ComplaintsforA.P.I. Alarm Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  09/01/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  In June 2020 we had our API alarm system upgraded so we could eliminate our landline telephone. Months went by and we did not receive a bill or statement of account. I emailed API to determine why we had not been sent a bill or statement of account. Several months later, still no bill. Not knowing how else to contact API, I emailed Bob ******* the API representative who sold us both alarms. No email response was received and no bill was sent. In June 2022 I received a paper bill in the mailbox for $*******– that included finance/interest charges!! For 2 years API could not be bothered to call, email or send a paper bill, then they **** ** charge us interest. After several attempts to call them, I finally get a hold of someone, and was told the issue was when we switched to the new system - it was being billed/connected to the old account with an old email address. Several emails have gone to them asking what they are going to do about this. API uses payment portal - I can't pay my bill without an email. During the summer of 2021 our alarm would randomly go off due to the front door sensors. We called to ask if they can fix this, and was told to fix our house instead. Since then, it is impossible to even use our alarm system as we have pets who are sensitive to sound and we can't continue to ask relatives to go check on our house when we are 3 hours away. How can API justify charging us for the time we weren't billed when the error was on their part? This is an alarm company, they have our address and phone number, why was there no attempt to reach out? In my last sent email, I stated that we were extremely unhappy and would like to discontinue their services. He replied that we are under contract until 2025 and if we are to discontinue we would have to pay the remainder and I was to let him know before the end of December. I replied if we are forced to stay we will keep the service. I just received a bill for $****- for the past 2 years up to 2025!!

  

  Business response

  09/01/2023

  Monitoring was active on the account, if billing was not set up that was an error however services were supplied in the form of monitoring and gsm services

  we will look into the amount owed as well as false alarm outlined, and contact the customer direct 

  Customer response

  18/01/2023

   
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: It's been 9 days. I'm not satisfied with the reply on here, or the reply from Bob **** ************ We should not have to pay for your error - and like mentioned, monitoring may have been active, but was not being used due to it going off while we were out of town several times and you neglecting to fix the issue. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Michelle *****

• Initial Complaint

  06/01/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My former alarm company shut down and I was told (by API) that API took over the monitoring and if I didn’t sign a 60 month contract with them my monitoring would stop. I spoke to the representative and agreed to have them take over the monitoring for an agreed monthly service. They sent a technician Aug 2022 to upgrade my panel and this is where it started to fall apart. After 4 hours, the technician could not get the panel to communicate with the monitoring center.The technician was a private contractor and not an API employee. I was told by the technician that ***** needed to run a dedicated phone line for the system to work. I spoke to a customer service representative in September 2022 as the system still wasn’t communicating to the monitoring station and asked how they monitor homes without a land line? She said they can install a different system. I waited and and never received any communication about an upgrade. I reached out in November after realizing they were billing me for monitoring when they knew it wasn’t working? No response was given so I contacted the original sales person Christian asking for my contract to be cancelled as they were unable to provide me with the monitoring services. He sent me to customer service to cancel my contract. Jan 2023 I reached out after getting another bill and they told me I would need to pay out the remaining time left on my 60 month contract. The contract I signed clearly stated the 60 months is “starting from the date of system activation”. The system has never been activated so I should never have been billed. I outline this in my most recent email to them asking to cancel my contract and sent a picture of the portion of the contract that outlines term of agreement. They have stopped responding to my emails and this is why I am filing a report to the BBB. Hopefully this will resolve the matter and they will stop billing me for a service they have never provided to me.

  

  Business response

  31/01/2023

  Monitoring services were provided daily, balance of agreement is owing 

• Initial Complaint

  23/11/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  This company sends automated emails about payment, but doesn't return phone calls or reply to emails. I called on September 22 and left a message. Nobody has returned that call 2 months later. I sent an email on October 15. Nobody has replied to that either. They called regarding an alarm at my home at the end of September. They called my landline and then the police. They didn't call my cell phone (the number they had on file was wrong by one digit - their issue, not mine) and they didn't call any of my keyholders. So the back door to my home was open all day for 10 hours and someone could have come in to steal all my belongings. What am I paying a security company for? ******** **** ** * ******** **** ******* ** ******** ********

  

  Business response

  23/11/2022

  September 22 a back door alarm was received, *** *** **** was called and a message left 

