Comment On Self Help Removing System
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Ken
    Mitch's collection tactics, if used in Arizona, could possibly end up with Mitch in jail, or dead. If someone asks you to leave their premises, and you do not leave, they can use force to remove you from their premises and then have you arrested for trespassing. If law enforcement arrives and you have refused to leave, law enforcement takes this very serious, due to Arizona's trespassing laws. If you feel your contract will not hold up in court, as far as collecting your money, or equipment, I doubt that you would want to use that same contract to defend yourself against a charge of criminal trespassing. 
 Even if a client agrees to allow removal of your equipment, I suggest calling law enforcement to meet you at the premises you are collecting equipment from. Alarm business owners and alarm employees are not at the luxury of having a civil disorder on their record. For instance; you may receive a call from the "good cop," who has every intention of allowing you to remove your equipment. While removing your equipment, the "bad cop," who has no idea what is going on, may show up to the premises and you may end up being trapped in a very bad situation of, "He said, she said." 
 Another tool that most alarm companies do not utilize is Small Claims Court. If you have a dispute that is under the maximum amount allowed by your Small Claims Court, which most monitoring contracts are, then this may be the simple answer. Cost for filing is around $50, plus serving fees, which certified notification by U.S. Postal with signature verification is usually suffecient. Most clients will pay you once you notify them that you are going to file in small claims court. Keep in mind that all Small Claims Court decisions are final and are not appealable. 
 As far as removing leased equipment, the other question I often ask dealers is, "Are you attempting to collect the leased equipment because you are going to reinstall it, or are you being retaliatory in collecting it?" Collecting old alarm equipment, to be vengeful, can be damaging to your reputation and add to your problems. The Arizona Registrar of Contractors has stated that equipment and wiring removed must be removed with the intent of such items being reused. To simply remove equipment, or to damage existing wiring without the intent of reusing the wiring, is malicious and shall not be accepted by the ROC.   
    Thanks for the continued information, 
Roger D. Score
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Supporting Manufacturers Who Sell Unlicensed Alarm Companies
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Ken
    In response to Question: why no license enforcement - any vendor responsibility?
    There are some distributors that won’t sell to unlicensed companies, and I suggest that you support one or more of those firms. These same firms don’t want the do-it-yourself market, realizing that it is much more grief and effort than its worth. Sure you can buy from Costco or Home Depot if you want a crappy system at a higher price than you can pay from a distributor. My opinion is that if that’s where you need to buy your equipment from, then you probably have more to worry about then unlicensed firms. Support those who support the industry. Purchase only from distributors (and manufacturers) that only sell to licensed firms.
Mitch Cohen
BRIC SECURITY
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Subscriber Cancellation 
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Ken
    We have a Standard Form Contract subscriber who has sent an email stating that they are canceling their service effective December 31, 2014.  A reason has been asked for but not given, only that they are going in a different direction with their security.  They want a service call to reset the panel to default codes.  They are only a little over a year into their five year contract and I want to make sure I understand, what is the subscriber responsibility?  What is ours?  And what sort of options are we looking at?
Thank you,
Christine
Atlas Security
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ANSWER
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    Your subscriber has announced its intention to breach the contract.  The moment the RMR service is not paid for on time you can accelerate the balance of the contract.  The subscriber will owe 80% of the balance of RMR payments due for the term of the contract.  Unless you have the latest updated Residential All in One [or Commercial for that matter] the contract also provides for your retention of ownership of the Communication System and there should be an agreed value for that system.  You are entitled to 80% of the agreed value.  You are also entitled to recover your legal fees for the collection process.  
    If you acknowledge the cancellation be sure not to mislead the subscriber into thinking that you are somehow approving the subscriber's breach or waiving any of your rights under the contract.  Also, be sure to take no action until the RMR payments are in arrears. If subscriber notifies you of cancellation on October 1 but is paid through Nov 30, take no action until Dec 1.  
    Unless you are in a state that requires disclosure of the password or codes you have no obligation to provide that information.  Under the latest version of the All in One the Communication System is sold with the rest of the equipment so there is no "agreed valuation" to consider.  However, the latest All in One version also retains for the alarm company ownership in the programming of the system.  All that you should be required to do once the subscriber completes its RMR obligations is to disclose the passcode or default the panel to manufacturer's passcode.
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