Business Profile

Security Systems

Guardian Protection

Headquarters

BBB Accredited Business A+Rated by BBB

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

151 total complaints in the last 3 years.
47 complaints closed in the last 12 months.

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Submit a Complaint

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:03/06/2025
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.
In 2009 I began my service with Guardian, in 10/2021 I called and asked to have my land line number changed to my cell number. I explained that we had our house number disconnected. I was told that a charge of approximately $100 would apply to make that change. I explained, on that call, I would not be willing to pay that. I continued to get my regular monthly bills in the mail of , $47.87, which I paid. I even changed to automatic debit. A couple of months ago my mother-in-law told me she got a call from Guardian about testing our system. I called them and was told, at this time that they were not connected to our alarm system and had not been since 10/2021, when I called to request the number change. I have called Guardian on several occasions, I called once to request a new sign for my yard, she asked me about testing my system but I was not home, however they had to know our home number was not operational. I called once in early February and spoke for 30 minutes to **** who passed me off to her supervisor ***. He was not helpful at all and only focused on getting me to upgrade my system. My last phone call was on 2/8/25 with a supervisor named ***, we spoke for 40 minutes. He tried to tell me that they had been calling various numbers to check our alarm system. When I asked him what numbers they were calling, the first one he gave was the disconnected house phone, I have made 38 payments of $47.87 for services that I did not receive. I should have been told back on my original call in 2021 if I did not want the number transferred our services would be disconnected however , I was not given that information. Never having an alarm system on my home before I was unsure of what I was paying for. *** also told me that another supervisor would be contacting me the day after we talked, no one has called me. As a senior citizen, I feel that I have been taken advantage of and would like my money refunded, *******. Thank you so much with you help in this matter.
Business Response
Date: 03/26/2025
March 26, 2025

Submitted Electronically

BBB of ********************
**************************************************************************************************

Re: ******* ********* Complaint ID ********

Dear Better Business Bureau:

Guardian Protection Services (Guardian) is in receipt of the complaint our customer submitted to you on March 6, 2025. Thank you for forwarding it and giving us an opportunity to respond.

The gist of our customers complaint is that she deserves a refund of the service charges that she paid while her security system was not communicating signals with Guardians central monitoring station. Our customer admits that she disconnected her telephone landline, which was the sole communication line between her system and Guardians monitoring station and thus caused the communication problem. Nevertheless, she alleges that Guardian is at fault for not telling her that her system would not communicate without the telephone landline or that she needed a new panel that communicates via a cellular signal.

Unfortunately, our customers recollection differs materially from the indisputable facts. On October 5, 2021, our customer called ******************** on a recorded telephone line in response to a notification from Guardian telling her to test her system. When she told our representative that she had disconnected her telephone landline, the representative explained to her that her system needed the landline to communicate signals with our monitoring station. The representative also told her that, if she changed her alarm panel to one with cellular communication, her system would once again send communication signals.

Our customer clearly acknowledged that she understood the problem and asked what it would cost to switch to a cellular panel. After placing our customer on hold briefly, the representative offered her a new cellular panel installation that included a $250 discount and would have increased her monthly service rate by only $1.25. After our customer stated,We need to do that, the representative sent her an agreement for her review and signature. Our customer indicated that she would need to discuss the matter with her husband before signing.

Despite her understanding of the communication issue, our customer did not sign the agreement or otherwise address the communication issue, leaving it unresolved. As a result, Guardian repeatedly called all the contact phone numbers our customer provided on her account and left messages notifying the recipient that Guardian had not received a connectivity test signal from our customers system and that she should contact Guardian immediately to address the issue. Between October 2021 and February 2025, Guardians records show that it made approximately 165 of these calls.

In addition to Guardian informing our customer of the communication issue caused by her termination of her telephone landline, her Sales and Monitoring Agreement with Guardian, dated March *******, also addresses the issue. Specifically, Section 10 of that agreement explains that our customers security system communicates with our monitoring center via telephone systems controlled by the third-party provider of her choice. It further provides that a change in her telephone system may disrupt communications from the alarm system.

In sum, our customer terminated her landline and made the conscious decision to forgo switching to a cellular alarm panel, despite both a clear understanding that her panel would not communicate properly and repeated calls prompting her to resolve this issue. Under the circumstances, Guardian is unable to provide a refund.

Sincerely,

Agency Complaint Response Team
Customer Answer
Date: 03/26/2025
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 am writing this only to state that your response to my recorded conversation is a total fabrication. As I stated in my complaint, the only money that was discussed was a $99 charge for a technician to come out and switch to the cellular number, which I thought was too much and rejected, obviously. This has been a total waste of my time and $1800 that your company took from me for providing zero services. It doesnt surprise me that you call your customers from unknown numbers and then wonder why you cant contact anyone. Why would I have expected a company like Guardian Protection to step up and do the right thing? My mistake, ****** learned.
[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, we would like to know your view on the matter.]

