00, including the installation, and
  a $1.00 increase to the monthly service charge and the electronic addendum signed
  by our customer reflected the same charges quoted verbally.  The liaison also noted, however, the pricing
  was provided immediately after a 4-minute hold time during which our customer
  may have been multi-tasking.  It is
  possible our customer was not yet completely focused back on the call when the representative
  came back on the line and started quoting the costs.
  
  The liaison contacted our
  customer to discuss her findings.  While
  Guardian does not maintain transcripts of calls or provide them without a
  subpoena due to security and liability concerns, an offer was made to arrange to
  play the pertinent part of the call for our customer.  She indicated that would not be necessary.
  
  Guardian provided our customer
  with a credit equal to one month’s service, due to the lack of follow-up, and payment
  arrangements for the unexpected installation charge. 
  
  Thank you for advising Guardian
  of this matter and providing an opportunity for Guardian to finally resolve the
  issue.  Should you have any questions,
  please contact Guardian at (800) 776-8328.
  
  Sincerely,
  Agency Complaint Response
  Team

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/04/2023

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  In June of 2022 we began to rent a townhome that already had Guardian equipment installed. We felt the best thing would be to use the company since the equipment was already there. A technician came, worked on the equipment. Told us about a ring doorbell - we purchased that as well. I think we paid around $150 for it. Long story short we were asked to leave by the owners in June of 2023 that are using it as a summer home. Where we have moved has secure buildings and we no longer need the service - nor do we have access to such service at the last property. We did not own the property and were asked to leave unexpectedly. Guardian is asking us to continue to pay an additional $800 to end our contract. We are basically being asked to pay for a service we are not getting nor do we have access to. The supervisor that called said there was nothing he could do and that we signed a contract and they installed equipment. The only thing that was installed was the door bell which we paid for - and is still on the property. He was not sympathetic to the fact that we left the property at the request of the owner - not something we had planned on. We are now being asked to pay for something we do not have access to.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/07/2023

  July
  7, 2023
  
  
  
  BBB
  of Western Pennsylvania
  520
  E Main St, Suite 100
  Carnegie,
  PA 15136
  
              RE:      ******* ******** * ********* ** ********
  
  **** *** *****
  
  Thank you for forwarding the
  above referenced complaint to Guardian Protection for review and an opportunity
  to resolve the issue.
  
  Our customer has expressed
  dissatisfaction related to the term of her monitoring agreement and the fee for
  terminating services prior to fulfillment of the agreement term.  Our customer noted they lost their lease
  unexpectedly and is upset with facing the need to pay for early termination when
  unable to use the system any longer or relocate the services to their new
  residence.
  
  Upon
  receipt of this complaint, Guardian performed a thorough review of our
  customer’s account history as well as the history of former customers at this
  same location.  When reviewing the initial
  telephone calls from the customer to set up service, we found she did not
  mention she was renting and therefore a smaller agreement term with less
  savings was not offered.  That being
  said, Guardian was able to determine the $110.00 discount for the installation
  of the video doorbell and cost of labor to reprogram, test the equipment, and
  provide training was nearly recouped by the date of this complaint.
  
  Guardian
  offered to close the account, without further penalty or obligation, upon her
  payment of the June 16, 2023 statement. 
  Our customer made the payment, and her account has been canceled.
  
  Thank you for informing
  Guardian of this matter.  Should you have
  any questions, please contact Guardian at (800) 776-8328.
  
  Sincerely,
  Agency Complaint Response Team
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/10/2023

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********* and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  ******* ********

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/24/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We originally bought and closed on our home in December 2021 with M/I homes where we purchased the tech connect package which lists that we would receive “live video or capture video clips of who comes to your door on your smartphone”. When the service was originally established, we did have the video clip feature for well over a year. We had no indication there was an issue. The company states that they did an “audit” and it was not listed in our contract so the service was removed, even though it was stated on our flier when we purchased the home and the tech connect package. They state that they sent an email but we have never received that on investigation. When looking into a delivery issue recently we realized that we no longer have the recorded clips and now the company states it was given to us in error and we have to pay now for the service. The flier we were given from guardian/M/I states this was a part of the package we
  purchased and does not state anything about the video clips costing extra. I would like the video clips restored to what we had before and what we were told was included. Had we known the clips weren’t included we would not have not purchased the package. The technician never stated it was extra when installed and I was never given a paper copy of the contract. This flier is false advertisement and should state that the video clips are an extra charge. This should be made known on advertisements BEFORE a technician would come to your home to install and sign a contract. If the video clips cannot be restored I would like refunded for the package that I purchased.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/29/2023

