Important information
- Customer Complaint:The BBB of Western Pennsylvania processes complaints for all of Guardian Protection from throughout the United States since the company is headquartered in the Western Pennsylvania service area.
Complaints
This profile includes complaints for Guardian Protection's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see
Customer Complaints Summary
- 155 total complaints in the last 3 years.
- 48 complaints closed in the last 12 months.
If you've experienced an issue
Submit a ComplaintThe 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:03/17/2023
Type: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 signed up for new services through Choice Home Warranty and paid for the 1st month of monitoring of 49.99 on March 8th. Guardian removed an additional $64 from my account and told me it's going to take 7-10 days to get it back. This is a double payment if I've already paid for the 1st month through Choice Home Warranty.
Business Response
Date: 03/24/2023
March 24, 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 address our customer’s concerns.
Our customer expressed a
concern about being double billed for monitoring services and had requested a
refund of a possible double payment.
Guardian reviewed our
customer’s account and agreements. We found
the $49.99 payment made by our customer to our authorized dealer, Choice Home Warranty,
was the amount due for the sale and installation of the system. Specifically, it
was a payment of the $49.99 ACESLite Activation Fee noted on the Sales and
Installation Agreement (attached.)
The activation fee is coincidentally
the same as our customer’s Monthly Service Charge of $49.99 before tax, lending
to confusion. The fist invoice for
services being rendered, in the amount of $63.24 was a pro-rated bill for monitoring
services from March 10, 2023, the activation date, through April 15, 2023 and included
tax as the services are taxable in her state. Our customer’s future monthly bills, provided
she doesn’t add additional services, will be for $49.99+tax and will bill on
the 16th of each month.
A representative left a
detailed message for our customer and it appears she called back to a Guardian’s
Customer Care representative who was able to review the billing with her and
clear up the confusion.
We welcome our new customer
to the Guardian family and thank you for providing Guardian the opportunity to resolve this matter. Should you have any questions, please contact
Guardian at (800) 776-8328.
Sincerely,
Agency Complaint Response
TeamInitial Complaint
Date:03/16/2023
Type: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 constructed a Beazer Home in Indiana in 2018. Beazer had us make all the decisions about the materials (floors, cabinets, fixtures, plumbing etc.) to be used in house in only two weeks. One thing Beazer offered (we later learned this was wrong) was a chance to wire our house for Ethernet and CAT5. We agreed to pay for "upgrading the wiring".
When we moved into the house in September, 2018, we were pleased to see all the Ethernet and CAT5 jacks were installed. We were pleasantly surprised that there was also a security system installed. We had not ordered it, but we assumed that was part of the "wiring upgrade". It was not until we received the first monthly bill for $45.99 did we learn that we had to pay for this security service. We decided to give it a try, but after 9 or so months, we decided that Guardian Protection services were not a good value. We were not using the alarm system and did not like the warnings of doors being open or closed. Getting a warning every time the dog went our or came in did not improve our security. Broken glass protection was not needed. In other words, we wanted to stop the monthly payments.
We were shocked to learn that we were locked into a 60-month contract at $45.99/month, which was $4259.40 for "upgraded wiring''. We felt that we had been robbed in broad daylight--if we had been told that we were buying a home protection system for 5-years, we would not had the "upgraded wiring" installed.
We sold the Fishers house in November, 2022, and moved to Wisconsin. We called Guardian to cancel the remaining contract (about 11 months). We expected that the new owners could decide whether they wanted to continue the service. This was not the case--we would have to pay for the service, whether or not the new owners wanted it. They declined. So, we did not use the service or live in the Fishers, Indiana house for 11 months of the contract. That $505.89 that we paid for nothing.Business Response
Date: 03/21/2023
March
21, 2023
BBB
of Western Pennsylvania
***** ********* ****
520
E Main St, Suite 100
Carnegie,
PA 15136
RE: ****** ****** * ********* ** ********
**** *** *****
Thank you for forwarding this
customer’s complaint to Guardian Protection Services, Inc. (“Guardian”).
Our customer has expressed
dissatisfaction related to Guardian’s request he satisfy the initial term of
his Monitoring Agreement. Our customer
has made payment to satisfy the agreement, but Guardian would like to provide
some clarification to this customer’s account history.
Guardian’s records for this
customer include a Sales and Installation Agreement; Monitoring Agreement; Notice
of Cancelation allowing the cancelation of the transaction without penalty
within three business days from signing the paperwork; and an Addendum to Sales
and Installation Agreement detailing the equipment and any applicable
charges. Guardian also has photos of our
customer’s floor plan marked up with two different colored highlighters
identifying the locations where security system equipment would be installed,
and where low voltage wiring would be performed. Guardian is able to attach the documents but
not the photos to this complaint.
When reviewing the Monitoring
Agreement, we found our customer initialed Section D) 1) Monthly Fees / Billing,
indicating he was aware of a Monthly Fee prior to the activation of service and
receipt of the first bill, and Section E) Term and Automatic Renewal,
indicating he was aware of the 60-month initial term of the agreement. The Addendum to the Sales and Installation
Agreement (Builder) provides specifics on the equipment to be installed and
services rendered. The security
equipment was installed at no charge, and therefore could not be construed as a
wiring upgrade. The Home Wiring System
Options and Audio System Options total $1,770.00. The value of the 60-months of Monthly Fees is
$2,819.40 but again they were not charged for a “wiring upgrade”. In addition to enabling Guardian to recoup
its costs for the free installation of the security system, the Monthly Fees
also covered the costs of the dedicated cell phone line the system had to
Guardian’s Monitoring Center, the costs associated with the use of the Guardian
app powered by Alarm.com, and the expenses related to providing customer service
and 24/7 monitoring of the security system.
Guardian also found our
customer requested, prior to his closing date, that the technician who would
activate the services bring a smoke detector to be add to the security
system. Our customer was aware prior to
closing on his new home that a security system was being installed. Our customer ended up adding two glass
breakage detectors and two monitored smoke detectors on the date of activation.
The Addendum for these system additions is attached.
Our
customer’s payment of the seven months remaining on his Monitoring Agreement’s
initial term were made to satisfy his commitment since the new owner was not
interested in subscribing for the monitoring services.
Thank you for informing
Guardian of this matter. We appreciate the opportunity to provide additional
information and clarification to our customer. Should you have any questions, please contact Guardian at (800) 776-8328.
Sincerely,
Agency Complaint Response TeamCustomer Answer
Date: 03/22/2023
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,
****** ******Guardian Protection's response does not address the core substance of my complaint, which is HOW Guardian does business. Did Guardian care about whether I really needed or wanted a security system? I think the answer is NO.
What happened in this case is that in the context of trying to decide the materials and features to be included in our new house, we were steered to a third-party vendor selling a security system. This agent talked initially about upgrading the wiring provided by the builder to make our new house a "smart house"--that is, one that allowed networking of computers, TVs and other devices. This is what we believed we bought and paid $1700+. The security system was an afterthought that we believed we could try and, if we did not want the service, we could cancel. This was our understanding.