Regards,

******* *********
Initial Complaint
Date:02/25/2025
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.
called to have service stopped due to going into nursing home. ***** was told the service wpuld be stopped, they are still taking out payment. the nursing home wants all her money and she does not have money to cover this and she no ;onger resides in this house it is empty.
Business Response
Date: 02/27/2025
February 27, 2025

BBB of ********************
Attn: ***************************
****************************************************************************************

RE: ***** ******* Complaint ID ********

Dear Ms. ****************** you for forwarding this customer complaint to ************************. **********************.
Our customer has expressed dissatisfaction related to continued billing for service at a property that she has moved out of.

Upon receipt of this complaint,Guardian reviewed our customers account and billing. ******************** found the initial call requesting cancelation was received on January 22, 2025. The caller was not our customer. The caller was advised to send in paperwork supporting her authority to make changes to the account as well as documentation regarding her move to a nursing home. Guardian never received the documents.

Guardian received another call requesting cancelation of the account on February 3, 2025. Our customer was present on this call. ******************** agreed to cancel the services upon the receipt of a signed cancelation document. Due to the liabilities in this industry, a cancelation letter with an effective date and customer signature is required. The cancelation document was set up for an e-signature to expedite our customers request. The document was emailed to the email address provided in the Customer Information section of this complaint,and as noted above, needed to be signed, and returned. It has not been signed and returned as of this writing and is now expired.

Guardian has emailed an updated cancelation document today, February 27th, 2025. The document includes a new effective date and was emailed to the email address provided in the Customer Information section of this complaint. The document must be e-signed by our customer in order for the account to be fully canceled. We suggest our customer check both her inbox and junk/spam folders for the document.

Thank you for informing Guardian of this matter. We appreciate the opportunity to assist our customer again with her request. Should you have any questions,please contact Guardian at **************.

Sincerely,
Agency Complaint Response Team
Initial Complaint
Date:02/20/2025
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.
In November 2024 I notified the business that I had 2 key fobs malfunctioning. I got charged $96.30 for ***lacements and was notified upon receiving them in the mail I needed to contact customer service to schedule a virtual appointment for programming. Upon calling in December 2024 to program the 2 new key fobs the *** removed 1 defective and 1 that still worked leaving a defective key fob active. Upon noticing that I only had 2 working key fobs and not 3 as I previously did I contacted tech support and was advised that in order to get my third fob to work I would need to purchase a new one as well as I would need a technician to be scheduled to come to my home to check my system for issues. I was offered a $100 credit to apply towards any equipment needed but was going to be charged $15 every 30 minutes that the tech is at my house. All I am asking the company to do is make right what there tech messed up at no charge.
Business Response
Date: 02/28/2025
February 28, 2025

BBB of ********************
************************
********, *******; 15106

RE:        **** ******** Complaint ID ********

Dear Better Business Bureau:

Thank you for forwarding the above referenced complaint to Guardian Protection Services****** (Guardian). Guardian values the opportunity to review our customers account and resolve his issues.

Our customer expressed dissatisfaction with being quoted the need for an on-site service call at Guardians billable rates to resolve an issue with his keyfobs that appears to have occurred when Guardians Technical Support team worked with him to remotely removed two non-working fobs and add two new fobs to his system.

Guardian would first like to apologize to our customer for the programming issue that occurred. We appreciate his efforts to work with our technical team remotely again in an attempt to have the issue resolved without the inconvenience of an on-site service call.

A supervisor in Guardians ******************** authorized the scheduling of on-site service for our customer, and while he was not able to create the service call at no charge, he has agreed to credit all charges for the service call once they are known. The service appointment has been scheduled, and we look forward to resolving these issues next week.

Thank you for providing Guardian with an opportunity to further review and resolve this matter. Should you have any questions, please contact Guardian at **************.

Sincerely,
Agency Complaint Response Team
Customer Answer
Date: 03/04/2025
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 key fob issue has been resolved but while the technician was at my house he stated that we have an outdated main panel and until it is replaced we are going to continue having the same issue. While on the phone with the supervisor who scheduled for the tech to come out I asked if the panel could be a problem and was informed if the technician deems the panel needs replaced and there is no dameage they would authorize to replace at no cost only now to be advised that I need to sign a new 60 month agreement and pay for the panel in order to receive it. If the company looks at all the call logs, they can see all the issues and misinformation that was provided to me. Also I am not understanding how I went from having a credit in the amount of $165 in January to having a bill over $300 in February to where no credit and now a bill is due.

Regards,

**** ********
Business Response
Date: 03/13/2025
March 13, 2025

BBB of ********************
************************
********, *******; 15106

RE:        **** ******** Complaint ID ********

Dear Better Business Bureau:

Thank you for forwarding our customers additional concerns regarding conversations he has had with Guardian Protection representatives regarding the possible replacement of his systems control panel, and any associated costs.

It is possible our customers control panel is not working perfectly and is the cause of the difficulties with learning in his keyfobs. Our customers control panel is now obsolete and is no longer covered under a repair plan.

Guardians Agency Complaint Response Team reviewed the call between our customer and the ************* supervisor he spoke with. While there was some discussion about the control panel and no coverage if it sustained physical damage or damage from acts of God, the supervisor never said Guardian would replace the control panel at no charge to our customer. The conversation concerning the control panel switched to the scheduling of service for his keyfobs
without any detailed discussion on replacement of his control panel.

