Alarm maintenance fee?

Blueskye

I had an alarm installed approx 18 months ago. I get a text if the alarm goes off. They contacted me recently saying it was due a service and someone came out and checked it all, took about 20 minutes. Then I got a bill for "Maintenance Fee on System" for Dec 2016 to Dec 2017 for €258. It seems a lot, is this the norm?

Steve

Sounds steep. Did you get a breakdown? Is it monitored?

I rang the installer about 8 years ago because the battery went in mine, they wanted €200 to replace it. I did it myself for €12.

Mr Magnolia

Wow. If that cost is just for the inspection then you're getting ripped off. Did you pay it?

thadg

80-100 euro including vat would I would be thinking would be a service call

colm_mcm

Did they replace batteries or anything?

coylemj

The charge is for more than the maintenance visit since the invoice mentions 12 months. It sounds like the OP has signed up for a service contract which could include free parts if some components like any of the sensors or the main box breaks and possibly one or two free house calls per annum. It could also include some form of monitoring - when the OP gets a txt message, does that come direct from the alarm in the house or is it via the alarm company's monitoring centre (if they have one)?

2011

Thread moved to Home Security Systems forum

Edups2.0

coylemj wrote: »

The charge is for more than the maintenance visit since the invoice mentions 12 months. It sounds like the OP has signed up for a service contract which could include free parts if some components like any of the sensors or the main box breaks and possibly one or two free house calls per annum. It could also include some form of monitoring - when the OP gets a txt message, does that come direct from the alarm in the house or is it via the alarm company's monitoring centre (if they have one)?

Not if it says maintenance fee on system then it's a yearly fee for upkeep. Which is crazy considering the batteries will easily last 8 years or more and unless someone breaks in and makes an attempt to stop the alarm by breaking it off the wall there wouldn't be any need for a call out, defiantly not once a year and it defiantly shouldn't be charged in advance. OP I'd defiantly dispute this with your alarm company they sound like they're acting the bollox

KoolKid

Its either a service & maintenance contract or maintenance & monitoring contract.Without knowing whats covered its hard to say if it good or bad value.
If may be covering you for all parts & labour, all labour & all monitoring or any combination of that.
Its all well and good saying the system doesn't need to be serviced, but if your broken into and the alarm fails who are you going to blame? More importantly if you put in an insurance claim you may find your alarm is on your policy as EN50131-1 which requires a serve every year .
As stated,for a service call on its own €70-€100 would be normal.

2011

KoolKid wrote: »

Its either a service & maintenance contract or maintenance & monitoring contract.Without knowing whats covered its hard to say if it good or bad value.

But we do know what is covered, according to the OP:

Then I got a bill for "Maintenance Fee on System" for Dec 2016 to Dec 2017 for €258.

KoolKid

That's just a line off an invoice. It could cover unlimited calls for the year, unlimited labour and parts or any combination of that or more.
OP, did you get /sign a work sheet?

KoolKid

Ask your insurance company to provide you with that in writing and see what happens. All very well some guy on the phone telling you this. He's not the one you will be arguing with in the event of a claim.
It is a fact that a system must be serviced every year to maintain the En50131 standard.
I have seen claims rejected or reduced on systems not maintained to that standard.
The TV analogy is not valid. You are not getting any discount on your home insurance on the basis of your TV working correctly.

2011

KoolKid wrote: »

That's just a line off an invoice. It could cover unlimited calls for the year, unlimited labour and parts or any combination of that or more.

My point is that this charge is not for monitoring as had been suggested.

I would not expect an 18 month alarm to require €258 worth of "unlimited" labour. Even if that price included parts i think that the charge is excessive.

KoolKid

In most cases maintenance contracts are not based on the age of the system.
The En50131 standards require the regular maintenance and servicing regardless of what any of us think. Therfore we must offer the service and advise the customer regardless.
However if the OPs invoice is just service and maintenance with nothing more then it is expensive.

2011

KoolKid wrote: »

However if the OPs invoice is just service and maintenance with nothing more then it is expensive.

+1