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jurgensp99

68 posts

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#151269 19-Aug-2014 22:08
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Below is my entire Vivint experience.


The Sell

I was working out in the garden around 530pm when he walked up the driveway. I had seen about 2 of their signs around the place so was a bit intrigued. He started talking about how standard alarm systems are useless because you can just cut the phone cable. My BS detector was working overtime but he kept going.

He then wanted to come inside to have a look to see if their alarm system would work. That was probable the first big mistake. Ones their in your house they have a pretty good hold.

In the end he offered me the 42 month contract with all the gear for free. I pressure him to extend the trial period to 1 month as we were about to go overseas. After all that I was still not convinced as I wanted to do my research first but he persisted and I figured with the trial period I’d just get it done so he would leave my house. We agreed that the install would be scheduled for the next day as they tried to do a bunch of houses In one go.

A couple of notes on the contract. We had to confirm that we were the home owners. He didn’t note down any of our agreements on the contract. Also it has all the contact details of someone else on it that he just scratched out and wrote mine down next to it.

So I figured that was done he could leave now as it was 8pm and I was hungry. He was about to leave when he said that there was an installer just down the road finishing another job that could come and do our install. Quite bizarre I thought.

The Install

About 5 Min after the sale guy left two boy races cars rolled up the drive. The two blokes were very friendly and both had their security badges. As they went about the install I started to probe. As I work in the electrical/electronic trade I was able to relate. Turns out that the main guy was an electrician but they prohibited them from doing electrical work. Therefore the alarm system had to be installed near a power point seeing as he couldn’t put a new one in.

He then explained their process to me. His garage was the main storage base for all the Vivint gear. Every day at midday all the installers and sales people would meet at his house and have their daily meeting. At 2pm the sales guys would get to work and all the installers will go park up in Olympic park in New Lynn and wait for the txt from installer guy, hence why they were able to get to our house so quickly.

After the install I had to talk to American call centre person to set up bill payment. They didn’t take credit cards although it said they do in the contract, only direct debit.

By that time it was 9pm and I was well over it.


The Cancellation

Having slept on it for a couple of nights and done some research it was time to get rid of it all on day three. By this time there were Vivint signs all over the neighbourhood. The only way to cancel according to the contract was to mail in the slip at the bottom of said contract which I did. Taking extra precaution I sent it registered mail requiring signature to the address in Albany. It was received the next morning with proof.

4 days later the first payment went out of my account. Odd, but I thought I should give it a couple of days and they will do the refund. Two weeks gone by I called the number and got through to American call centre. The girl there thought I was calling from Canada. After clearing up that confusion I was informed that they had quite a few cancellations and that it may take a while to process.

Accounting

After month two a second payment was taken out of my account. That’s when I decided to take them on properly and play the game. I called them twice and multiple emails with no resolve so decided to call BNZ and put a stop on all payments to Vivint. I left it that.

Month three and I get an invoice in the mail for one month’s bill. I don’t pay it as it was issued in the US and didn’t have a NZ GST number on it.

Month four and I get two refunds from them in two payments 4 days apart. Odd.

So now I’m expecting a visit or call to come collect the gear as per the contract if they make no effort to collect within 20 day of cancellation I can keep the equipment.

A couple of days later I get another US invoice $17.97 and also a refund for $18. So according to them I owe them $0.03 although no money had changed hands.

I think someone just generated some money out of nothing eg money laundering perhaps?

Nothing has happened since and I still have the gear.




I have proof of all emails, phone call recordings, mail delivery receipts and mail correspondence.

That’s about the gist of it.




The Company


VIVINT NEW ZEALAND LIMITED (4111600) ex TASMAN ALARM LIMITED

http://www.business.govt.nz/companies/app/ui/pages/companies/4111600/

The official mailing address is in Albany.