Regarding our customers billing, none of his statements reflect a balance over $300.00. Our customers January 10th statement reflected a credit balance of $105.42, his February 10th statement reflected a balance due of $51.31, and his March 10th statement reflects a balance due of -$32.75. To aid our customer, the following transactions occurred after 01/08/2025, when his account had a credit balance of $165.85:

*** 1/10/2025: *************** Charges of $60.43 were paid by the account credit
*** 1/13/2025: The order of two new keyfobs billed for $96.30 and were paid by the account credit.
*** 2/05/2025: Our customer made payment of $48.15 to order a replacement of the faulty keyfob.
*** 2/06/2025: $48.15 was billed for the keyfob to replace the faulty keyfob.
*** 2/10/2025: *************** Charges of $60.43 billed.
*** 2/28/2025: Guardian applied a credit of $48.15 to offset the charges on 2/06/2025.
*** 3/04/2025: Guardian applied a credit of $96.30 to offset the charges on 1/13/2025.
*** 3/05/2025: Guardian billed, then credited charges of $255.00 for on-site service on 3/3/2025.
*** 3/10/2025: *************** Charges of $60.43 billed.

Our customer ended up not paying for the new or replacement keyfobs. If he wishes to upgrade his control panel, or it becomes necessary to do so, our customer has the options of paying ********************* current billable service rates or negotiating the upgrade with Guardians Customer Loyalty team.

Should you have any questions,please contact Guardian at **************.

Sincerely,
Agency Complaint Response Team
Customer Answer
Date: 03/13/2025
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
In regards to them stating that the amount of $96.30 was taken from a credit on the account and not billed to me that is not correct. I paid the amount on my credit card and was told by the loyalty group that after the new key fobs shipped I was going to be refunded all of it minus a $26 virtual tech fee. Also in regards to the $48 charge I was charged that fee to have another key fob shipped due to one of the previous being defective but was informed because it was only a week old that I would receive a full refund as long as I sent the defective one back to them which I did. I was advised that when the last tech came to my house that he would check the main panel and see if that could be the problem, as long as there was no damage than they would authorize the tech to replace at no cost. So basically the company has sold me equipment that will not be compatible with each other and in order to make it compatible I need to pay them more money for upgraded panels when these are not that old and if they are aware of the issue with the panel and key fobs not being fully compatible for much longer, I dont understand why they sold me these fobs In the first place.
Regards,

**** ********
Business Response
Date: 03/14/2025
March 14, 2025

BBB of ********************
************************
********, *******; 15106

RE:        **** ******** Complaint ID ********

Dear Better Business Bureau:

Thank you for forwarding our customers latest correspondence regarding his complaint.

Guardian would like to apologize with regard to the billing summary error included in Guardians last correspondence. A team member did miss that payment via our customers credit card for the original two replacement keyfobs, in the amount of $96.30, which was taken on January 8, 2025 at the time of the order. As we previously confirmed, this amount ended up being credited to his account.

With regard to product compatibility, the *** PowerG 9929 4-button keyfobs are compatible with his current Qolsys IQ2+ control panel. In fact, if the customer had elected to purchase a new keyfob in 2021 when his IQ2+panel was installed, the PowerG 9929 Keyfob is the keyfob we would have installed.

Concerning our customers request to have his control panel upgraded at no charge, our customer has been notified multiple times that his repair agreement has expired and repairs to his system would be at our current billable rates unless the issue was with a device still under its 90-day warranty. He was notified that the repair agreement had expired by a ************* supervisor and ************** supervisor on 1/3/2025, a Customer Loyalty representative on 1/8/2025, and a ************** representative February 15, 2025. On February 15, 2025, the ************** representative quoted billable rates for an on-site service call but agreed to waive the $75.00 trip fee and $100.00 toward any work performed during the appointment which was scheduled for March 3, 2025; Guardian ended up waiving service charges totaling $255.00. A replacement control panel was never offered at no charge by any of these representatives, nor by the ************* supervisor our customer spoke with on February 26, 2025.

As of this date, Guardian has not been made aware of any continuing issue after the March 3, 2025 service call. If our customers keyfobs continue to lose their connection with his control panel, it is likely his control panel is beginning to malfunction. Should our customer elect to have the panel replaced, whether necessary or proactively, he is aware of his option to have it replaced at our billable service rates or accept the system upgrade offer Guardians Customer Loyalty team sent him on March 4, 2025. The upgrade offer is valid for 30 days from the date it was sent.

Should you have any questions, please contact Guardian at **************.