We spent almost a year learning the features of the system and spending extra money because the system installed DID NOT SECURE THE HOUSE. We had a one-story house with a walk out basement. The main floor had protection on the doors, but the basement only had the door secured. There were large windows on the basement walls that could easily be broken and provided entry. So, we added broken glass protectors, which ran on batteries and were not powered by the installed system. These detectors were on a 11-foot ceiling. It was difficult and dangerous to have to change batteries, and the detectors kept falling off the ceiling, which raised another maintenance issue. Finally, we decided that it was not worth $45.99/month.
It was only then that we learned we were locked into a $2700+ contract. So, basically, we willingly paid $1700+ for wiring, but actually paid over $4400 for the wiring. The security system was a waste of money.
We sold the house Guardian wired about 4 years into the contract. We then learned that the contract did not transfer to the new owner--we still needed to pay the entire amount. The only way that we might get a partial refund would be if the new owner assumed the payments. They did not.
Would Guardian have wired the house if we had we declined the protection service? We were NOT offered that option, but I believe now that had we declined the protection, they would not have wired the house. Or, had the Guardian sales person said that he could wire our house and provide a security system for 5 years for $4400+, we clearly would have said no.
There is something called "informed consent", which means that the seller makes sure that the buyer truly understands what he or she is buying before "checking the box". Our salesman didn't care about us or our needs--he just wanted his commission.
Return business is the keystone of a good sales environment--make sure that the customer will want to come back to your business (and you) the next time. Treat your customer with respect and understanding of their needs. I wish Guardian would have treated me this way.
I hope my account will alert people wanting a security system to read everything you are asked to initial or sign. If fact, ask to take the documents home so that you can be sure what they told you was true and there is no information in the contract that you were not informed of (like there is not trial period). This is the only thing you can do to protect yourself from predatory sales people.
Business Response
Date: 03/30/2023
March
31, 2023
BBB
of Western Pennsylvania
***** ********* ****
520
E Main St, Suite 100
Carnegie,
PA 15136
RE: ****** ****** * ********* ** ********
**** *** *****
Thank you for forwarding our customer
additional remarks to Guardian Protection (“Guardian”) and would like to
address them.
Guardian is sorry to hear our
customer’s builder rushed them through the selection process. Unfortunately, Guardian has no control over
the builder’s schedule.
Guardian partnered with the
customer’s builder to provide a specific amount of low-voltage wiring. Like
many features in a home, upgrades and options are available. Guardian absolutely would have installed the
basic wiring package without the purchase of upgrades/options. Guardian would
also like to note the items our customer selected for installation by Guardian are
listed as options on the “Addendum to Sales And Installation Agreement
(Builder)” under the headings “Security System Options Descriptions”, “Home
Wiring System Options Descriptions”, “Audio System Options Descriptions” and “Other
System Options Description”.
The Addendum mentioned above can
be located in the copy of the electronic paperwork attached to Guardian’s
initial response to our customer’s complaint. Guardian’s expectation is for our customers to
read the documents they are executing. If our customer didn’t have the time to read the entire agreements when
meeting with the Guardian representative, he should have taken advantage of the
three-day period they have to review the documents thoroughly and cancel the
transaction without penalty if he wish.
In his correspondence dated
3/24/2023, our customer warns future customers to ask to take the documents
home for a thorough review. Guardian is
in full agreement that our customer’s need to review their paperwork in its
entirety if they had not done so when signing. Regarding the matter of customers asking to take the documents home, our
customer signed the documents electronically and a copy of the paperwork was
sent to his email the very moment he finished executing them. He had five days, rather than the three days
required by law, to review the documents in their entirety and call with any
questions, desired changes, or to cancel the transaction, but apparently did
not do so.
Thank you for informing
Guardian of this customer’s additional feedback. Should you have any questions, please contact
Guardian at (800) 776-8328.
Sincerely,
Agency Complaint Response TeamCustomer Answer
Date: 03/30/2023
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,
****** ******Guardian still does not accept responsibility for doing business in the high pressure environment that Beazer created. Why didn't Guardian contact me separately by sending me an offer, and if I expressed interest, allow me to fully understand your proposal and ask questions at my leisure? Telling me (now) that I had 5 days to read a bunch of fine print in the context of trying to answer Beazer's questions about what options we wanted is hardly reassuring.
Note that after the two week interval where we selected all the options for Beazer and signed a contract, there was over a THREE MONTH DELAY before the first spade of dirt was turned to start construction. This would have been a perfect time to meet with your representative and review the options offered by Guardian. I would have accepted the offer to upgrade the network wiring in the house. I also would have accepted the Guardian Protection plan, had I had 6 OR MORE MONTHS TO TRY OUT THE SYSTEM before being locked into a 5-year contract that had to options for cancelling.
What happened, in fact, was Guardian locked me into a 5-contract 9 MONTHS BEFORE the house was completed and I had NO OPPORTUNITY to see what a security system was capable of.
Does a standard Guardian contract allow no time to try out a system before locking one into a 5-year contract? If so, I think that is a lousy way to do business, and I would never do business with any company offering a long term contract without a TIME TO EVALUATE THE SERVICE or product.
As far as a resolution is concerned, I would like a partial refund. I lived in the Fishers house for only 4 years of the 5 year contract. I received the fire and police services, whether I wanted them or not.
What added insult to injury was that after I left the Fishers house, I received nothing from Guardian--no protection from fire, intruders etc. for the last 12-months of the contract. Will Guardian now install a system for 12-months in my new house? I doubt it, so refund so refund one-year of payments and we can go our separate ways.
Business Response
Date: 04/04/2023
April 4,
2023
BBB of
Western Pennsylvania
***** ********* ****
520 E Main
St, Suite 100
Carnegie,
PA 15136
RE: ****** ****** * ********* ** ********
**** *** *****
Thank you for forwarding our customer’s
most recent correspondence regarding the above referenced claim.
Regarding the Beazer home
selection process, Guardian is a vendor of Beazer Homes and does not oversee their
selection process, schedule, environment, construction schedules or any other
aspect of their business. Guardian is
subject to the same schedule and high-pressure environment that Beazer Homes’ home
buyers experience. This is the very reason the Sale & Installation and
Monitoring agreements are created; to protect both the consumer and the
provider by defining the services to be provided, rates, terms, and obligations
of each part. Again, the documents signed by our customer included a Notice of
Cancelation that informed him he may cancel the transaction without penalty or
obligation within three business days or by the date noted on the notice.
With respect to Guardian’s
agreements, the terms and conditions are similar to agreements used by other
security companies providing heavily discounted professional installations in
exchange for a monitoring commitment; ADT, Brinks, Vector and Vivint to name a
few. Because these providers make a
significant investment when the new security hardware is installed and
activated in a home, the costs of such hardware are recouped by the provider
over the initial term the contact, which is usually no less than thirty-six
months and dependent on the discounts afforded. Security providers investing
thousands of dollars in labor and equipment, with little or no upfront cost to
the consumer, are no more likely to offer six month trials than Beazer Homes or
any other contractor or vendor of Beazer Homes.