  The police were attempted to be dispatched however would not attend as only one zone which was the back door alarm has tripped, they would not attend on one zone 

  You spoke to an operator at 17:27 and provided a new number indicating the one we had called was wrong 

   

  Customer response

  24/11/2022

   
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: does not address why keyholders on file were not called.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Melissa ******

  

  Business response

  30/11/2022

  The list was not called due to an error on the operator's part and the error was reviewed with the operator at the time of the initial complaint, we can understand the customers frustration we have added a 3month credit to the account to restore faith, also note customer will still receive an invoice we will not pull the payment 

   She has been left a message as well

   

  Sincerely
  

    

  Rose ****** 

  National Operations Manager 

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

  Customer response

  01/12/2022

   
  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. I hope that there will be better communication from the company going forward so that these types of situations can be avoided altogether.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Melissa ******

• Initial Complaint

  15/11/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We had been a client of ****** (now called API) and its predecessor companies for many years. In September 2021 our security system malfunctioned and repeated calls to the local office failed to resolve the problem. ****** then offered to replace the system upon our signing a new five-year contract. We read the contract and, finding it too draconian, declined to renew. All this was communicated to ******* ** **** ******** *** ***** *********. We also stopped paying ******. For more than a year since then ****** (API) continues to bill us by email and regular mail as well as pestering us with text messages and telephone calls. We want nothing to do with ****** and want them to stop harassing us.

  

  Business response

  15/11/2022

  Hello

  Our apologies for the frustration this has caused, we have engaged ****** for a response and a member of our API team will reach out to the customer direct today

   

  Sincerely

  Rose

• Initial Complaint

  03/10/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Couldn’t set alarm so called for tech support. Called on 3 separate occasions. Last Call fellow was very Nice and said that no one from tech support had called in or called me back. No idea why. So that’s 3 nights in a row I haven’t been able to set my alarm. **** ****** ** ******** **** ********** ** ****** ***** **** ** **** **** ** * *** *** * **** ******** ****** **** ******totally unacceptable

  

  Business response

  03/10/2022

  Service attempted to reach out , they will try again

  Thank you 

• Initial Complaint

  01/08/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  In April, 2015 we signed a contract with ******** ***. to provide a home security system. All went well until October, 2020 when we were informed that all of their home customers were sold to A.P.I. Alarm Inc. A.P.I. requested an opportunity to switch to their alarm equipment. We were told we had to sign a 5 year contract with them. Since the start of our term with A.P.I. we have found there equipment has not performed as promised and that some additional equipment has never worked even though we have continued to pay them monthly at a rate much higher than we had been paying ********* Since A.P.I. is not providing the service that they promised we feel we should be allowed to be released from the 5 year contract.

  

  Business response

  18/08/2022

  A member of our team will reach out to discuss.

  Customer response

  20/08/2022

  (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
  I did not check "Yes" only because I have been unable to find a response!
  As explained above, A.P.I. has contacted me and wants an opportunity to resolve the issues. Next week they intend to arrange for a technician to look at our alarm system.
  I have agreed to this. If they address my issues I will be satisfied.

• Initial Complaint

  11/07/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  We have paid API for Alarm and monitoring service for the house at ************* for years. We sold the house and moved the phone to our new location on June 7, 2022. The possession date was not until July 15th, so we did not cancel the alarm service because we thought the house was still being monitored. We had been back and forth and continued to set the alarm. There was no error code indicated until late last week. When we called API #1-800 we were told it was a 'communication error' because there was no longer a phone line in the house. Obviously, API had not been monitoring the house, or they would have realized that there was a problem the afternoon of June 7th when the phone line was moved. They did not try to contact any of the phone numbers they had on file. Our complaint is that API was charging for a service they were not providing and we want the monthly charges refunded back to June 7th when the phone line was moved.

  

  Business response

  12/08/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 8, 2022/07/27) */ THE ALARM COMMUNICATES VIA LANDLINE, API WOULD HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING THE CUSTOMER CANCELLED THEIR LANDLINE AS THE ALARM HAS NO WAY IN WHICH TO COMMUNICATE THE LANDLINE WAS CANCELLED AND IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CUSTOMER TO INFORM THEIR ALARM COMPANY THE COMMUNICATION PATH WAS CANCELLED THE AMOUNT WILL BE REFUNDED

• Initial Complaint

  29/06/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We have moved from the address *********** that we had their service, they asked my father to send an email to say we are discontinuing service. They continue to collect money and charge him. January 4th I contacted them to sort it out. I kept the email, the lady I spoke too said it was received. But since then they still charging my father, they also have my late mother on a letter on letter saying we owe them money. Lately they don't answer or return calls when trying to solve this matter.

