Safenet Security

In 2008 Safenet Security partnered with The Alarm Center (renamed My Alarm Center) for billing, payment, customer service, and dispatching. Whenever I needed to change notification numbers, etc., I called My Alarm Center. They seemed a little disorganized, for example, when I called to tell them the name/number of a house-sitter during vacation....?well, if you?d like us to have that?. And the few times we had an alarm, the person they notified was often not ?first? on the notification list. But I had never had a BIG problem......UNTIL I moved. We did not continue service in our new house in a new state. In Dec we removed phone service....the alarm system would not be able to call in. When I called SafeNet to end service, I was referred to My Alarm Center...SafeNet is just local sales and service, even though it's named on my contract. When I called My Alarm Center (MAC), I was told that after the original 3-year contract period was up, the contract renews automatically for a WHOLE YEAR AT A TIME. So I was still responsible for paying each month for the next 10 months until the renewal date in October. At that point MAC did offer to "suspend" my service for 3 months during which I would not have to pay. Nice, considering there was no phone line in the house for the system to use and even the stand-alone system was "off" because of realtors. I called again In March when I got billed (for Feb.) and was again offered a 3 month "suspension" of service and fees. But I was told that this was the last ?suspension?. So, EVEN IF THE HOUSE WAS SOLD, I WOULD HAVE TO PAY THEIR MONTHLY SERVICE FEE from June to October! BEWARE!!! BE SURE TO READ THE FINE PRINT VERY, VERY CAREFULLY. "Automatic renewal for a year" at a time means a WHOLE YEAR, NO MATTER WHAT. The only way I could avoid paying would be to have new owners (the house did not sell before Oct.) take over the monitoring contract?..I would NOT recommend that to anyone! In late March, MAC called saying the system had not done its monthly check-in. I explained the ?suspension? and lack of phone service (?billing? doesn?t seem to share info with ?monitoring?). I was told they would make a note of that. In April a person on my contact list got a call about the system not doing its monthly check-in. I called again and was told that the billing ?suspension? doesn't show at monitoring because it is not really ?suspension? (which ?would have added months onto the end of the contract?!), but a ?credit?. I wonder why I hadn't gotten these calls in Dec., Jan., and Feb., too. In early May, I sent my cancellation notice for October, being sure to use ?delivery confirmation?. If notice of cancellation is not received 30 or 60 (they weren?t sure) days prior to renewal date, it automatically renews for another FULL YEAR. I received a call from MAC about the cancellation. With some confusion about whether I would need to pay for November also, the rep told me again about the rest of the months I would need to pay for. I then began writing this review and sent a draft to SafeNet Security and My Alarm Center. After receiving that letter, MAC called me. I would still be under contract, but since my renewal date was Oct. 4, they would cancel at the end of Sept. I was also given another ?credit? until July. I was billed $1.87 for June and got another call about ?monthly check-in?. Another call to them got credit for $1.87. The rep couldn?t remove all my contact numbers, but someone called back in 2 days. I removed everyone on the contact list and reminded them again that there could be no alarms and no monthly check-ins. I paid the rest of the contract period through Sept. When I got a bill for Oct. I called and was told to ?disregard the bill?the account is closed.? When I got a bill for Nov. I called and was told the account is closed and I owed nothing. I requested a bill or letter showing cancellation and received a ?Confirmation of Cancellation? letter in a few days. I accept that was legally bound to pay those months....it was in the contract I had signed without reading. And I appreciate that MAC did ?suspend? or ?credit? me with much of the unmonitored time. But I ?paid? for that with the hassles of frequent phone calls, billing problems and much confusion about their services. If you consider a monitored security system, BE CAREFUL if you think you might ever move, lose your job, decide to stop monitoring, or change providers! BE SURE YOU ASK ABOUT CANCELLATION REGULATIONS AND/OR FEES and BE SURE YOU READ THE FINE PRINT! I would NEVER use these companies again. They seem very disorganized, which is not a quality I want concerning my family's safety. And I will be on guard now for the "whole year" renewal clause. So if you are thinking about dealing with SafeNet Security, first realize that they will have nothing to do with you after the system is installed, unless you need physical service on the system. You are actually signing a contract with My Alarm Center. Then realize that MAC lacks organization and communication and, I think, is more interested in your money than in your well-being. I suggest you also check out My Alarm Center at: COMPLAINTSBOARD.COM and RIPOFFREPORT.COM. I was lucky?.some of their contracts renew for 3 years at a time.