Sincerely,
Agency Complaint Response Team
Initial Complaint
Date:02/17/2025
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 had guardian since I bought my house in 2023. The cameras have stopped working multiple times and I spent hours on the phone with the company trying to trouble shoot them. In May my dog was killed in my front yard that the camera should have seen what happened if it was working properly, and whoever did it would have been caught. I called Guardian again and since the tech support couldn't trouble shoot the cameras they said it would be a $75 charge even though they are the ones that brought and installed the cameras. A couple months later they quite working again. After spending hours again with tech support and them not being able to get them online again. I told them to just cancel my account that I couldn't afford another $75 for them to fix they're equipment and I shouldn't have to pay for something that doesn't work. That was in Sept. Maybe early Oct. Last month i recieved a bill for $745 when I called support they said that it wasn't canceled and I would have had to pay an early cancelation fee even though they're services were not working. I informed the woman of all of this. She said she could have someone come out for a fee and fix the cameras once I paid off my balance. I said I just want it canceled like I thought it had been and I had just hired an attorney and was going through bancruptcy. Then she informed me I would have to pay the balance plus $1000+ cancelation fee even though the equipment hadn't worked in months to do so *** until then they would just keep charging me. I just found on 9/29 I was charged $250+ for a service fee. That was after the cameras stopped and I thought my account was canceled. When I tried to log in to see what date my cameras had stopped I found that my account is locked so I can't even access it yet I'm still being charged. How can a company charge for services that they are not providing and think it's ok?
Business Response
Date: 02/27/2025
February 24, 2025

BBB of ********************
************************
********,*******; 15106

RE: ***** ******* - Complaint ID ********

Dear Better Business Bureau:

Thank you for advising Guardian Protection Services, **** (Guardian) of the above referenced complaint. Guardian values the opportunity to review our customers account and respond.

Our customer is disputing a bill for on-site servicing of her cameras and states she had requested cancelation of her account in September or October of 2024,but recently learned her account had not been canceled and continued to bill. Our customer has requested a billing adjustment for the months when her cameras did not work.

Guardian performed a thorough review of our customers account upon receipt of this complaint. Guardian attempted to reach our customer, but our number appears to be blocked. Because we are unable to reach our customer to review the account history, ******************** compiled a summary of our interactions with her since the first video device issue was reported on March 8, 2024.

** March 8, 2024. Our customer called because she had a new internet modem and needed assistance getting all of her devices that use wi-fi reconnected. She also noted on this call that she thought the wire for her backdoor camera had become disconnected during a storm.

Guardian was unable to get either camera connected. The backyard camera appeared to have no power, and the video doorbell wouldnt connect. Our customer was asked to contact Xfinity to verify her routers SSID (wireless network name) and password and call us back to retry connecting the video devices.

** May 28, 2024. Guardian returned a missed call from our customer this date. She advised her cameras have been down and wanted someone out to get them working because of the tragic event that happened with her dog. On this call she confirmed a wire had been cut to one of the video devices and she needed a technician on site. The representative quoted our $75.00 trip fee, the labor rates for each 15-minute, and parts if any.

** June 13, 2024. A technician was on site, per customers request on May 28th, and resolved the wiring and connectivity issues for our customers video devices. The service charge for this on-site service call is $255.00 It was billed on September 1, 2024. Guardian apologizes for the delayed billing of the service call as quoted.

** September 1, 2024. Our customer contacted ******************** because her cameras werent working. She said she had done an update on her internet modem again. (Guardian would like to note that our customer has edited her video device recording rules the day before.) A representative was able to help her reconnect the video doorbell and backdoor camera to her updated modem.

** October 9, 2024. Guardian received a call for assistance with troubleshooting the video device connections after the customer had reset her wi-fi password. It was found the two video devices had been factory reset prior to this call. A representative helped our customer reconnect the video doorbell and security system panel , but the connection was short-lived, and the backdoor camera would not connect. The reconnection of devices to a hidden Wi-Fi network must be done manually, requires accurate input of multiple network settings for each device, and may require connection attempts on multiple Wi-Fi gateways. After an extended effort by our customer and ********************, the reconnection failed with the gateway being used and another attempt needed to be made using a different connection gateway. Our customer was to call back when they were available to attempt the reconnection with a different gateway.

** January 20, 2025. Guardian received a call from our customer requesting cancelation of her account and advised she was filing for bankruptcy.

Guardian would like to note that our customers video connectivity issues are not a result of the video equipment or services, they were brought on by our customers changes to her internet service and Wi-Fi network. In addition, our customers video service is a small portion of her monthly fee. The monthly fee also includes 24/7 monitoring of signals from the security system,a dedicated cellular line connecting her system to our monitoring center,remote access and control of the security system, her door lock and her video devices.

Our customer continued to be billed per the terms of her unsatisfied Monitoring agreement. Guardian is willing to provide our customer with an adjustment due to the camera connectivity issue, even though it is not due to equipment or performance issues, it would be approximately $100.00. That being said, if the customer is filing for bankruptcy, ******************** must work with our customer or her attorney directly and privately to discuss settlement of her account. We suggest the customer contact ********************* collection department and also unblock Guardians ************** number so we can easily communicate with her.

Thank you for bringing this matter to Guardians attention. Should you have any questions, please contact Guardian at **************.

