ComplaintsforShiver Security Systems, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  04/26/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The company provided us with a monitored home security system since 2005. About six years ago the equipment stopped communicating with the company. One of their technicians came out to inspect the equipment but it was going to cost way too much money on such an antiquated system to fix it. So we made the decision to cancel the service and buy the latest in security equipment from a different company (Arlo). Despite numerous calls and emails with the company to cancel they continue to send us bills and charge us late fees and threaten to send us to collections. After numerous attempts to cancel over the phone they said well you never notified us in writing, but they never told us it had to be writing. Even after notifying them with an email they continue to send bills with multiple late fees.

  

  Business response

  05/09/2024

  The details of the complaint are not completely accurate.  In 2018 the customer had issues with their system and we upgraded the security system at that time.  The customer continued using the system through 2023.  In November of 2023 we received cancellation notice from the customer and proceeded to cancel their service.  At that time they still had outstanding invoices for the monitoring services they had received and were using.  Even during the time the customer is claiming they cancelled service, they continued to use the system and may payments.  The only amount we have been trying to collect is for the time the service was in place and the security system was reporting to our central station.

  Customer response

  05/10/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  Shiver is misrepresenting the facts as follows. Even after their technician worked on our security system in 2018 it continued to fail to communicate to their monitoring center.  We have not received a single call from Shiver notifying us of any of the many power outages over the last six years or a single call saying the alarm was set off.  I have the ability to get our phone records from AT&T to prove that we received no calls from Shiver over this period.  As far as us using the system goes it's a hard wired system there is no way to turn it off.  We do not rely on the system because we know there is nobody monitoring it.  Regardless, the equipment is ours to do whatever we want with it.  With regards to payments we made after 2018, those were due to Shiver insisting that we had never cancelled the service when we had on numerous occasions.  However they would claim if you just pay this one final invoice that will be the end of it only to receive another bill the following year with the same claims that we were an active customer.  They have not provided any service to us for six years and these bad billing practices needs to end.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** *******

  

  Business response

  06/10/2024

  ***** ******* has made several allegations between original complaint and his response. Each complaint has our response.
  Original Allegations
  Customer indicated that in 2018 his system quit working and it would cost too much to get the system replaced so he cancelled his service with Shiver Security and went with another company (Arlo).
  On 11/29/18 Mike Kemplin installed a new Vista 20P Alarm Panel. ***** was quoted $199.00 to upgrade. I have included a copy of the work order and the invoice that the customer paid on 12/20/2018 in the amount of $261.08. I have included a copy of the activity log for *****’s system that shows his system was monitored and communicated every day until the day we received the written cancellation.
  ***** said that he was never told that his cancellation has to be in writing.
  Shiver Security communicated with ***** on at least three occasions letting him know that the cancellation must be in writing.
  1/23/23 Cheri spoke with ***** on the phone and explained to him how to cancel. Cheri told ***** that she would send him an email with instructions on how to cancel and she did. Email attached
  5/1/23 Kim sent ***** an email due to not receiving the cancellation email. ***** was again provided with instructions on how to cancel and informed that he will be charged for services until we received the written cancellation.
  11/8/23 Carrie spoke with ***** and informed him that we have sent multiple requests for his written cancellation. Carrie also sent him an email with instructions and ***** finally followed through with the instructions and his account was cancelled. PLEASE NOTE- ***** cancelled his service due to price according to the email which is attached.
  
  Response
  System didn’t communicate after upgrade 2018.
  
  The activity report attached shows that the system communicated every day from the time the install was completed on 11/29/18 at 1135 hours until 11/1/2023.
  
  The activity report also shows the following arming and unarming of the system:
  
  7/13/20 1544 hours armed system by user #2
  7/13/20 1544 hours unarmed system by user #2
  
  7/15/20 1049 hours armed system by user #2
  7/19/20 2115 hours unarmed system by user #2
  
  9/7/21 1419 hours armed system by user #2
  9/12/21 1620 hours unarmed system by user #2
  
  Customer never received a single call about power outage or alarms.
  
  The activity report attached shows the following communications between central station and *****: I show there are 11 separate times ***** was called about an alarm, power outage or late to test.
  Activity report (Calls made to customer about alarm)
  1/22/19 2010 hours call customer at ********** about a kitchen door alarm. Spoke with *****, he gave the proper code word and ***** advised it was a false alarm
  1/08/20 1547 hours called customer for AC trouble at ************ no answer
  1548 hours called customer cell ************ spoke with ***** and he advised he is aware of the AC trouble.
  1/30/20 1302 hours called on Late to Test ************ spoke with *****
  5/3/22 1655 hours called customer about AC trouble, ************ left a message
                  1656 hours called customer ************ spoke with customer and informed about AC trouble.
  7/7/22 1250 hours called customer ********** about late to test-line busy
                  1250 hours called customer ************ spoke with ***** who advised the power was out.
  7/16/23 1234 hours called customer ************ about late to test and left a message
  1235 hours called customer ************ spoke with ***** and informed him of the late to test.
  8/9/23 1255 hours called customer about late to test ************ and left a message
                  1257 hours called customer ************ spoke with *****, he stated that he cancelled.
  
  Customer advised that they did not “use” the system over the last 6 years.
  
  The activity report attached shows that the system was armed or unarmed on 5 different dates.
  
  7/13/20 1544 hours armed system by user #2
  7/13/20 1544 hours unarmed system by user #2
  
  7/15/20 1049 hours armed system by user #2
  7/19/20 2115 hours unarmed system by user #2
  
  9/7/21 1419 hours armed system by user #2
  9/12/21 1620 hours unarmed system by user #2
  
  ***** claims that he only paid his invoices between 2018 and 2023 because he was told he only had to make 1 more payment to cancel. According to the notes attached *****’s first communication to cancel was 1/23/23. Below is a timeline taken from the customer notes that shows there were multiple communications with ***** about his past due bills. Not one time before 1/23/23 did he mention that his account was cancelled or that he wanted to cancel; In fact, when he was sent a past due notice with Disconnection Pending stamped on it on 1/11/19, he didn’t call to say he cancelled, he did not disregard it and have is service shut off for non-payment, ***** contacted Rosemary on 2/7/19 and told her that he mailed a payment the night before.
  
  On 1/19/21 Rosemary left ***** a voicemail about his past due invoices. On 1/20/21 ***** sent an email to Rosemary. The email did not say to cancel his service the email said, “Payment on the way via Chase bank Bill Pay.
  
  On 10/12/21 Aimee left ***** a voicemail about past due invoices and on 10/26/21 she sent him an email requesting payment the same day ***** emailed back, “Sorry. Missed it.   Put in just now for check from my chase account.  On way now
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  The only thing that we have billed this customer is what is due for the services provided. I have included a copy of the two invoices that he owes. The last invoice includes a credit for two months that he did not have service. Our company sent a letter to notify the customer that he is be sent to collections for non payment. 
  
  

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