Guardian abided by the terms of
the agreement and the expectation is that our customers do the same. The monitoring term should not be a surprise to
this customer since the end date of his term was confirmed with him verbally
and via email on 6/29/2020 when he called Guardian about an equipment issue. And
the fact our customer had no service for the past 12 months is not a result of
an equipment or service issues, but rather a change made by our customer. If our customer had an interest in relocating
the service when he sold the home, Guardian would have been happy to provide
several quotations based on the equipment and term desired at the new home,
whether the term was for his remaining months, 36 months or 60 months.
For the reasons stated above,
Guardian will not be issuing any refund. Should you have any questions, please contact Guardian at (800) 776-8328.
Sincerely,
Agency Complaint Response TeamInitial Complaint
Date:03/13/2023
Type: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 underwent a contract with Guardian Protection with the understanding that we could take the alarm with us if we moved. The primary reason we wanted the service was for the call button for my elderly mother. We did indeed move a little over a year later as my mother had to go to an assisted living facility in Longview TX and we moved to Kilgore nearby. Guardian informed us they did not service the area we moved to but would not let us out of our contract. The new homeowner at our previous location did not want the service. We mailed the equipment back to Guardian but they continue to bill us even though we do not have the equipment and they do not service our area. Do to the fact that the sales pitch was misleading and we cannot get Guardian alarm service in our area, we would like out of the contract and an end to auto draft payments. We have contacted Guardian at least twice about this issue but the conversation does not go past the contract. I am not sure that there is an actual signed contract.Business Response
Date: 03/14/2023
March 14,
2023
BBB of
Western Pennsylvania
520 E Main
St, Suite 100
Carnegie,
PA 15136
RE: ****** **** * ********* ** ********
**** *** *****
Thank you for forwarding this
customer complaint to Guardian Protection Services, Inc. (“Guardian”). Guardian appreciates the opportunity to respond.
Our customer has expressed
dissatisfaction related to continued billing for service at a property that she
has sold. She contends her sales
representative was misleading, believing she could relocate her service
anywhere. In addition, she states the
equipment (control panel, 5 door sensors, 1 glassbreak detector, 1 panic
button, 1 video doorbell, 2 thermostats and 1 door lock) was mailed back to
Guardian. Our customer has asked to be released from her agreement for services
at her previous home.
For
background, our customer’s security system was sold and installed by AAA Home
Security, LLC (AAA) whereby all aspects of the sale and installation, including
the electronic paperwork, took place directly with AAA. AAA is a separate and distinct company from
Guardian, for which Guardian provided 24-hour monitoring and related services
for customers whose systems were sold and installed by AAA, and later purchased
our customer’s account from AAA. Guardian does not control any day-to-day
business activities or any internal policies or procedures of AAA, including
security evaluations, sales processes, installation practices or any other
aspects of AAA’s business.
Guardian
is a customer-centric company and strives to provide options for satisfying an
Agreement early when a customer moves or sells a property. However, service areas can change from time
to time and Guardian can’t guarantee that options to the Early Termination fee
will be available to all customers. It
is for this reason that there are no Agreement Terms regarding relocation of services
to a new property or transferring the service to a new owner. The Monitoring Agreement does state in
Section 8. SUSPENSION; TERMINATION; DEFAULT: “Your obligations under this
Agreement continue even if You sell or leave the Premises.”.
Upon receipt of this complaint,
Guardian performed a thorough review of our customer’s account history. Our records show our customer entered into a
60-month monitoring agreement in exchange for an installation of the above
listed equipment in her previous home at absolutely no cost to her. Her agreement did not include any special
conditions allowing for other means of settling the agreement for her services
in Marble Falls, TX. Guardian also has
no record of any equipment received from our customer.
In
addition, Guardian was also able to locate and listen to the two phone calls we
received from our customer regarding her move. The first call was on 12/27/2022 when our customer first notified
Guardian of her move. A
representative asked if she was
interested in relocating her service. She
indicated she wasn’t interested because her video doorbell didn’t work the way
she expected and did not provide her new address/location to the
representative. The representative
advised we would release her from the agreement if the new owner activated
services with Guardian. She advised the home had been sold to her son and he was
not interested in having the system monitored. The representative then advised she could either pay the Early
Termination Fee of $1,250.00 or continue to pay monthly until the term was
satisfied. Our customer said she would
think about it and call back. At no time
did she mention any issue with her AAA sales representative or that she had to
move her mother to an assisted living facility 300 miles away.
Our
customer’s next call to Guardian was made on 01/04/2023. She advised she would like to pursue
relocating her service after all and provided her new address. It was at this time Guardian was able to
check for services in Kilgore, TX and determine we could not provide service
there. As stated above, Guardian’s
agreements, and those of our authorized dealers, have no language stating we
will relocate service or transfer service to a new owner. The agreement was a commitment our customer
made in exchange for an no charge installation and services at her property in
Marble Falls, TX. Since Guardian is
unable to relocate the service and our customer’s son does not want the service
with Guardian, the remaining options for settlement of the agreement are to
continuing paying monthly through the end of the term or pay the $1,250.00
Early Termination Fee. Guardian would
like to note there are 43 unpaid months remaining on our customer’s agreement
term, with a monthly fee of $61.20 (not including tax). Guardian’s expectation was to receive an
additional $2,631.60 in monthly monitoring fees but will accept payment of the
Early Termination Fee to settle the agreement.
Thank you for informing
Guardian of this matter. Should you have any questions, please contact Guardian
at (800) 776-8328.
Sincerely,
Agency Complaint Response TeamCustomer Answer
Date: 03/16/2023
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.]**** ****** **** *****
Thank you both for the quick responses:
1. Guardian also has no record of any equipment received from our customer. SEE ATTACHED PHOTO OF MAILED PACKAGE.
In addition, Guardian was also able to locate and listen to the two phone calls we received from our customer regarding her move. The first call was on 12/27/2022 when our customer first notified Guardian of her move. A representative asked if she was interested in relocating her service. She indicated she wasn’t interested because her video doorbell didn’t work the way she expected and did not provide her new address/location to the representative. THIS IS CORRECT. ORIGINALLY WE DID NOT WANT GUARDIAN TO CONTINUE SERVICE BECAUSE THEIR EQUIPMENT IS NOT UP TO THE STANDARD OF, FOR EXAMPLE, THE RING DOORBELL. WITH THE RING DOORBELL YOU RECEIVE IMMEDIATE CONTACT WITH THE PERSON AT THE DOOR. WITH GUARDIAN'S EQUIPMENT YOU RECEIVE AN EMAIL THAT SOMEONE WAS AT THE DOOR. BY THE TIME YOU ACTIVATE THE EQUIPMENT, THE PERSON HAS LEFT.The representative advised we would release her from the agreement if the new owner activated services with Guardian. She advised the home had been sold to her son and he was not interested in having the system monitored. THIS IS CORRECT . HE INSTALLED BETTER EQUIPMENT
The representative then advised she could either pay the Early Termination Fee of $1,250.00 or continue to pay monthly until the term was satisfied. Our customer said she would think about it and call back. At no time did she mention any issue with her AAA sales representative or that she had to move her mother to an assisted living facility 300 miles away. FROM THE PHONE CONVERSATION WE UNDERSTOOD THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO TRANSFER SERVICE IF WE EVER MOVED. WE DID NOT PLAN ON MOVING BUT CIRCUMSTANCES WITH MY MOTHER CHANGED THE SITUATION.