Sincerely,

Agency Complaint Response Team
Customer Answer
Date: 02/27/2025
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:02/13/2025
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 cancelled my service with this company around **************************************************************************************************************************** spite of my desire to end my service. I told them I would not pay for any service beyond my request date and today got a collection notice for an amount that is ridiculous.
Customer Answer
Date: 02/14/2025
Problem:
I cancelled my service with this company in march of 2024 yet they have continued to charge me for monthly services I no longer want. I have made two calls to their stupid service department to let them know I would not be paying for a service I cancelled. I today's for a collection notice for $1865.36, which is very confusing as they have been sending bills trying to collect in the amount of $385. I feel like this company is trying to take advantage of this situation and recoup costs that were never agreed upon or incurred. I cancelled my service in march of 2024 so the most I would be willing to do is make a payment for that one month. I do not owe them anything for subsequent months as I communicate the desire to no longer use their services. According to the collection document, it says that I owed $1865.36 on March 1, 2024. That is a direct contradiction too Their own statement, which I have attached here/ I canceled my service in march of 2024

Desired Resolution:
Billing Adjustment
Business Response
Date: 02/28/2025
February 28, 2025

BBB of ********************
************************
********,*******; 15106

RE:        ******** ***** Complaint ID ********

Dear Better Business Bureau:

Thank you for forwarding our customers complaint to ****************************. **********************. Guardian is a customer-centric organization and values the opportunity to address any concern.

The complainant has stated he canceled his account in March 2024 ,but Guardian continues to bill him for services he no longer wants. He states he has made two calls to Guardian to let us know he would not be paying for a service he canceled. He also questioned the different bills he has been receiving, especially the collection notice for $1865.36. Our customer feels he does not owe ******************** any payment

For background, the complainants security system was sold and installed by a representative working for *************************** (AAA) whereby all aspects of the sale and installation, including the electronic paperwork, took place directly a representative of AAA. AAA is a separate and distinct company from Guardian, for which Guardian provides 24-hour monitoring and related services for customers whose systems were sold and installed by AAA, until such time that Guardian purchases the account and agreement from ***. 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 AA business and employees.

Guardian reviewed our customers account upon receipt of this complaint and has communicated with our customer via email and offered to review his account for the possibility of offering a reduced settlement. The customer was then asked to call the Loyalty Liaison to discuss the matter further, but as of this date a call has not been received. The following summarizes the findings of Guardians account review.

Guardian found there is indeed a 60-month Monitoring Agreement on file dated 6/3/2021. It was signed electronically after it was sent to the same email Guardian has on file and through which Guardian has successfully corresponded with the customer.   Per the terms of the Monitoring Agreement (attached) if a customer wished to terminate ******************** prior to the end date of the agreed upon initial monitoring term, the customer would be responsible to pay any current account balance due as well as the $1,2500 Early Termination Fee.

Guardian has no record of any calls or correspondence requesting cancelation. The only calls on record for this customer in 2024 were call made by ******************** to our customer in August and December regarding the account balance that had become past due. Our representatives did not reach our customer until December 13, 2024, at which time he informed a representative that he had closed his account with us six months before. Our customer disconnected the call when the representative began to explain why his account continued to be billed, and that there was no record of a cancelation request. Had our customer requested cancelation in March of 2024, he would have been advised the need to pay his current balance due, which was $0.00 at the time, and the early termination fee of $1,250.00.

With regard to our customers questions regarding the three attachments he provided,the statement for $59.53 is for the monthly charges that billed on April 18, 2024,the statement for $381.82 was generated on January 2, 2025 advising the customer of this past due balance, and the statement for $1,865.36 is for the amount due to settle his account as of February 6, 2025. There was an error with the statement dated February 06, 2025, but the amount due is correct, it includes payment of the current past due amount of $386.28 (Guardian stopped accruing monthly service charges as of October 2024 or this amount would be higher), the $1,250 early termination fee, and a collection fee $229.08.

Though there is no documentation supporting our customers claim that he canceled his account in March 2024, Guardian is willing to settle his account for the amount that would have been due to settle his account in March 2024. Guardian will accept a payment of $1,250.00 to fully settle the account without further obligation or penalty. Guardian will honor this offer is good through March 31, 2025.

Thank you for informing Guardian of this matter and providing an opportunity to respond. Should you have any questions,please contact Guardian at **************.

Sincerely,
Agency Complaint Response Team
Customer Answer
Date: 02/28/2025
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 receive a message offering to reduce the settlement. It is ridiculous however to pay $1250 for a $59 months service. The most I would be willing to pay is the monthly amount in march and April. Regardless of whether this stupid company has any record, I did call to cancel my service and stopped paying at that time. I will it be paying their cancellation fee regardless. [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, we would like to know your view on the matter.]

