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
Trusted