  June
  29, 2023
  
  BBB of Western Pennsylvania
  20 E Main Street, Suite 100
  Carnegie, PA 15106
  
              RE:      ***** ****** * ********* ** ********
  
  **** *** *****
  
  Thank
  you for forwarding our customer’s complaint. 
  Guardian Protection Services, Inc. (“Guardian”) values the opportunity to
  address our customer’s concerns and resolve the issue.
  Our
  customer noted they purchased a tech connect package, where they would receive
  “live video or capture video clips of who comes to your door on your smartphone,”
  when purchasing their home from M/I Homes in December 2021.  The video clip feature was provided for well
  over a year but was removed after an audit was performed and the feature was
  not listed on their agreement.  Our
  customer was quoted a monthly fee to reactivate the video clip feature.  He would like the video clip feature
  reactivated at no charge based on the flyer they received when building the
  home, and their lack of a copy of any agreement.

  Our
  customer’s account, and the flyer he included with his complaint, were reviewed
  by Guardian.  Guardian found that the
  Installation Agreement (Home Automation Hub System – Builder) did not generate
  properly and neither Guardian nor our customer has an agreement in their
  possession.  Based on the language in the
  flyer our customer provided, Guardian reactivated the video clip service at no
  cost to our customer.

  Guardian’s Installation Agreement for Home Automation Hub Systems provides a
  36-month trial, from the activation date, and terms for the services noted in
  the flyer.  The services/access ends at
  the end of the trial period unless our customer contacts us in advance to
  discuss renewal options available at that time. 
  Our customer’s trial period is due to expire on 12/30/2024.  Guardian has sent a new agreement, for
  electronic signature, which provides terms of service as well as a new 36-month
  usage term that would not expire until 2026.
  We
  noted our customer has an equipment malfunction due to a power outage they
  recently experienced.  Guardian was
  unable to reboot the device remotely and we encourage our customer to call
  Guardian for technical support.

  
  Thank
  you for informing Guardian of this matter. 
  Should you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact
  us at (800) 776-8328.
  Sincerely,

  
  Agency
  Complaints Response Team

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/20/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Gardian installed security system smoke in basement keeps going in alarm. System less than year old and they want to charge me for call. This system has never worked correctly. They want to charge to come out to correct.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/26/2023

  June 26, 2023
  
  
  BBB of Western Pennsylvania
  520 E Main St, Suite 100
  Carnegie, PA  15106
  
  RE:      ***** ******* * ********* ** ********
  
  **** *** ***** 

  
  Thank you for forwarding our
  customer’s complaint to Guardian Protection Services, Inc. (“Guardian”).  Guardian is a customer-centric organization
  and values the opportunity to address our customer’s concerns.
  
  Our customer expressed
  dissatisfaction with being quoted a service charge for the replacement of a
  smoke detector that was less than a year old.  The customer also stated the system has never
  worked correctly.
  
  Upon receipt of this
  complaint, a review of our customer’s account and calls with Guardian
  protection were reviewed.  We found our
  customers voiced more concerns than being quoted service charges for the repair
  or replacement of a smoke detector. Guardian is therefore providing some background
  history for the system as well as our customer’s account.
  
  Guardian completed the
  installation of an Interlogix hardwired security system for ********** ***** in
  June 2019.  The system was never
  monitored for ********** *****, and monitoring for the complainant began
  September 1, 2022, after the complainant contacted Guardian and arranged a
  meeting with a Security Technology Consultant (STC) to review the system and
  services available.
  
  The (STC) met with the customer
  and found the equipment installed in the complainant’s home was obsolete.  The manufacturer of the security equipment,
  Interlogix, made an announcement in September 2019 that they would cease
  manufacturing residential and commercial security products by the end of 2019.  If Guardian would have reactivated the
  existing system “as is”, Guardian would not have been able to provide a repair
  plan and service calls for repairs and replacement equipment would have all
  been billed on a time and material basis. In addition, there would be no
  guarantee that replacement equipment could be found.
  