The company is registered in Newmarket/Symonds st by an accounting firm

The two directors are in Orem, Utah, USA

Vivint US is in Provo, Utah, USA

The company is also has ties to a capitol company in Chch



Its all a bit convoluted if you ask me

After all of this I wouldn't recommend them as a reputable company

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Coil
6614 posts

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  #1111667 19-Aug-2014 22:24
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Fun,


TLDR. Door to door guys signed OP up for alarm system. OP didnt like it and the processes the business have in place are not to a good standard.
Once cancelled it was a marathon to undertake and still isnt fully closed off.



syousif
41 posts

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  #1111686 19-Aug-2014 23:22
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Jurgensp99, was the panel not hardwired into power?  if not how was it any better that what you already had?
if it can be unplugged and panel ripped of the wall and thrown in a bucked of water?  control panel (not the keypad) are usually installed at hard to get at places in cupboards or ceiling space.  not a big issue, as other panel in NZ are installed in garage or hallways and plugged into the power outlet rather than hardwired in.

sounds dodgy, and if the guy installing it was electrician and holds his tickets he is allowed to hardwire into the power, this Vivint company stopping him from extra work, sounds like they want to walk in install the easiest way and out rather than customise to suit the house being installed in.

having a security badge doesn't mean they know what they are doing, currently the security badge is only no prior records of offending (clear police record) and even this doesn't sometimes bring stuff up hat it should.

security companies are now being pushed to have their techs have the NZQA qualifications and then registered with EWRB (elec workers board) same as electricians.  this then at least ensures that you get a tech that has done some training with theory and practical in security to pass and get registered.

anyone else reading this post, try and stick to well known brands and companies in NZ, do research and contact 3-4 companies to see what they offer in terms of product.  what happens is if you use unknown product getting things done in future will prove hard, as usually panels have different access levels with different codes, and they most likely wouldn't share this with the customer, or use different ones generated by the installer at the time and gets forgotten.



nickb800
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  #1111750 20-Aug-2014 07:18
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syousif: 

sounds dodgy, and if the guy installing it was electrician and holds his tickets he is allowed to hardwire into the power, this Vivint company stopping him from extra work, sounds like they want to walk in install the easiest way and out rather than customise to suit the house being installed in.



After reading that I thought that perhaps Vivint doesn't have public liability insurance for 'proper' electrical work, hence they can't do hardwired installs



HoonNZ
8 posts

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  #1127582 12-Sep-2014 22:17
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Good score if you get to keep the kit! The gear they use is pretty good and worth not answering the door for the next few days :)

You can sign up to alarm.com to get it hooked up and there's probably a local security provider you could subscribe to for monitoring. If I had to do it all again I would've just bought used off ebay US and done that bypassing VIVINT.


Dynamic
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  #1127596 12-Sep-2014 22:38
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If they don't collect within 20 days of cancellation, the agreement says you can keep the gear.

My Mrs had one installed and when I got home I advised that if she wanted an alarm we could install a self-monitored system instead pf paying $2500 for the 42 month life of their contract (and then of courser they want you to keep paying).  Neighbours pay $20 less per month for alarm at their business plus get 2 drivebys per night.

We are going through the cancellation process.  In our case we scanned and emailed the cancellation form.  She was smart enough to click the 'read receipt' button.  The next day we got a 'your message was deleted without being read' email.  She followed up with three phone calls to confirm the cancellation, by which time the first payment had gone out.  Mrs advised them on 3rd phone call that the gear was not available for collection until the refund had been received.

Will post an update next time there is some action.




“Don't believe anything you read on the net. Except this. Well, including this, I suppose.” Douglas Adams

 

Referral links to services I use, really like, and may be rewarded if you sign up:
PocketSmith for budgeting and personal finance management.  A great Kiwi company.


Dynamic
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  #1127597 12-Sep-2014 22:40
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Part of the reason I asked the Mrs to cancel is that we caught their salesman (a very nice guy by all accounts) out in a direct lie.  This was that he could only offer free installation to one house in the street.  Odd that the neighbours (who also took up the trial) heard the same thing from him the day before.




“Don't believe anything you read on the net. Except this. Well, including this, I suppose.” Douglas Adams

 

Referral links to services I use, really like, and may be rewarded if you sign up:
PocketSmith for budgeting and personal finance management.  A great Kiwi company.


syousif
41 posts

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  #1148570 6-Oct-2014 20:08
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Anyone seen the Vivint complaints on Fair go tonight?


 
 
 

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SepticSceptic
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  #1150845 9-Oct-2014 17:19
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syousif: Anyone seen the Vivint complaints on Fair go tonight?



Yeah - the good ol hard sell technique.

Hopefully, we are all a little wiser to these types of hard sell - and never allow a Direct Debit. Unless it's your mortgage or other reputable company. Even then, be cautious. Even in dispute with an account, money still gets debited quickly, and refunded slowly.