Regards,

******** *****
Initial Complaint
Date:02/11/2025
Type:Service or Repair 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.
This is in regards to work required by the municipality in May 2024. Job was quoted to be $199 for the first 30 minutes and $50 for every 15 minutes after that. Work was completed May 14. In June we were charged 2x what was quoted. When I called for a correction, they said the charge was correct and the quote was "per technician." A week later Guardian offered a $100 discount on the charge. I didn't accept and requested to speak to a supervisor multiple times. I found other billing discrepancies (typos and duplicate charges) and attempted to call for resolutions of all items. Every time they said my callback request was sent to a supervisor. I never received a call from a supervisor.I kept paying monthly fees and install fees that were quoted and charged, but between June 2024 and Jan 2025, I received late charges and started getting notices that our unpaid balance would go to collections. On January 30, I created a spreadsheet to evaluate my dispute. All items are attached. I found almost $2000 in charges that include my dispute, typos, duplicate monitoring charges, and late fees. I emailed this to a Guardian salesman and asked that he forward it to any supervisor.A supervisor responded and scheduled a call for Thursday February 6. He was only authorized to offer me a $200 credit. He also said that my multiple calls for a supervisor were ignored because they had offered me the $100 credit and decided it was resolved. He submitted my balance to Guardian billing department to review duplicate charges. I haven't received a response but followed up today. My dispute lies with the threat of collections and their mistake that is costing me almost $1000 more. I want to pay what I was quoted. The cost to switch companies is too high and I've generally been satisfied working with Guardian. They are aware of their power position and don't have to admit their mistakes. It seems there is nothing else I can do, so I decided to reach out to the BBB.
Customer Answer
Date: 02/18/2025
I found a mistake in my complaint on my part. The billing issues are still incorrect, but I reviewed the past installation agreements and came across a billing arrangement I overlooked. I was supposed to pay one full year of monitoring upfront for one of the properties. This was not charged correctly, but I have an additional $519.52 that I owe them. I will make payment tonight.

I still have the initial complaint of the estimated job ($874.50) and $75.88 in late fees because they disregarded my phone calls to discuss. The charges are also still incorrect for monitoring on a property. However, my complaint is no longer correct.
I apologize for the confusion.

Thank you,

****** *********
Business Response
Date: 02/21/2025
February 21, 2025

BBB of ********************
************************
********,*******; 15106

RE:        ****** ********* - Complaint ID ********

Dear Better Business Bureau:

Thank you for advising Guardian Protection Services, **** (Guardian) of the above referenced complaint. Guardian values the opportunity to review our customers account and respond.

Our customer is disputing the charges for a service appointment in May 2024. Our customer states she was quoted $199 for the first 30 minutes and $50 for every 15 minutes after that and was upset to get a bill in June for an amount that was twice as she was expecting. Our customer also advised she had found other billing discrepancies.   Our customer is also dissatisfied with the credits Guardian offered, and the lack of further follow-up by Guardian.

Guardians commercial customer care management team performed a thorough review of our customers account, including the customers call on April 29, *************************************************** their commercial building. The service call was quoted correctly and scheduled for May 10, 2024. Guardian opted to schedule two technicians for a total of 8 hours and 13 minutes of labor, rather than send one technician who probably would have taken 10, 12 or more hours to complete the inspection due to the size of the building.   Scheduling two technicians actually reduced the number of labor hours and the inconvenience to our customer and their tenant(s).

With regard to the monthly billing for our customers two properties, ******************** found no discrepancies. There was no double billing or billing overlap for services at either of their two properties billed under the account in question.

This being said, Guardian understands our customer was not prepared for the amount of time it could take to perform a thorough inspection of their commercial fire system to meet the requirements of their municipalitys Fire ********. Guardian is willing to credit our customers current balance due at the time of this writing. The credit(s) would be in the amount of $885.44.

Guardian would like to note that, moving forward, future inspections of their fire system will most likely performed by two technicians. The cost of the inspection will include labor charges for each technician at the then current labor rate, as well as any parts required for system repairs discovered at the time of inspection. In addition, Guardian would like to point out that the amount of time necessary to complete an inspection will vary.

Thank you for bringing this matter to Guardians attention. Should you have any questions, please contact Guardian at **************.

Sincerely,

Agency Complaint Response Team
Customer Answer
Date: 02/24/2025

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:01/21/2025
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.
The day of installation the service guy informed me I couldn't get the ring doorbell due to my home not being equipped with the parts needed to install the ring doorbell. He stated I could get the camera service they offered. he showed me the benefits of having a camera. I went with the concept and he installed. From the day he installed it til today I have called Guardian to inform them that the camera wasn't working. I had video lost. Guardian had previously checked my internet to make sure it was strong enough to handle their services. Motion detectors didn't pick up into the person was at my door. I would call and they would fix it and it never last. I asked if the could take it back and give me something else or just take it back. They refused and said they didn't do that. During the time frame I've called numerous of times asking for them to get it to work. It would for the max of a month and stop. I continued to ask them to take it back. I haven't paid for it due to me asking them to refund it I also learned I could of gotten the doorbell. I asked for it and they still refused to do it. During this process I'm still paying my bill monthly. ow my smoke detectors aren't working. I called about that. They said because I haven't paid for the cameras I can't get them fix. Unless, I pay $75 per smoke detector and they will send them to me and I have to install them. If I pay for the camera they will still be a charge for them. I said I was upset that I had to call them to tell them the detectors didn't work. At that point they informed me that they were old and outdated. I wanted to know why wouldn't they inform the customer that their equipment old and outdated. The reply they don't do that. I'm not getting anywhere with them understanding I'm not a satisfied customer. They are being paid every month without any problems or late payments. They refuse to meet the customer's needs. I would like for them to take the camera back and take me out of my contract.
Business Response
Date: 02/03/2025
February 3, 2025

BBB of ********************
************************
********,*******; 15106

RE: **** ********** Complaint ID ********

Dear Better Business Bureau:

Thank you for forwarding our customers complaint to ************************. **********************. Guardian is a customer-centric organization and values the opportunity to address any concern.

