Alarm Fees Struck Down and Refunded But On A Technicality
A court ruling in an Ohio city has brought hope and excitement to the alarm industry that false alarm-related fees will be swept away but IPVM's review of the court filings shows this is based on a technicality and that restructured future fees are possible and perhaps likely.
In this note, we examine the Ohio appeals court's findings, the use of false alarm fees in other cities and states in the U.s., and the results of other legal challenges.
*** ****** ** *** ******* ***** is *** ** ******** ************ **** *******. ** *********** *** ******* ** strictly ********* ******* *** ********** ******** the **** *** ****** *** *** it *********** *** **** ** **** them ******* **** *** ***.
** ***** ****, ******* ************ ******* ******** ** ***** $*.* million ** ** ******** ** ***** repaying *** ****. *** **** **** in ******** ** * ******** **** decision ** *** *****'* ***** ********* District ** ******** ******.
False ***** ********* ****
** ***** ** ******* ***** ******, the ********** ****** ********** *********** ****** ***** ********* ****.
***** ****, *** **** *** ******** that ******** ********* ******** **** *** department *** *** ** ****** ************ fee ** $***,********* ** *** ********** ********.******** ** ****, *** **** ******** security ****** ***** ** ******** *** pay **** ** $** *** ********** and $*** *** ***-********** ***** ***** year *** ****** ******* ** ** much ** $*** ** ***** *** false ******.
************ ***** *** ***** ********* **** also ******** ********* *** **********, *** unregistered ***** **** *** **** ********** charges *** ***** ******, ********* ** the ********.
********* ** *** ***** ***** ********* Unit's*******, ********** ****** ******* ** ***** 24,000 ***** ****** **** ****, ******* taxpayers **** $***,*** ********. *** ********** says ***** **% ** *** ***** calls ** ******** *** ***** ******.
********** ********* **** ***-*-** ******** ***** businesses *** ***** ** ******** **** the ****. * ******* *********, ***-**, sets ***** ********* *** ***** ******.
Tax **. ***
* ***** ******** ********* ** *** appeals ***** *** ******* *** ***** alarm *** ************ ******* ******** ** a ***, ***** *********** ****** *** unconstitutionally *******, ** * ***. ******** there ** ** "******-**** ****" ** Ohio ************** *** ***, *** ***** referenced ******* ** *** ***** ******* Court *** ***** ****** ********* **********.
** ***** ******,*** **** ******* ***** ***** ****:
*** ******* "***" ** ******* ** a *********** **** ***, ** ***, citizens. ** ****** *****, *********** ** a ******* ****, *** ***** *** the ******* ** *** ****** *********....*** classic "********** ***" ** ******* ** an ****** **** ***** ******* ** its **********...** *** ***** ********** ******** directly **, *** *******, ************ ************ particular ******* ** ****** ** **** expensive...Or, ** *** ***** **** ******** indirectly **, *** *******, ******* ***** placed ** * ******* **** ** help ****** *** ******'* **********-******* ********.
***** *** ******** ** **** ****** and ** ***** *******, *** ******* court ******** *** ***** ***** **** based ** ***** *******.
*** ***** **** ******** ******* *** fees ********* "* ********* *****"; ******* the ********** *** **** *** * "narrow *** ********* ******* *** *** placed ** *** ******* ****"; ******* the ******* **** ******* ** ******** for *******; *** ******* *** ********** was "********** *** ******** ** **** the ***** ********* **** ** ** amount ********** ** ***** *** ********."
*** **** ***** ******** ******* *** entity **** ******* *** ********** ** part ** *** **********, ******* *** charges *** ****** ** * ****** group, *** ******* *** ***** ********* is **** *** *** ******* ****** or ** ** ** **** ** benefit *** ******* *** *** **.
Deciding ******
***** ******* **** ******, *** ******* court ***** **** "**** ******* ***** in ***** ** * ***, *** in ***** ** * ***, *** one ** *******." * ******** ***** for *** ***** *** **** *** money ****** **** ***** *****-******* **** went **** *** ******* ****, ** be **** *** ******* ********.
***** **** *** *** ** *** fund ** *** *********** ***** *** consider, ** **** **** *** ***********, which *** ********* ****** ** *** general ****, **** **** *** ******** of * ***.
******* *** **** "**** *** ******* the ***** ********** ** *** ***** users **** *** ******** **** *** above **** ** ******* ******** *** taxpayers ** *******" *** ******* ** also ****************, *** ***** *****. *******, the ***** ********* **** *** **** could ****** *** ********** ** **** the ******* **** "****" ******* ** a "***."
