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QUESTION; MORE ON TRANSPARENCY TO CENTRAL STATION CONTRACT FROM DEC 15 ARTICLE
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Ken,
    I am considering switching centrals or at least diversifying. Which centrals currently use your dealer agreement?
Thanks,
AP
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    I announced in the Dec 15 2014 article that a new Dealer Agreement was available for use by the central stations with their dealers [many cs use our old version - the Installer Contract].  The important feature of this new agreement is its transparency, clearly idenifying issues that should be and are important to the Dealer.  Rest assured that the cs is well protected, but issues that are often overlooked by Dealers or down right unfair to Dealers are clearly identified so the Dealer knows what is being demanded of it by the cs.  For the most part Dealers should expect to have to pay for the central station services and be responsible for defending the cs if the Dealer's mistakes result in a lawsuit against the cs, or in fact if the dealer's subscriber brings a claim against the cs for the cs's negligence.  So pay what you agreed to pay, maintain the number of accounts you agreed to maintain and provide the indemnity you agreed to.  What a Dealer should not be faced with is a surprise that low and behold it is now married [or stuck] with the cs for a long term agreement, stuck with increases or extraordinary charges, stuck with a right of first refusal on the accounts or even worse required to sell only to the cs.  You want to agree to those terms, that's fine, just know about it and don't complain about it later.
    In response to your question, so far Rapid Response, Statewide Central Station and USA Central Station Alarm Corp have ordered the new Dealer Agreement.  I'll let everyone know if and when other central stations get on board.
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DOING ALARM WORK IN NEW YORK
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    New York, like most states, requires an alarm license.  It's called an Alarm Installer License and it's required if you want to sell, install or service alarm systems, including cctv and access control that connect to security systems.  Having or finding a Qualifier to hold the license for your company is one thing [one necessary thing] but not all you have to consider.  You will also have to maintain an office in New York.  This doesn't have to be your main office, and in fact doesn't have to be a "working" office in the sense that you don't need to be doing business out of the location.  The office is a "Secondary Office" where you are required have a responsible person present, the alarm license posted, and New York employee and New York subscriber files maintained.  So it's not a good idea to use a relative's address, PO Office or even someone else's business that isn't knowledgeable about the license issues.
    We provide a Secondary Office in our office.  If you need a New York office contact our Contract Administrator Eileen Wagda at 516 747 6700 x 312.  In addition to providing the required duties and tasks for the Secondary Office we offer oversight on licensing issues for those companies who use our Secondary Office service.
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