Our customer has expressed dissatisfaction with the performance of her security cameras. She stated she has called Guardian about a camera not working since the day it was installed and has lost video. She also noted she requested Guardian, but Guardian refused to do so. She advised she never paid for the camera because she had called numerous times for assistance to get them working but they would not work for more than a month. Our customer said she later learned that she could have gotten the video doorbell, but Guardian refused to provide one. Our customer states she now has a smoke detector that is not working, but Guardian will not send a technician to resolve the issue because she has not paid for her camera. Guardian offered to ship her smoke detectors for $75.00 each, but she would have to install them herself. Our customer is also upset to learn her smoke detectors were old and outdated and we had not advised her of such. Our customer has kept up with her monthly monitoring and would like Guardian to take the camera back and release her from her contract.

Guardian reviewed our customers account. We found our customer had originally requested the installation of an outdoor camera and video doorbell in 2020. She was under agreement at the time and extended her agreement in order to receive a discount on the installation of the two video devices. On September 19, 2020, a technician was on-site to perform the installation. He found the customer had a battery-operated doorbell. Guardian only offers ********* video devices,and at the time of installation the only video doorbell available through ********* had to be connected to the wire that ran to a regular doorbell button. Our customer had no wire to her doorbell button since it worked on battery power, so the video doorbell could not be installed. Please note that ********* did not release their wireless video doorbell until July 26, 2022.

With regards to a history of issues with the outdoor camera that was installed, our records indicated there were issues just after the 2020 installation, but no further issues until 2023. While Guardians Technical representatives did assist our customer with setting changes to improve their performance, apparently the issues continued.

The contract for adding video devices was for the addition of a video doorbell and an outdoor camera and included a discount on the installation. The outdoor camera was installed per the agreement, while the video doorbell was not. The review of this account found our customers installation bill was not properly adjusted when the video doorbell was removed from the order. Our customer was billed $453.00 ($425.00 plus applicable sales tax) when she should have been billed $189.00 ($175.00 plus applicable sales tax). She only received an installation adjustment/credit of $75.00. Guardian applied credits to our customers account to correct the billing error and our customer now has a credit balance.

Regarding the issue with our customers smoke detectors, low battery alerts are a lower priority signal than an actual alarm. It is possible a customer may call in to ******************** before we call out on the signal. When the representative could not help her resolve the battery issue over the phone, he offered to ship her a replacement smoke detector for $75.00 as a cost-effective way to get it replaced even though her account showed an unpaid balance for the camera that was installed September 19, 2020.

Guardian apologizes for the billing error in 2020 and provided our customer with several options for service work and/or equipment upgrades, as well as the ability to cancel her services without further penalty or obligation. Our customer indicated she was satisfied with the credit and with receiving some options moving forward.

Thank you for informing Guardian of this matter and providing an opportunity to have the issue reviewed and resolved. Should you have any questions, please contact Guardian directly at **************.

Sincerely,
Agency Complaint Response Team
Initial Complaint
Date:01/17/2025
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 customer of ********************** since 2021. In July 2024, I called Guardian due to an issue where the smoke detectors register as malfunctioning each day. This causes the system to begin beeping every night until I manually reset it. During the July 2024 phone call, the Guardian Representative advised that everything looked good on their end and there was nothing more that needed to be done. However, our system beeping each night has not been resolved. On December 26, 2024, my partner emailed Guardian at ******************************** (the listed email address on their conact page) requesting assistance with the above issue, as it has yet to be resolved. Every night, the system still randomly begins beeping until the panel is reset. We did not receive a response to that email. Again, on January 11, 2025, I emailed Guardian at the aforementioned address outlining this ongoing problem and have still not received a phone call or email response to address our problem.
Business Response
Date: 01/28/2025
January 28, 2025

BBB of ********************
************************
********,*******; 15106

RE: ******* ****** Complaint ID ********

Dear Better Business Bureau:

Thank you for advising Guardian Protection Services*****. (Guardian) of the above referenced complaint. Guardian values the opportunity to review our customers account and respond.

Our customer reported she has had an ongoing issue with her smoke detectors whereby the issue causing the beeping was never resolved. Our customer advised they had contacted ******************** via email through our website, but they received no response.

Guardian reviewed our customers account and found that ******************** had responded via email noting that Guardian can offer a *************** Assistance call or an on-site service call and asked the customer to contact ******************** via telephone. Apparently Guardians emails went to our customers junk or spam folders and were never seen.

Guardian reached out to our customer and scheduled an on-site service call that was completed January 23, 2025. Our customer advised she was pleased with the technician and the work performed, and the issues with the smoke detectors have been resolved.

Thank you for bringing this matter to Guardians attention. Should you have any questions, please contact Guardian at **************.