Case **********
* ***** ** **** ***** ***** and ***** *********, *********** ** ********* the**** ****** *** ************** ***, ***** *** ******* ** ****. The ********** ***** ** *** ********* are ********** ********* ****** ***** *** Vena ***** *** ***** ******* *********, Cincinnati ******** ********** ***., ****** ***, and ******** **** ****** ********.
********* ** *** ********** ********,*** *****-***** ***** "****** *** **** in * ***-******** ********." *** ***** District ***** ** ******* ********** **** ruling ** ******** ****.
Other ***** ***** **********
***** ***** **** ******* ****** ** alarm ********* ** ***** ** **** are ****** ********** *** *.*., ********* in ****** **** ***********,******,**********,*******,*******, ****** *******.
***** ***** *** ******** **** **** targeted ** ** ***** **** ******** since ****. ** ****, * ******* court ** *** ********* *** * ************ ** * ********** **** * Suffolk ****** ***** ***** *******, *** the ******** *** ******** ** ******. Similarly, * ******* ***** ** **************** ** ********-*** *********** * ***** ***** *** ******* in ***** *******, *** **** ******** was **** ********.
********** ***** ******** ****** ** ********. A ***** ******* ****** *** ***** sued *** ****** ******** ****,************, ****** *******. ***** *** ******** ******* ****** Rock *** ************ **** *********, *** city ** *** ************* ** ****** * ***** *********** ** *** ***** *******.
**** *** ****** **** **** ******* 3-21-23/ "***** ******* ******* ** ******** fines/fees"... ******** **** ********** ** *** same *******. ********** ***** ** **.... alarm ********** ********* **** ******* *** alarm ******* *** **** *** ****** response ** *** "***********" ** *********** police ********, *** *** ******* ***** site. **** **************, **** ******* *********, will **** **** ******** ******** ** all *********/******** *** **** *******, *** low ** ** ******** ** ******** calls, *** ***** ******.
*** ***'* **** **** ** **** they ** ** *** **?
**'* *** ******* ** *** ***** but ** ***** ********'* ***** ***'* going ** *******!
******* **** ***** **** "****** ********" must:
- ****** * ******* **** ** accredited ** ******* ************ *** *********** services ** * ******* ********
- ************* **** ******** * ********* of ******** **** **** ** ******** and ***** *** ********** ************* (**'* a ****** ***-*** *** ** ***** it ** ****** **** *******)
- *** ********* ********* **** ***** to **** ********* *** **********'* ********* is ***** ** ****** **** *** level ** ***** ****** ** *******
- ********* ** ***** ** **** constitutes * "*********" *****, ***** **** helps ****** *** ****** ** *** Police
- *** **** ** **** ********** with *** ****** (*** *** ***)
- ** *** **** *** **** than * ***** ****** * ****, the **** ** ********* ***** *** installer ********* *** ****** (***** ******** to ** ****** *** *'* **** there's ***** ****** *** **** ** do, ** ***** ** ********** *** police ********)
** *******, **** ** **** ****** happens **** "****** ********" ** *** UK:
*. ********** *** * *** ******** priority ** **'* ******** **** **** respond *******, ******:
- ********* ***** / ****** ***** triggered ** ******* ** ****
- **** ** **** ***** ** bank, *******, ******** **************
*. ** ********* ******* ****** ** a ********** ******* **** ***** **** an *** - **** ***** ** metropolitan ***** *** * ******** ****** 20-30mins, ***** ** **** ****** **** any ******** ****
*. ****** ******** ** * "****-***" exercise ** ******* ********* ************ ****
***** - * ******* ***** **** alarm *********** ********** ******* * **** for **********
**** **** **** ************** **** **** responding ** ******* ****** **********. ****'* the ******* **** ****.
** * *** ** ******, *** police ****** ****** ** ******* ** genuine ***********. ****** ** *****, **** police ********** ********* ** **** ***** say "****, ** **** ***'* **** the ******** ** ******* ** ******* alarms *******". ***** **'* **********? **** a ****** ***, *** ******* **** Department ************* ****** ** *** *** ***** in ****** *********. **** ****'* **** *** ******** and ******* ** ********** *********** ****** over **** ***, ** *** ***** analysis, ***** ******** ******.
** *** **** ** ***** *******, maybe **** **** ********** **** * security ***** ******* *** *** ******* to ***** *** *******, *** **** that ** ** ***-**. ** ***** rises *** ****** ************ *******, **** and **** *** ***** **** ***** to *** *** ***** ** ****** for **** **** ** *****.