Dynamic
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  #1150848 9-Oct-2014 17:30
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SepticSceptic: ...never allow a Direct Debit. Unless it's your mortgage or other reputable company. Even then, be cautious. Even in dispute with an account, money still gets debited quickly, and refunded slowly.


That is EXACTLY what we have found with Vivint when my wife signed up.  Money out within 2 days.  Cancelled within 5 days.  3 weeks later, no refund but plenty of excuses.  I'll be far from astonioshed if a second lot of money goes out.

The bank advises we can't cancel a direct debit.  That doesn't sound right to me but I have not followed it up.




“Don't believe anything you read on the net. Except this. Well, including this, I suppose.” Douglas Adams

 

Referral links to services I use, really like, and may be rewarded if you sign up:
PocketSmith for budgeting and personal finance management.  A great Kiwi company.


floydbloke
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  #1151055 10-Oct-2014 08:25
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Dynamic: ...
The bank advises we can't cancel a direct debit.  That doesn't sound right to me but I have not followed it up.


Drifting off-topic somewhat, but this article explains a bit more about your rights:
http://www.consumeraffairs.govt.nz/for-consumers/shopping/how-you-pay/direct-debits-and-automatic-payments

I, for one, am anti direct debits and avoid them where I can.  You're effectively giving them a blank signed cheque.
If there is a debt under dispute I'd much rather hang on to the money and pay the correct amount it once the dispute is settled than let the organisation take out what they think is the right amount (or more, if they made an error or worse, there is malicious intent) and try to get it refunded.




Did Eric Clapton really think she looked wonderful...or was it after the 15th outfit she tried on and he just wanted to get to the party and get a drink?


MikeB4
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  #1151068 10-Oct-2014 09:05
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they use a similar technique that the Encyclopaedia sales people and a Vacuum sales team used a few years back. From what I understand the product and service is OK  and the system works very well, its the company policies and sales force that are way below par.

Edit: will add the price is way over the top. Our monitored alarm including the cost of equipment is $35 per month

Dynamic
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  #1151071 10-Oct-2014 09:08
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floydbloke: Drifting off-topic somewhat, but this article explains a bit more about your rights:
http://www.consumeraffairs.govt.nz/for-consumers/shopping/how-you-pay/direct-debits-and-automatic-payments

Thank you.  ANZ initially said no to my Mrs, but when I called this morning it was not a problem.  They advised I needed to contact the third party to advise them, and also advised there was nothing they could do to prevent the authority being reloaded if the third party chose to do so.




“Don't believe anything you read on the net. Except this. Well, including this, I suppose.” Douglas Adams

 

Referral links to services I use, really like, and may be rewarded if you sign up:
PocketSmith for budgeting and personal finance management.  A great Kiwi company.


afe66
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  #1151141 10-Oct-2014 10:35
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So how do we cancel a direct debit authority then if they can just reload it? Even if the contract/reason for setting it up isnt valid anymore ?

Does this mean the christhchurch city council can still get rates money (in error) from me even though I dont live there any more and I sold my house ?


A.

floydbloke
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  #1151164 10-Oct-2014 10:53
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afe66: ...

Does this mean the christhchurch city council can still get rates money (in error) from me even though I dont live there any more and I sold my house ?


A.


I believe that is indeed the case.  Direct debits mean putting a lot of faith in the honesty and competence of the company that you're entrusting it to.




Did Eric Clapton really think she looked wonderful...or was it after the 15th outfit she tried on and he just wanted to get to the party and get a drink?


Dynamic
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  #1151166 10-Oct-2014 10:54
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afe66: So how do we cancel a direct debit authority then if they can just reload it? Even if the contract/reason for setting it up isn't valid anymore?

If you notify them of the cancellation, then in theory they should not reload it.  In practice it seems there is nothing stopping them.  If that eventuated you might have to get legal on them via Small Claims / Disputes Tribunal which would be annoying to have to do.

I'll certainly be a lot more cautious about signing off on Direct Debits in future (and going over this with the Mrs who normally shuts down door to door salespeople pretty quickly).




“Don't believe anything you read on the net. Except this. Well, including this, I suppose.” Douglas Adams

 

Referral links to services I use, really like, and may be rewarded if you sign up:
PocketSmith for budgeting and personal finance management.  A great Kiwi company.


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