Our customer’s next call to Guardian was made on 01/04/2023. She advised she would like to pursue relocating her service after all and provided her new address. It was at this time Guardian was able to check for services in Kilgore, TX and determine we could not provide service there. As stated above, Guardian’s agreements, and those of our authorized dealers, have no language stating we will relocate service or transfer service to a new owner. The agreement was a commitment our customer made in exchange for an no charge installation and services at her property in Marble Falls, TX. WE DO NOT BELIEVE THIS IS A FAIR OR RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS PRACTICE. BASED ON THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS AGAINST GUARDIAN AS REGISTERED HERE WITH THE BBB, IT IS APPARENT THIS POLICY IS FLAWED. I REGRET I DID NOT CHECK WITH THE BBB PRIOR TO ENTERING INTO AN ARRANGEMENT WITH GUARDIAN.Since Guardian is unable to relocate the service and our customer’s son does not want the service with Guardian, the remaining options for settlement of the agreement are to continuing paying monthly through the end of the term or pay the $1,250.00 Early Termination Fee. Guardian would like to note there are 43 unpaid months remaining on our customer’s agreement term, with a monthly fee of $61.20 (not including tax). Guardian’s expectation was to receive an additional $2,631.60 in monthly monitoring fees but will accept payment of the Early Termination Fee to settle the agreement. WE ARE WILL TO ACCEPT GUARDIAN SERVICE AT OUR NEW LOCATION BUT WE DO NOT FEEL ANYONE SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR EQUIPMENT AND SERVICE THEY ARE NOT RECEIVING. IT IS NOT OUR FAULT THAT GUARDIAN DOES NOT FIND SOME WAY TO SERVICE THIS AREA.
***** **** ****
Sincerely,
Agency Complaint Response TeamBusiness Response
Date: 03/17/2023
March 17, 2023
*
**** ****** **** * ********* ** ********
Thank you for forwarding our customer’s additional concerns regarding this case. Guardian appreciates the opportunity to provide respond to our customer’s additional comments added to Guardian’s initial response.
FROM THE CONSUMER:
Guardian also has no record of any equipment received from our customer. SEE ATTACHED PHOTO OF MAILED PACKAGE.
We thank the complainant for a copy of the package and tracking slip. Our warehouse confirmed the package was delivered, though its contents is of no value to Guardian. Guardian would also like to note her agreements were reviewed and found her equipment was neither leased nor financed. Per Section 4 of the Sales and Installation Agreement, “Upon payment of the Fees, You will own the System, except for the control/transmitting device which contains Our proprietary data and which We will always own.” This clause references any fees on the Sales and Installation Agreement which are $0.00. The complainant owned the system, except for the control/transmitting device (which is inside the control panel) upon the installation. The system was installed in exchange for the separate Monitoring Agreement with an initial term of 60 months.
In addition, Guardian was also able to locate and listen to the two phone calls we received from our customer regarding her move. The first call was on 12/27/2022 when our customer first notified Guardian of her move. A representative asked if she was interested in relocating her service. She indicated she wasn’t interested because her video doorbell didn’t work the way she expected and did not provide her new address/location to the representative. THIS IS CORRECT. ORIGINALLY WE DID NOT WANT GUARDIAN TO CONTINUE SERVICE BECAUSE THEIR EQUIPMENT IS NOT UP TO THE STANDARD OF, FOR EXAMPLE, THE RING DOORBELL. WITH THE RING DOORBELL YOU RECEIVE IMMEDIATE CONTACT WITH THE PERSON AT THE DOOR. WITH GUARDIAN'S EQUIPMENT YOU RECEIVE AN EMAIL THAT SOMEONE WAS AT THE DOOR. BY THE TIME YOU ACTIVATE THE EQUIPMENT, THE PERSON HAS LEFT.
There can be lag time for video upload to a device as the upload is dependent on a customer’s internet package as well as the strength of the connection of the device the video is being sent to. In addition, there were other means of notification of someone at the door other than email. The complainant removed the system, so Guardian is unable to verify the settings the complainant had set or whether she had ever changed devices and missed the opportunity to update her notifications. Furthermore, Guardian received one phone call pertaining to a video doorbell lag-time on 04/04/2022. Guardian did not receive any other communications indicating there was a persistent issue with the video doorbell and no indication or service calls suggesting there had ever been an issue with any other part of the system.
The representative advised we would release her from the agreement if the new owner activated services with Guardian. She advised the home had been sold to her son and he was not interested in having the system monitored. THIS IS CORRECT . HE INSTALLED BETTER EQUIPMENT
If the buyer had subscribed with Guardian for the continued monitoring of the security system, with or without the video doorbell, our customer would have been released from her agreement.
The representative then advised she could either pay the Early Termination Fee of $1,250.00 or continue to pay monthly until the term was satisfied. Our customer said she would think about it and call back. At no time did she mention any issue with her AAA sales representative or that she had to move her mother to an assisted living facility 300 miles away. FROM THE PHONE CONVERSATION WE UNDERSTOOD THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO TRANSFER SERVICE IF WE EVER MOVED. WE DID NOT PLAN ON MOVING BUT CIRCUMSTANCES WITH MY MOTHER CHANGED THE SITUATION.
Guardian cannot attest to what the complainant’s AAA Homes Security representative told her. Guardian purchased the remainder of the Monitoring Agreement from AAA Home Security approximately a year after the system was installed.
Our customer’s next call to Guardian was made on 01/04/2023. She advised she would like to pursue relocating her service after all and provided her new address. It was at this time Guardian was able to check for services in Kilgore, TX and determine we could not provide service there. As stated above, Guardian’s agreements, and those of our authorized dealers, have no language stating we will relocate service or transfer service to a new owner. The agreement was a commitment our customer made in exchange for an no charge installation and services at her property in Marble Falls, TX. WE DO NOT BELIEVE THIS IS A FAIR OR RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS PRACTICE. BASED ON THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS AGAINST GUARDIAN AS REGISTERED HERE WITH THE BBB, IT IS APPARENT THIS POLICY IS FLAWED. I REGRET I DID NOT CHECK WITH THE BBB PRIOR TO ENTERING INTO AN ARRANGEMENT WITH GUARDIAN.