  

  Business response

  05/08/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 8, 2022/07/21) */ To date there has not been a request sent via email to cancel the account, please send the original email request to **************************** and we will investigate further. Last communication was via phone requesting the original to be sent which was May 10 2022

• Initial Complaint

  08/04/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  *************** sold their residential division to API several years ago. I chose not to renew with API. We went back and forth on their new rates and never signed an agreement. They were to arrange to come to our house to assess what it would take to get our non-functioning system up and running but never came. Then the pandemic hit. I didn't hear from them for over a year when they sent a bill. I was able to eventual have them acknowledge the mistake as I have all the emails. I got another bill this year and immediately phoned to correct the problem again. I was told I had to call a different number and did. I left a message with the appropriate person and have not had a response. Yesterday I received a collections notice for 2 years!!! ***************************************** Fortunately I changed this account or they would be taken money out for ever. **********************************************

  

  Business response

  04/05/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/04/12) */ Notice to cancel was received in Feb 2021 however the account is still active, this was an error It will be cancelled as of end of business today as well as the invoices on the account

• Initial Complaint

  23/03/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  March 5 2022 A.P.I. Security took unauthorized funds from my bank account. The original contract section 2.3 states that 60 days notice must be given before a raise in fees. No such notice was given .

  

  Business response

  08/04/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/03/28) */ Hello George, Your rates were not increased. The only additional billing in March is the annual permit fee for the Saskatoon Police for your residence. You can also email the office or call the office directly for faster response ********************************** Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2022/03/29) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) The issue was that the raise in funds taken from my account were not authorized by me and no prior notice was given. The original contract states that a 60 day notification has to be given before any raise in fees, including a one time debit. The response from A.P.I.Is not satisfactory and the issue is not resolved! Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2022/03/30) */ Hi George The notes indicate you or someone authorized on the account spoke to a representative on May 31,2021 about police response and the annual permit which is approx. $25. If you no longer wish to have police response on the account we are happy to change it to a notify account. This fee is simply your annual police permit fee and without it the police will not respond to alarms or will charge your penalties without it. We are happy to do whatever it is you like. so please confirm Consumer Response /* (4200, 11, 2022/03/31) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) I spoke to no one representing A.P.I. about taking additional funds from my account and no one else is authorized on my account. I have stopped any further auto withdrawals by A.PI. from my account *********************************************************** I am willing to submit payment in another fashion I.e. by e-transfer or other. No one should be able to arbitrarily remove funds from my account without my authorization. Again ,as reported in previous correspondences, 60 days prior notice was not given. Business Response /* (4000, 13, 2022/04/01) */ Hello at the date in question it would have been a representative from fluent. But again this fee you are questioning is an annual charge of only $25 for your police permit. If you do not want it we can cancel it for you. Your alarm rates have not changed at all Consumer Response /* (4200, 15, 2022/04/04) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) As I tried to explain before, the issue wasn't the fee, it was the fact that it was removed from my account without the agreed upon prior notice of 60 days. No one representing ****** or A.P.I contacted me regarding the extra funds being debited. Also no one else is authorized to take funds from my account! I have stopped any further auto withdrawals from my account. I will continue to make my regular monthly payments as long as another means of payment can be agreed upon. Business Response /* (4000, 17, 2022/04/05) */ hello - you can pay multiple ways including bill pay at any major bank, you can login and pay yourself. that's all up to you. all that I am trying to confirm with you at this point is if you want the police permit for response or not? That's what this $25 is for that you are questioning. please let us know what you would like to do Consumer Response /* (4200, 19, 2022/04/06) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) Please refund the amount taken from my account (25.00) without my authorization. Cancel the police permit and send information to my email address as to how to log on to your site and make payment. Thank you. Business Response /* (4000, 21, 2022/04/07) */ No problem - you will receive an email from the office with the details Consumer Response /* (2000, 23, 2022/04/08) */ (The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.) Thank you for your help B.B.B. The complaint has been resolved.

*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. ↩