  Guardian’s STC offered to have
  all components of the existing system replaced in order to provide them with
  current technology and Limited Lifetime Repair Coverage.  Per the terms of the Limited Lifetime System
  Repair Coverage, Section 6 of the Sales and Installation Agreement, the
  customer would have a 90-day warranty and after 90 days there would be a
  service fee for each service trip made to repair or replace covered equipment.  The installation was completed September 1,
  2022.  The malfunctioning smoke detector was
  reported on 6/20/2023 which is why the representative quoted a service fee.
  Guardian would like to note the representative transferred the customer to her
  supervisor, who agreed to make a one-time exception, and credit the service fee
  once it is billed to the account.  
  
  Regarding the system never working
  correctly, Guardian was made aware of only one other equipment issue since the
  installation. On 10/8/2022 the customer reported an issue with low battery alerts
  from their newly installed motion detector. 
  The motion detector was under the 90-day warranty and replaced at no
  charge. 
  As agreed on June 20, 2023, Guardian
  will credit the service fee once it is billed. We encourage our customers to refamiliarize
  themselves with the terms and conditions of both the Monitoring Agreement and
  Sales and Installation Agreement. Thank you for providing Guardian an
  opportunity to address this issue. 
  Should you have any questions, please contact Guardian at (800) 776-8328.
  
  Sincerely,
  Agency Complaint Response
  Team

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/19/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with the services I received from your company. I had services installed over a year ago and have been experiencing issues with the camera and video connection since day one. Despite several complaints and calls to your customer service department, my issues have not been resolved almost three years later.
  
  I am disappointed to say that I am wasting money every month as I cannot check my cameras when I am not home, nor do I receive notifications if someone is on my property. It's frustrating to pay over $100 for a technician to come out and check the faulty equipment, only to have the issues persist.
  
  I find it concerning that the company charges such a high fee for a technician to come out and not fix the issue. I consider this to be extremely unethical and unacceptable. As a result, I cannot recommend your company to anyone and will not be using your services again.
  
  I hope that you take this feedback seriously and take steps to rectify the situation.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/29/2023

  June
  29, 2023
  
  *** ********* ****
  BBB of Western Pennsylvania
  20 E Main Street, Suite 100
  Carnegie, PA 15106
  
              RE:      ****** ******** ******** * ********* ** ********
  
  **** *** *****
  
  Thank
  you for forwarding our customer’s complaint. 
  Guardian Protection Services, Inc. (“Guardian”) values the opportunity to
  address our customer’s concerns and work toward a resolution.
  Our
  customer noted in her complaint that her system was installed over a year ago
  and she has had issues with the cameras and video connection since the day they
  were installed.  She stated she
  complained several times and her issues have not been resolved in almost three
  years.  She is disappointed she is
  wasting money every month and states it is frustrating to pay over $100.00 for
  a technician to come out and check the faulty equipment, only to have the issue
  persist.  She stated she finds it
  concerning that Guardian charges such a high fee for a technician to come out
  and not fix the issue and considers it to be unethical and unacceptable.
  Guardian
  is sorry to hear that our customer has had issues with her cameras/video staying
  connected in a consistent manner.  Video
  technology relies on the camera equipment, the customer’s internet router and
  its location in the home (distance from connected devices), the customer’s
  internet package and usage, as well as other environmental factors that neither
  the customer nor Guardian can control.  In addition, delays in receiving notifications
  on a mobile device will be affected by the strength of the mobile device’s
  wi-fi or data connection.
  Guardian
  performed a review of our customers camera/video history with Guardian.  Guardian installed the cameras on April 24,
  2020.  Guardian’s records show the
  customer called multiple times during the first 12 months after installation.  Guardian performed several service calls at
  no charge and provided technical support over the phone when possible.  While Guardian was able to help performance to
  a degree, our technicians repeatedly noted the customer’s internet upload
  bandwidth was low and recommended that our customer contact Xfinity/Comcast.  And notes in the account indicate our customer
  had difficulty get a Xfinity technician on site due to the pandemic.
  After
  reviewing our customer’s periodic video issues and account histories through
  the present, Guardian has agreed to provide the customer with a replacement
  camera at a discounted cost to see if newer, more advanced technology proves to
  connect better.  If efforts by Guardian
  and our customer do not result in improved performance with the new camera,
  Guardian will take the camera back and credit the installation charges.
  