Guardian is proud of its A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and the fact we have received only 235 complaints over a 3-year period as opposed to Ring’s 911 complaints over the past 3 years. Guardian believes the Early Termination of $1,250.00 which is just 47.5% of the value of the 43 unpaid months remaining on the term, is quite fair.
Since Guardian is unable to relocate the service and our customer’s son does not want the service with Guardian, the remaining options for settlement of the agreement are to continuing paying monthly through the end of the term or pay the $1,250.00 Early Termination Fee. Guardian would like to note there are 43 unpaid months remaining on our customer’s agreement term, with a monthly fee of $61.20 (not including tax). Guardian’s expectation was to receive an additional $2,631.60 in monthly monitoring fees but will accept payment of the Early Termination Fee to settle the agreement. WE ARE WILL TO ACCEPT GUARDIAN SERVICE AT OUR NEW LOCATION BUT WE DO NOT FEEL ANYONE SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR EQUIPMENT AND SERVICE THEY ARE NOT RECEIVING. IT IS NOT OUR FAULT THAT GUARDIAN DOES NOT FIND SOME WAY TO SERVICE THIS AREA.
Guardian is not at fault the complainant moved and is abiding by the terms of the monitoring agreement which does not include any language about relocating service or transferring service to a new owner. Again, these are alternatives to paying the ETF that Guardian offers when possible. The complainant was quite clear she did not wish to relocate service when she first called about moving on 12/27/2022. And while she indicates she’d now accept service at her new home, if Guardian was able to relocate her service, she would have had to pay for the second installation being performed within the initial term of her Monitoring Agreement.
Should you have any questions, please contact Guardian at (800) 776-8328.
Sincerely,
Agency Complaint Response Team
*** ***** ******Customer Answer
Date: 03/22/2023
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.
I reject the explanation guardian. I do not find it acceptable for a company to continue to charge for services not rendered when customers sign on believing they will be able to transfer their contract to a new location.
[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, we would like to know your view on the matter.]
Regards,
****** ****Initial Complaint
Date:03/09/2023
Type: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 had been loyal customers of Guardian protection for almost 20 years and overall satisfied with service. However, our system stopped working a year ago. We were told by Guardian that it was a windows, that we needed a replacement battery, a problem with our phone line and then of course that we should upgrade. Over several trips our home sat unprotected while we paid for service that we did not receive. When we attempted to cancel, we received an email that we needed to call, when we called, we were told that we weren’t clear in what we wanted and they understood “we would call back” (though we had previously emailed that we wanted to cancel which they acknowledged) and then we were told we could not cancel via phone and must do it in writing and yet never sent paperwork. Guardian is charging us for a year of service where their product did not work, where we have been unable to arm our home. And for months where we have repeatedly tried to cancel via email and via phone.Business Response
Date: 03/16/2023
March 16,
2023
BBB of
Western Pennsylvania
***** ********* ****
520 E Main
St, Suite 100
Carnegie,
PA 15136
RE: **** ******* ********* ** ********
**** *** *****
Thank you for forwarding this
customer complaint to Guardian Protection Services, Inc. (“Guardian”). Guardian appreciates the opportunity to review
and resolve our customer’s issue.
Our customer expressed
dissatisfaction with continued billing when she had notified Guardian of her
intent to cancel via an email to our website and by phone.
Guardian does request customer’s
to call to discuss cancelation got security purposes and to discuss all
pertinent details related to the cancelation request. As our customer noted, she did make the call as
instructed on November 30, 2022. Guardian was able to review the call and found the representative tended
to speak over our customer and was not actively listening as well as she should
have been.
Guardian agreed to process the
cancelation as it should have been processed on November 30, 2022. Our customer has agreed to make a payment equal
to one month of service due to the requirement for 30 days’ notice. Guardian has stopped the billing and credited
all amounts due except the amount due for one month of service.
Our
customer has indicated this resolution is satisfactory. Guardian would like to apologize for her
experience when calling to cancel and thank her for her years of patronage. Thank
you for bringing this matter to Guardian’s attention. Should you have any
questions, please contact Guardian at (800) 776-8328.
Sincerely,
Agency Complaint Response TeamInitial Complaint
Date:02/20/2023
Type: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.
Guardian Alarm sent us a bill for a faulty doorbell replacement after the technician noted that the doorbell could have exploded and there would not be a charge for replacement.
We moved in to a new home December 31, 2020. The doorbell camera required servicing on 9/23/2021. There was no charge for this service visit although the doorbell was out of the warranty period. The technician had to repair/ then finally replace the doorbell camera on 7/21/2022. The technician noted that the doorbell could have exploded, and he apologized for the dangerous situation and replaced the doorbell camera. He said that there would not be a fee and didn't leave an invoice. We received a bill dated 8/17/2022 for the replacement. We called several times trying to resolve this issue. I spoke with a manager named Ryan on 2/7/2023 who read to me from their notes that the doorbell was faulty and could have exploded and would see what he could do about the bill. He never called be back, so I called again on 2/9/2023 and was told that the bill would stand. I was told that the technician didn't leave an invoice because he didn't have to as it was Guardian who would bill us. I asked about an estimate prior to completing the work. They said that they don't provide estimates and the home office just bills consumers. We would have declined a repair for $339.91 if we were told we would have had to pay that much for a defective doorbell camera. We asked why didn't they do this the first time they completed work for the same repair on a home less than two years old at the time. Guardian said they can bill at their discretion without any prior notice or estimate. There is a major issue with this logic. We should have been told prior to completing repairs if there was even a possibility of future charges and an estimate provided. Instead we were told that due to the circumstances that there would be no charge.Business Response
Date: 02/24/2023
February 24, 2023
BBB of Western Pennsylvania
***** ********* ****
520 E Main St, Suite 100
Carnegie, PA 15106
*** ***** *** ****** ***** * ********* ** ********
**** *** *****
Thank you for advising Guardian
Protection Services, Inc. (“Guardian”) of the above referenced complaint.
Guardian values every opportunity to research and resolve our customers’
issues.
Our customer has disputed the
service charges assessed for the replacement of their video doorbell and
expressed dissatisfaction with their recent interactions with Guardian
personnel regarding the service charges.
Guardian performed a detailed
review of our customer’s account and all activities pertaining to the service
call performed on 07/21/02022. Guardian
was able to confirm communication, policy, and procedure issues occurred with our
subcontractor. A Guardian representative
reached out to our customer to advise the service charge for the replacement of
the video doorbell, as well as late fees that have accrued for the past due
service charge, would be credited in full. The credit was applied on February 23, 2023
and our customer’s account balance is now $0.00.
Guardian sincerely apologizes
for our customer’s experience when disputing the service charge. Guardian representatives were quoting the service
policies of our customer’s agreement due to the lack of documentation verifying
the technician had advised there would be no charge.
We are grateful for our
customer’s patience, patronage, and valuable feedback which will help us
improve future customer experiences.
Thank you for advising Guardian
of this matter and providing an opportunity for Guardian to research the matter
further and resolve the issue. Should
you have any questions, please contact Guardian at (800) 776-8328.
