Everything that can be done wrong - was.

<p>Anybody thinking of doing business with Fidelity-ADT - BEWARE!</p> <p> </p> <p>I contacted Fidelity-ADT directly to install a new alarm system, I had just had ceilings replaced and repainted, my existing alarm system was old and outdated and this seemed like a good time to get something better.</p> <p> </p> <p>The sales person (Marco) was friendly and on time. He did a walk around, making suggestions as to what to install (wired and wireless beams and passives, door triggers on one of their larger multi-zone systems). I repeatedly pointed out where our animals roam through the house and enter and exit (this becomes important later). I had pet friendly PIRs before and they worked well, so I specifically asked for this. The installationd drawing was done as per our discussion and quote with the bill of materials written up. He would contact me for an install date, but the estimate was for 2 days of installation in about a week and a half.</p> <p> </p> <p>First sign of trouble. The technical team arrive to install and have problems identifying my front door (a large wooden pivot door). The installation is partially completed and the house left a mess (furniture moved around and not moved back, dust from the drilling left where it fell and not even the little bits of wiring cleaned up - they're still busy so I let it slide). The next morning the sales person contacts me and tells me that they need to add R8k of equipment (his best price) on top of the R26k already quoted. He had made a mistake. He had put it on the sketch, but left it off the bill of materials.</p> <p> </p> <p>I refuse to pay the extra and tell him to either stick to the original sketch and quote, or uninstall and fix my ceilings and walls - now full of newly drilled holes. He says he will speak to one of his managers and let me know. I don't hear back from him but the installers arrive later in the day and continue the installation, but still don't finish, there is a bracket they need that wasn't listed anywhere so some of the beams can't see each other - they temporarily disable this zone so that the system can be armed that evening, they also need to list all the zone descriptions that have not been entered on the LCD display.</p> <p> </p> <p>Friday they finish the installation - except for the bracket. The weekend the alarm goes off but doesn't inform the call centre. I phone to escalate the call the the technical manager asking that he sends a different installation team as I don't have confidence that the technical team (led by a gent that identified himself as "Busi") they keep sending out have done a proper job. Later that day the SAME installers arrive and finally on Tuesday 4 July they finish the installation as per the original quote and bill of materials - all good. NOT.</p> <p> </p> <p>They didn't give us any codes, default, master, installer (the system is baught therefore should become my property on final payment), or otherwise. So the only way to arm the system is via the remotes. Eventually I get hold of the sales person to complain and he tells me what the default is and using the instruction manual, I change it.</p> <p> </p> <p>The alarm now triggers and the call centre picks it up....but now it seems to trigger at random. A quick check on the PIRs intalled - not pet friendly as instructed. I call the technical manager and he says he will discuss it with their sales manger and get back to me. Tuesday, no response or feedback whatsoever. Wednesday I call again and speak to the technical coordinator (Paul) - they have discussed it internally and the sales manager (Michelle) was going to call me - she didnn't and still hasn't. That Thursday to Monday I have to leave the property unattended with alarms triggering over the weekend, to the annoyance of my neighbors.</p> <p> </p> <p>I finally end up pasting masking tape over a part of one of the PIRs to stop it from triggering with the animals in the house and we have peace and quiet for two evenings.</p> <p> </p> <p>Last night (20 July) the alarm again stops working and I cannot arm it at all. The error given is "Service Required, Gen Sys Supv". I phone the call centre - which seems to be the only part functioning correctly, and tell them I have a problem, giving detailed descriptions. A stand by tech phones me back (very friendly chap, his name escapes me) and talks me through inputting the installers code (which I wish I had noted down but didn't) and "re-enrolling the system". It runs through this process for a minute or so and I can now arm the system using the arming code. We end the call with him promising me he will get the technical team to phonel me. I disarm the alarm again and when I try to re-arm it using the remotes, none of them are working. </p> <p> </p> <p>In order to arm the system this morning, I need to leave the house, park my car outside my property (beyond the beams and security gate), and walk back into the house to arm the system - and then make a run to get beyond the beams again before the alarm arms and triggers. This is a hi-jacking situation waiting to happen.</p> <p> </p> <p>I have no confidence in the security system that has been installed, the quality of the installation (they never did clean up properly, the keypads are mounted skew, the zone names are still not all entered on the keypad, and the cabling could have been done a lot neater) .</p> <p> </p> <p>I doubt that there is truth to Fedility-ADT being the no 1 security company in the country. How can it be with such poor service?</p> <p> </p> <p>I have thusfar only paid the deposit - the system ordered is not working properly, so as far as I'm concerned the installation is not complete or to standard and not even as it was discussed.</p> <p> </p> <p>I'm at the point where I would rather have them deinstall the system, fix my ceilings and walls and repaint them to undo the installation so that I can avoid any contact with them in future. There are plenty of local installers that have good systems to sell and that can be linked to any security company of my choice.</p>