Sincerely,

Agency Complaint Response Team
Initial Complaint
Date:01/16/2025
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.
In November, my alarm did not go off, but police came to my house for an alarm event ($70charge for them to come for a false alarm). I called guardian to get to the bottom of it, they would have to send a tech out. The tech spent a good while at the house and his notes to his company say customer system is very old. I explain to him he need to call to get an upgrade quote. Customer requested for me to remove partition 2 from programming. For this I was charged $375 in labor/time. They ***laced a key pad and a battery, that I was charged a reasonable amount for. We requested the partition be taken off and no longer protected (as it had been for the last 10 years with them) because the tech could not fix it and instead wanted to sell us more equipment. So for a battery, a key pad, and to disconnect 1/2 of my buildings and still be charged the full Monthly fee, they add on almost $400 in labor charges. When I called to cancel *********** the customer service *** who was still trying to sell me new equipment said it should last, hes seen them over 20 years. Essentially, they will rip you off at every opportunity, even if youve been giving them money for a decade. Theres no world in which the small ***airs should have equaled $375 in labor. If he couldnt fix it, tell his company that and move on. Not continue to rack up the bill for a job Not complete.
Business Response
Date: 01/24/2025
January 24, 2025

BBB of ********************
************************
********,*******; 15106

RE: ******** ****** Complaint ID ********

Dear Better Business Bureau:

Thank you for advising Guardian Protection Services, **** (Guardian) of the above referenced complaint. Guardian values the opportunity to review our customers account and respond.

Our customer states she contacted ******************** because a police officer had come to her home for an alarm, which resulted in a $70.00 charge, but her system had never gone off. She said she scheduled service and has noted she is very dissatisfied with the technicians work and the charges for the small repair that was done.

Guardian reviewed our customers account upon receipt of this complaint. Our customer called ******************** on November ****** because the alarm had been going off all night, she had been receiving calls from Guardian, and the police had been out the night before. A ************** representative reviewed the system history and advised we did need to send a technician out to try and resolve the issues with the motion detectors in her shed

The representative quoted a $75.00 co-pay if the system issues were a result of normal wear and tear, and our billable rates if the repair was not due to normal wear and tear. Our customer scheduled a service call. The representative offered to assist the customer in temporarily powering down her system, but the call ended before the representative could provide the instructions and the customer did not call back.

What our customer referred to as a small repair ended up not being the case. Upon arrival, Guardians technician found that someone had pulled the control panel off of the wall. The control panel is the computer that runs the system. It is housed in a metal box and has device wires, a power wire, and wireless devices connected to it. Our technician had to remount the control panel and repair the connections and replace a keypad prior to troubleshooting the motion detectors in the shed to see if they could be repaired.

The service call was charged at Guardians billable service rates, rather than the $75.00 co-pay, due to the physical damage to the system. The service charges of $445.00 plus tax will not be adjusted.

Regarding the police being contacted the evening of November 1, 2024 , someone at the premises triggered the police panic on a keypad. Guardian called the customer at the primary number for the panic alarm, but the call went to voice mail, so the authorities were notified.

Thank you for bringing this matter to Guardians attention. Should you have any questions, please contact Guardian at **************.
Sincerely,

Agency Complaint Response Team
Customer Answer
Date: 01/25/2025
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:01/02/2025
Type:Billing 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.
fall / winter 2024 fraudulent billing twice i discussed a service call and was told the service and parts were at no charge... now they are billing me $293
Business Response
Date: 01/15/2025
January 15, 2025

BBB of ********************
************************
********,*******; 15106

RE: **** ******** Complaint ID ********

Dear Better Business Bureau:

Thank you for advising Guardian Protection Services*****. (Guardian) of the above referenced complaint. Guardian values the opportunity to review our customers account and respond.

Our customer reported he experienced fraudulent billing in the fall or winter of 2024. He said he discussed the service call twice and was told there would be no charge for parts. He received an invoice for $293.00 for the service call.

Guardian reviewed our customers account and billing of the service call. Our customers agreement term and service plan ended, but Guardians system was not fully updated when he called and made his request. Representatives quoted the $75.00 Trip Fee per the terms of his system repair plan. Guardians system was update by the date of the service appointment and the bill generated for time and material rates.

Guardians review showed that Guardian credited the entire service of $293.28, rather than $218.28, the same day our customer submitted this complaint. A representative reached out to our customer,and he was able to confirm he located the credit. He also advised the technician did not replace all of the devices because he did not have enough of them in his service vans inventory. The Guardian representative offered to schedule the return trip and bill just the $75.00 Trip Fee that should have been paid for the first service call. Our customer was not pleased with that offer. The representative discussed this account with a director, who authorized a return service visit at no charge to finish replacing the four devices the technician did not have in inventory.

Guardian would like to apologize for the service billing issue and delay in getting the resolving it. We thank our customer for his many years of patronage and hope he will accept the offer to complete the unfinished service repair at no charge.

Thank you for bringing this matter to Guardians attention. Should you have any questions, please contact Guardian at **************.

Sincerely,

Agency Complaint Response Team
Customer Answer
Date: 01/15/2025
[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,

**** ********

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