Sincerely,
Agency Complaint Response
TeamCustomer Answer
Date: 03/11/2023
[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:02/18/2023
Type: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 was called sometime last week by a man saying he was going through his records and found a request we put in for service about 4 or more months ago as we are having problems with our door lock and several sensors that they installed through the house. He did state he was from guardian home protection services. He told me he could have someone come out Tuesday between 8 and 4 pm. I agreed. I take a day off work and around 2 10pm. On the 14th I get a call from a lady rep saying the tech called in and wouldn’t be able to come out to my house and wanted to reschedule for Friday. I told her to forget the whole thing. How unprofessional can you get? I took a day off to be here for this tech visit and it took them till 2pm to call me and let me know the tech couldn’t make it? That’s ridiculous. They wasted my time and my whole day. This is not a good way to treat ur customers. She claimed someone tried to call earlier and they left a message. That’s just not true. I got no message and I was here all day. I do not appreciate being treated like that at all. They are wrong. We pay for The service and this is how we get treated??? I should have been called this morning when they got the call from the tech saying he wasn’t coming in instead they make me wait till 210pm all day for absolutely nothing. There’s no excuse. I’m done with them. Never again. Absolutely ridiculousBusiness Response
Date: 02/27/2023
February 27, 2023
BBB of Western Pennsylvania
***** ********* ****
520 E Main St, Suite 100
Carnegie, PA 15106
RE: **** ****** * ********* ** ********
Dear *** *****
Thank you for forwarding the
above referenced complaint to Guardian Protection Services, Inc. (“Guardian”). Guardian is a customer-centric organization
and values the opportunity to address any concern.
The complainant stated that
after an appreciable delay he finally had a service call scheduled only to have
the appointment canceled after he had taken a day off from work. He said he was finished with Guardian but his
desired settlement is to have the job finished.
Guardian sincerely apologizes
to the agreement signer, and the complainant, for their experience. Guardian experienced servicing issues in our
customer’s area and no longer has a reliable partner to perform the level of
service our customers deserve. It is for
this reason that Guardian has released them from their agreement without
penalty and without the need to return any equipment.
Guardian was not able to
reach the complainant at the number provided on the complaint, but did leave
messages at the number on file welcoming him to call to discuss this matter
further. Guardian has been in
communication with the agreement signer, who is aware we have released her from
the agreement and will cancel their monitoring services without penalty once
they find a new provider.
Thank you for informing Guardian of this matter and
providing us the opportunity to address it. Should you have any questions, please contact Guardian at (800) 776-8328.
Sincerely,
Agency Complaint Response
TeamCustomer Answer
Date: 02/27/2023
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,
**** ******* I reject their stated response on the grounds that it’s totally irresponsible of them to not have a service partner in our area?? Makes no sense. They sent a tech to install it in our home but once we needed follow up service all of a sudden there’s no techs?? Again. Makes no sense. That’s not how u treat ur customers. So they can stick by their statements all they want. I do not accept their reasoning. We should have been told this from day 1. Extremely unprofessional we will disconnect service once we find another provider. And I only got one message from them. They did not leave several messages as stated.Initial Complaint
Date:02/09/2023
Type: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.
Guardian is a rip-off! The way they have you enter into a contract is deceitful and misleading. They do not disclose relevant terms of agreement or cancellation fees They have you to sign on the spot, in front of a technician, on a IPAD where they preload your signature....the tech does not verbally explain any of the contract, the contract is lengthy and so many pages, & thats how they get you. Because they know you arent going to read it all while the tech waits. That's my fault I should have read it all, but that's how they get you. But never ever again.
I moved from my home July 2022. I called Guardian to cancel my services. They stated I would have a 750.00 cancelation fee. Because of our situation we couldn't afford to pay 750.00 that day. So I informed the representative I would call back to pay. Fast forwarding today 02/2023, I called Guardian to pay the cancelation fee because it's tax time and I had the extra money and trying to do the right thing. They informed me that I would have to pay past due balance from July 2022 for services I was not using because it's part of the contract. They want me to pay 291.00 for past due months in addition to cancelation fees. I would never ever do business with them again. Instead of them taking the 750.00 from a loyal customer that paid their bill on time for 3 yrs and canceling the contract their representative argued with me. So unprofessional. This is a money hungry company and don't care about their customers.
I explain, I will pay cancelation fee but not 300.00 extra for services im not using. I spoke with Alan supervisor 02/09/2023 who stated in August a rep informed me that I would have to continue to pay monthly until I come up with the 750.00 cancelation fee. I explained that I don't recall any rep explaining this to me. And why would I pay for a service I'm not using. As I explained to Alan if I was a company and one of my reps were refusing to accept 750.00 to end a contract I would be livid. So sad!Business Response
Date: 02/10/2023
February
10, 2023
BBB of
Western Pennsylvania
520 E Main
St, Suite 100
Carnegie,
PA 15136
RE: *** ***** * ********* ** ********
Thank
you for advising Guardian Protection Services, Inc. (“Guardian”) of the above-referenced
complaint. Guardian appreciates the opportunity to address our customer’s
concerns, and to clarify this matter. Our customer has requested a supervisor to contact her. This response will service as that contact as
well.
Our customer has expressed
dissatisfaction with the process of completing the electronic agreements for installation
and monitoring services, and for Guardian’s request she pay the current account
balance in addition to the $750.00 Early Termination Fee.
A through review of our
customer’s account was performed upon receipt of this complaint. Our customer received a touchscreen control
panel and home automation devices as from her builder as part of her purchase. Our customer then met with or spoke with a Guardian
representative on August 9 about purchasing security devices and monitoring
services. Per the attached agreements, Guardian agreed to install a FireFighter
device in order to monitoring the smoke detectors installed by the builder’s
electrician, 1 motion sensor and 3 door/window contacts, reprogram the existing
IQ touchscreen control panel at no charge and install 1 outdoor camera for
$350.00 in consideration of the 60-month monitoring commitment she
entered. A review of the Packet Final
Audit Report (recorded in Greenwich Mean Time) confirms the agreements were
emailed to our customer on August 9, 2019, reviewed by her on August 9, 2019 and not signed by her until August 12,
2019. Our customer did not sign the
agreements in the presence of a Guardian employee and she had ample time to
review all terms. And while the Adobe
Sign software will preload initials and signatures after the customer enters
them the first time, the customer must manually click on “Apply” for each set
of initials and signatures to be entered. For the record, our technician met with our customer and performed the
installation on August 15, 2019. Our
customer did sign an addendum (attached) with the technician on August 15, 2019
to change her equipment order. An indoor
camera and additional door/window sensor were added to the sale and the outdoor
camera was removed. Per the addendum,
this transaction did not include a term change or monthly fee change.
