Getz Fire Protection, Inc.

Review: [redacted] of Getz Fire protection visited my workplace/home and started work on my existing security system at a rate of $85 p/hour. He was on site for approximately 8 hours of which two were spent on the phone on a technical support line after he stated he "can't understand this". Finally after not getting the system to work he demanded payment of $710 for "work done" and "time spent'. I tended him a payment of $500 and he made promises to return after giving me an extensive list of supplies for me to purchase for him. These supplies cost me approximately $500 additional. A few days later [redacted] called me and said that he could not come back to complete the job because I owed him $210. When I reminded him of his agreement to return for the balance he stated that "I won't come back because you owe me". I have been told by other Serviceman that they are not willing to work on the system because [redacted]s work is unfinished and undocumented. So I now have no alarm protection, no fire protection and am out $1000 for having dealt with this firm. After several months of attempting to get the technician to return I decided to make this complaint.Desired Settlement: To complete their job or give me a refund for the useless work that they have performed. $500

Business

Response:

Here are the facts of this case as we see it.

When we entered into this job, there already existed an

incomplete security system on the premises.

The customer had no documentation on the job to date, so we stepped into

a job unfinished by another alarm contractor and agreed to try to help this customer

out of the predicament he was in. [redacted] and this customer had a verbal agreement to bill for time and materials

as incurred. The customer had a

wholesale account with our supplier ADI, and he wanted to buy the materials

himself to save money. We normally do

not conduct a job this way – it is better for us to buy all the materials so

that we are sure we have what we need to complete the job properly – but [redacted]

agreed to do so at the customer’s insistence.

On June 26, 2012, [redacted] worked on the job site for 8.5 hours

and at the end of the day billed the customer at $85.00 per hour as agreed upon

previously. These hours included time

spent with technical support to figure out the existing system. Work also done during that time included

labor for the following:

Installed Ademco VISTA-128FB security system

Metered out wires and labeled

Relocated alarm panel

Installed 2 door contacts

Installed keypad

When time came at the end of the day for the customer to

make payment of $722.50, he refused to pay in full, stating that he would only

pay $522.00 to make sure [redacted] returned to complete the job.

When [redacted] called to schedule the completion of the job,

they talked briefly during which time the customer changed the original

order. The customer said he would get

back to him but there was no return call.

In August [redacted] finally had a conversation with customer going over the

equipment needed to complete the job which the customer was going to buy from ADI. Since there was a change in the order, [redacted]

asked the customer to create a “Scope of Work” list so it is clear what else is

expected from us. [redacted] tried on two

more occasions to schedule his return to complete the job, but the customer

would not return his calls.

Due to the difficulty in working with this customer and non-payment

of the outstanding balance, we addressed a letter to the customer on

September 11, 2012 (attached) and made the following statement: “If you want to schedule the finalization of

this job, please contact me as soon as possible.” The customer never called. Also in this letter we stated: “Enclosed is an invoice showing your balance

of $200.50 which is due immediately. If

this balance is not paid within 10 days, the account will be turned over to an

outside agency for collection of this debt.”

We waited an additional length of time, but still did not hear from the

customer. The outstanding balance was

turned over to the Credit Bureau of [redacted] on October 25, 2012, for

collection.

On November 5, 2012, I received a message from the Credit

Bureau stating that they spoke to the customer, and he will not pay the balance

until the job is completed. I sent them

an explanation (attached) and stated: “Due to this customer’s refusal to

communicate with us, we will not be returning to his location, as his time to

work with us has passed.” The Credit

Bureau continued collection procedures, and I did not hear from them again.

On February 22, 2013, [redacted] received an email from

the customer apologizing for the delay in getting back to him. Also included with this email was a very

complicated diagram (attached) with additional work added. This apparently was in response to [redacted]s

request back in August for a Scope of Work list, but was not what was asked for. At this point we have already closed this

account and are not interested in doing any more work for this customer due to

his refusal to communicate with us and how difficult it has been to work with

him. [redacted] replied by email to the

customer by saying that his account has already been turned over the collection

agency and that he will need to find another alarm company.

The mistake we made on this job was to only have a verbal agreement. Due to the dealings we have had with this

customer, a new company policy has been in place since September 2012 that ALL

proposals for work must be written proposals and must be signed/accepted by the

customer before any work will be completed - no exceptions. Not only did this customer refuse

to pay for the full 8.5 hours put into the job, but he changed what

was desired on the job every time he spoke to [redacted], adding additional panels, cameras, etc.

While we respect whatever decision the RevDex.com makes in this case, please respect our decision to refuse to work with

this customer again. The fact that

another alarm company left the job incomplete should have been a warning to us,

but we wanted to try to help him out.

Our company policy of have a written proposal which clearly outlines the

job should avoid situations like this in the future.

Respectfully submitted,

Getz Fire Protection, Inc. D/B/A Harkins Security Systems

Business

Response:

----- Original Message -----

From: [redacted]