What "No Contracts, No Hidden Fees" Actually Means for Alarm Monitoring
We say no contracts and no hidden fees on almost every page of our site. That phrase gets used loosely in this industry, so it is worth spelling out what we mean and what to look for when you are comparing us against anyone else.
The three-year agreement
The traditional alarm model is a low equipment price attached to a 36 or 60 month monitoring agreement. The equipment looks cheap because the monitoring is carrying the cost. If you move, sell the house, or want to leave, you are buying out the balance.
We do not do that. You pay for the equipment, you own it, and monitoring is month to month.
Who owns the equipment
This is the question most people forget to ask. In a lot of contract deals, the panel and sensors technically belong to the alarm company. If you cancel, they are not yours to keep, and often another company cannot take over monitoring on them because they are locked to the original provider.
Ask directly: if I cancel monitoring, do I keep the equipment, and can another company monitor it? The answer tells you a lot.
The fees that show up later
Watch for activation fees, cancellation fees, automatic annual rate increases written into the agreement, charges for a service call on equipment you thought was covered, and automatic renewal clauses that quietly restart the term if you do not cancel in a specific window.
What you should be able to do
You should be able to cancel with reasonable notice and not owe a balance. You should keep your equipment. You should know what the monthly is going to be next year. And you should be able to reach a person locally when something stops working.
A note on existing systems
If you have a panel from a previous provider or from the builder, it can often be reactivated and monitored by us without replacing hardware. It is worth a look before anyone sells you a whole new system.
HD Smart Solutions is a licensed Florida low voltage contractor, License # EG13000794, serving Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties. Call (954) 573-9193 for a free onsite walkthrough.
Related services from HD Smart Solutions