Guardian
is a customer-centric company and strives to provide options for satisfying an
Agreement early when a customer moves or sells a property. We offer to relocate service if possible or
release a customer from their agreement if the new resident of the home subscribes
to monitoring services with Guardian. If neither of these options are
available, our customers can either pay the $750.00 Early Termination Fee and
any balance currently due or continue to pay the monthly fees through the end
of her agreement term. This was explained, as well as the fact that
Guardian does not offer an installment plan for the Early Termination Fee, to
our customer on her initial call to Guardian on June 1, 2022 and subsequent
calls.
To date,
Guardian has not recovered the expenses related to the sale, installation and
monitoring term of the agreements dated August 9, 2019. And because our customer did not pay the
Early Termination Fee, her account was not fully terminated and continued to
bill. While she may not have been receiving monitoring services, Guardian
continued to have overhead expenses related to her account. Our customer’s last payment was made on July
29, 2022. There are approximately 24
unpaid months remaining on her monitoring term, with a monthly fee of $51.99, totaling
monies due of $1,247.76 through the end of the term in August 2024. Because our customer did not make any payment
after July 29th a balance of $291.45 has accrued. Settlement of the account now would require a
payment of $1,041.45.
Thank you for informing
Guardian of this matter. We appreciate the opportunity to provide additional
information and clarification to our customer. Should you have any questions, please contact
Guardian at (800) 776-8328.
Sincerely,
Agency Complaint Response TeamCustomer Answer
Date: 02/10/2023
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.
As stated before this is the company scheme as shown in many of the other complaints. I'm not the only one that feel this company take advantage of new home owners and others that utilize their services. This company knows exactly what they are doing an need to be investigated.This is unacceptable. I will do further research on this matter and see what else can be done. This is not fair that they can continue to bill someone for services they are not using.
I'm asking that this company no longer contact me regarding billing matters via phone, email, nor letter.
Regards,
*** *****Initial Complaint
Date:02/08/2023
Type: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 purchased an installed alarm system included screen monitor, monitoring to command center and all door/window sensors for thousands of dollars December 23, 2014. I also pay a monthly monitor fee of $44.89. The screen panel seemed to be broken a few months back. Making tapping sounds as if I was entering commands yet I wasn't near it. Changing screens on it's own. I called and a man walked me through resetting it by disconnecting the battery, unplugging, and then re-engaging. Yesterday, it did the same thing all day long, entering codes and in the end it engaged the alarm, where-in it notifies police and I was unable to shut it off. I called and was instructed to completely shut it down and they canceled the police. The screen is faulty. I was told a technician could come out for $125 per 30 minutes however the screen is no longer one that is valid, they don't have it anymore OR I could purchase a new version for $240 and a 2 year contract. I'm moving out of the country in June but that's not the point. As I explained to them, to simplify it, I pay for netflix monthly and I expect Netflix to work. I have a faulty screen that sets an alarm to call the police OR you make me pay for a screen that works even though I've already paid thousands for it. Their answer is "correct, sorry". This is fraud and bait and switch. I should have a machine that works. Now I have a faulty machine that has to remain unplugged, with a huge plug laying on the ground while I try to list my house and say "sorry, if you remove that there will be a big hole in the wall behind that screen where Guardian installed it because Guardian sells damaged goods". They need to install a working screen at no cost to me.Business Response
Date: 02/15/2023
February 15, 2023
Better Business Bureau
520 E Main Street, Suite 100
Carnegie, PA 15106
*** ********* ******* * ** ********
**** *** *****
Thank
you for advising Guardian Protection Services, Inc. (“Guardian”) of the above
referenced matter. Guardian appreciates the opportunity to address our
customer’s concerns.
Our customer states she paid thousands of dollars for a security system
installation in December 2014, as well as monthly fees. Her touchscreen control
panel stopped working properly and she is dissatisfied with Guardian’s offers
to repair or replace the panel under our
billable rates or upgrade the panel at a discounted cost in exchange for a new
monitoring commitment. Our customer
states Guardian sold her “damaged goods” and feels Guardian should replace the
touchscreen control panel at no charge.
Guardian reviewed our customer’s account upon receipt of this complaint.
Guardian found that while our customer paid around $1600 for system
installation at a previous property, our customer received a relocation
promotion and Guardian performed an installation at the current property for
just $200.00. With regard to our
customer stating Guardian sold her damaged goods, we would like to note the
control panel has worked from December 23, 2014 until February 7, 2023 without
issue.
Our customer’s system came with a limited warranty that does not cover repairs
or replacements of consumable items. Our
customer’s control panel is a consumable item and is no longer manufactured; it
is much like a cell phone that can no longer be purchased or traded in for a
new model. That being said, Guardian was
able to locate a replacement for her security system’s obsolete control panel
that should enable the system to function again. Guardian would like to note this replacement
panel is also obsolete but functioning.
Guardian has contacted our customer and offered to replace her control
panel for a flat fee of $150.00 + tax due to her many years of patronage and
history with Guardian. She fully owns
the equipment Guardian installed in her home. If she chooses not to pay to have the panel replaced and prefers to continue
with the termination of her account, she is free to leave the system as is or
remove it and dispose of it. Our
customer is considering her options.
Thank you for the opportunity to perform a further review and provide
our customer with another option. Should you have any questions, please contact
Guardian directly at (800) 776-8328.
Sincerely,
Agency Complaint Response
TeamCustomer Answer
Date: 02/15/2023
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.I did not pay only $200. IF that is actually what you have on record then perhaps there's another issue going on with your sales rep. Further, how could you possibly charge $1,600 at one address and only charge $200 at another address a number of years later. Makes zero sense. However, it's not functioning and very curious that you would offer to replace a broken display with an obsolete display, still at a cost. Unacceptable. In reading a multitude of reviews about Guardian Protection as of late, this seems to be the norm. Also, I was told I would be getting a call from a manager not a liaison. They just don't follow through on anything.
Regards,
********* *******Business Response
Date: 02/16/2023
February 16, 2023
Better Business Bureau
***** ********* ****
520 E Main Street, Suite 100
Carnegie, PA 15106
*** ********* ******* * ** ********
**** *** *****
Thank
you for advising Guardian Protection Services, Inc. (“Guardian”) of our customer’s
additional comments regarding her complaint and Guardian’s response.
Our
customer does not believe she only paid $200.00 for the installation of a new
system in her new home when she moved. We’ve
attached are copies of the sales/equipment information for the installations
and 2014. It appears our customer
required less equipment in her new home and received more discounts than with
the sale and installation at her previous home.
Our
customer’s control panel is a consumable item that is no longer covered by the
Limited Warranty or Repair Agreement. Guardian has given her several options to obtain a working system: to
install new Qolsys IQ control panel and connect all the existing devices for
$249.00 with a new monitoring commitment; pay time and material service charges for the installation of a new
Qolsys IQ4 control panel and connecting the existing devices; or pay $150.00
for the installation of a working SimonXTi5 control panel and connecting of the
existing devices.
These
are Guardian’s final offers. At this time Guardian is proceeding with the
cancelation our customer requested and discussed with a Customer Loyalty
Representative on February 7, 2023.
Should you have any further questions,
please contact Guardian directly at (800) 776-8328.