  While
  Guardian cannot guarantee we will resolve the issue due to the many factors
  that impact a camera’s ability to connect and video to be received on a mobile
  device, it is our hope the customer’s video service will improve.  Our customer indicated she was satisfied with
  the offer. 
  Thank
  you for informing Guardian of this matter. 
  Should you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact
  us at (800) 776-8328.

  
  Sincerely,
  Agency
  Complaints Response Team

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/16/2023

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I moved from my home and Guardian is collecting from us an early termination fee in excess of $700 because we signed a three year agreement and had to relocate for work before this period expired. We were never informed off this policy and I believe it is an unfair practice. Even if we sell our home guardian expects us to pay their fee for a full 36 months to monitor a house that we do not own. This is abusive and unfair

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/19/2023

  June 19, 2023
  
  Better Business Bureau
  ***** ********* ****
  520 E Main Street, Suite 100
  Carnegie, PA 15106
  
  RE:      ***** ****** * ** ********
  
  **** *** ******* 
  
  Thank
  you for advising Guardian Protection (“Guardian”) of the above-referenced
  complaint. Guardian appreciates the opportunity to address our customer’s concerns.
  
  For
  background, please note our customer met with Guardian in February 2022 to
  review products and services that were available for their new home which was
  under construction at the time. They engaged Guardian to install electronic
  security hardware in their new home and provide 24-hour security monitoring
  services. In order to memorialize the specifics of his transaction with
  Guardian, a Sales and Installation Agreement and a Monitoring Agreement were
  executed on February 14, 2022. The Monitoring Agreement had an initial term of thirty-six
  (36) months which was acknowledged when the customer affixed his initials
  beside the separate and bolded statement “The
  initial term of this agreement is 36 months (“Initial Term”).” A copy of
  the Agreements was emailed to the customer upon execution, including a Notice
  of Cancelation that enabled the customer to cancel the transaction without
  penalty by February 17, 2022.
  
  Guardian is sorry to hear that the customer’s situation has changed
  whereby the home is being sold. Guardian tries to offer several alternatives to
  paying a fee to terminate Monitoring Agreement early. A representative
  contacted our customer upon receipt of this complaint and learned our customer
  no longer wished to relocate the service, nor did he want to continue paying
  monthly fees until the property was sold, only to find out the buyer was not
  interested in activating the monitoring services with Guardian and he would
  still need to pay a fee to terminate his Monitoring Agreement before his
  initial term was satisfied.
  
  While our customer paid $470 for his total installation, he only paid
  $145.00 toward the installation of a security system valued at approximately $1,800.00
  including the professional installation. Guardian installed the system for the
  discounted price of $145.00 in exchange for the 36-month monitoring commitment
  he entered. Our customer has only paid for eleven (11) months of monitoring as
  of this date, leaving twenty-five (25) unpaid months remaining on his Initial
  Term. His Monthly Service Charge is $49.99 before tax. Per Section 18. Early Termination / Cancelation of the
  Monitoring Agreement, …or You cancel or terminate the Services or Agreement
  for any reason other than Our breach of the Agreement, You will pay Us an
  Alternate Performance Charge (“APC”) equal to the product of (a) $35 multiplied
  by (b) the total number of months remain in the Initial term multiplied by (c)
  90%. …The APC is an alternative to You paying the full amount of the Monthly
  Service Charges remaining in the Initial Term and is not a penalty.”
  
  Guardian incurred equipment and labor expenses for the installation of
  the system and activation of services with the expectation of recovering some
  of these costs over the 36-month term. Guardian has not had the opportunity to
  recoup those costs and is therefore unable to reduce or refund any portion of
  the APC the customer paid on June 16, 2023 to terminate his Monitoring
  Agreement early.
  
  Thank you for the opportunity to address this matter. Should you have
  any questions, please contact Guardian directly at (800) 776-8328.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Agency Complaint Response
  Team

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/20/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********* and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  
  The business never informed us that the contract was still considered valid if the home was sold. It is unreasonable that this company expects us to continue paying for a service that is no longer provided to us.
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  ***** ******