Sincerely,
Agency Complaint Response
TeamCustomer Answer
Date: 02/17/2023
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 1******** and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
1. The business stated I only paid $200 yet that was for "additional" equipment - perhaps the display screen, unsure but read further up on that bill of the charges. I could not understand how my total bill would only be $200 for every window and door sensor, including the overhead garage door and the display unit and my prior residence, with the same was substantially higher in price some years earlier. Now I believe you might only be referring to one piece of equipment.2. You said you didn't have the display panel that I had yet I could purchase one for $240 plus a 2 year contract which is impossible given my move date. Or have a repair man repair something that, clearly stated, can't be repaired, at $125 per 30 minutes and then miraculously you found a unit like mine, which is obsolete for the price of $150 plus tax.
3. In looking in your reviews both all over the internet, this is your standard response to faulty systems. Now I understand why people opt for other companies and wish I had researched you further prior to purchasing at my first address and for that matter the second.
4. When your sales guy makes these big money sales, it might be wise for him to tell people, this only has a XXX year life span and will need to be replaced at a price of at least a few hundred and a locked in two year contract.
5. I was told a manager would call and when I received a call, again, it was from a liaison, not a manager and I still haven't spoken to any Sr. Executive in this company.
In my view this company, and as their internet reputation shows, does not take responsibility for substandard, no customer service in regards to matters such as these and
they aren't in the wrong, unless you pay them more money and then they might admit to fault. In following many threads on the internet on many different sites, this is what this company does until the current, now prior customer throws their hands up in the air. I can only hope enough people see and just switch to ring, or any other security service for that matter. I'm done.
Regards,
********* *******Initial Complaint
Date:01/23/2023
Type: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 reached out to Guardian Protection in an attempt to cancel the security system due to the fact I do not use it, work from home, dealing with a serious medical condition requiring hospitalization, and one of the many employees faced with the potential of losing my job; the cancellation fee they quote me despite me having had the service for 2.5 years was the fee if I kept the servicefor the full time period. I do not feel this is fair and feel that based. I cannot afford the service anymore - they can check their records and my alarm system has not been turned on or used for almost a year.Business Response
Date: 01/24/2023
January 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.
Our complainant
has requested cancelation because she is not using her security system and
states she may lose her job. She believes she has had the service for 2.5 years
and feels the Early Termination Fee is equal to the value of the remaining term
and unfair. Our customer requests
Guardian to reduce the Early Termination Fee.
Upon
receipt of this complaint, Guardian preformed a thorough review of the
customer’s account history, From the installation date, October 2, 2020, to the
present.
For
background, our customer’s security system was sold and installed by Midwest
Smart Home Pros (Midwest) (Ranger) whereby all aspects of the sale and
installation, including the electronic paperwork, took place directly with Midwest. Midwest is a separate and distinct company
from Guardian, for which Guardian provided 24-hour monitoring and related
services for customers whose systems were sold and installed by Midwest, and
later purchased our customer’s account from Midwest. Guardian does not control
any day-to-day business activities or any internal policies or procedures of Midwest,
including security evaluations, sales processes, installation practices or any
other aspects of Midwest’s business.
Guardian
is sad to hear our customer has had a trying time these last twelve months, as
have many individuals and businesses who are still trying to recover from the
effects of the pandemic. Our research found our customer received an extensive
installation at no charge in exchange for the 60-month monitoring committee when
she initialed acceptance of the Monthly Fee and the Term and Automatic Renewal
clause and signed the Monitoring Agreement. The records show the Customer received
a new 2GIG Control Panel, 3 new door sensors, 7 new window sensors, 1 new glass
break detector and 3 new keyfobs. She also has video doorbell and light connected
to her system.
To date,
the discounts provided at the time of sale and installation have not been fully
recovered. While our customer’s system was installed October 2, 2020, our
customer has only made payments for approximately 24 months of service. Of the payments made to date, only a portion
of our customer’s monthly fees are earmarked for recovery of the discounts. A portion of the monthly fee covers the cost
of the dedicated cellular phone line their system has to communicate with
Guardian’s Monitoring center, a portion is paid to Alarm.com which powers the
Guardian app, and a portion covers expenses related to providing customer
service and 24/7 monitoring of their security system. The value of the unpaid 36-months remaining
on our customer’s term is $2,231.64. Per
our customer’s agreement, the Early Termination Fee is $1,250.00, significantly
less than the value the remaining months of her term. Guardian, respectfully,
is unable to reduce the Early Termination Fee.
We wish
our customer the best moving forward and encourage her to utilize the system
daily. Thank you for informing Guardian of this matter and the opportunity for
further account review and response to the complaint. Should you have any
questions, please contact Guardian directly at (800) 776-8328.
Sincerely,
Agency
Complaint Response TeamCustomer Answer
Date: 01/24/2023
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:01/18/2023
Type: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.
In December 2021, my wife and I were in the process of purchasing a home with ****** ***** ***** ** ********* *** As part of the process they connected us with their vendor Guardian Protection to add security features to our home. We spoke with a representative on 1/17/2022 about services and placed an order. In April 2022, I lost my job thus making us ineligible for a home loan at which point we notified ****** ***** that we would not be continuing with the home purchase. Not only did ****** ***** refuse do give us our earnest payment of $3000 back, I also recently received an invoice from Guardian for $1147.45 for installation services for a home we never purchased or move into. We were never called to verify the installation date, nor did we sign anything authorizing the work to be done. I am not being threatened that if I do not pay this invoice that it will be reported to the credit agencies and my credit being affected. I do not have possession of any of the equipment installed at this house nor did I authorize the installation to be completed. They obviously have my name, email, and phone number so someone should have called to confirm with me and ****** ***** should have notified them that we were no longer purchasing the home do to us no longer being qualified for the loan.Business Response
Date: 01/23/2023
January 23, 2023
BBB of Western Pennsylvania
520 E Main St, Suite 100
Carnegie, PA 15106
RE: ***** ***** * ********* ** *******0
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 resolve his issue quickly.
The complainant advised they
were in the process of purchasing a home, with Guardian features, when the
purchase of the home was canceled. He
later received a bill from Guardian in the amount of $1,147.45 for installation
services in the home they never purchased or moved into.
Guardian started a review of the
complainant’s account immediately after he called Guardian on January 17th to discuss the statement he received for $1,147.45. Guardian found there was an issue with
processing the termination of his account in July which resulted in the billing
error. Guardian began the process of
reversing the charges on January 18, 2023.
Guardian would like to assure
the complainant that the charges have been reversed and the account has a
balance of $0.00, there will be no future collection activity, and there has
been no reporting of any kind to any credit agencies.
Guardian apologies for the
error and the stresses it caused. We
wish the complainant the best moving forward. Thank you for bringing this matter to Guardian’s attention to ensure it
was resolved and provide us with an opportunity to confirm in writing that it
has been resolved. Should you have any
questions, please contact Guardian at (800) 776-8328.
Sincerely,
Agency Complaint Response
Team
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