Simplisafe Warns Customers About Alarm Fines

By: Ari Erenthal, Published on Mar 17, 2017

Simplisafe markets themselves as a 'better way' than traditional professional alarm companies.

However, in one key way, Simplisafe hides the alarm permitting process from their marketing material, only making it clear after the system is purchased.

In this note, we examine Simplisafe's approach and contrast it to the permitting process with traditional professional alarm companies.

**********

**** *** **** *** systems *** ******* ** using*** **** **** ** ******* station ******************** **** ********* **** professionally ********* ******. ********** ****** never **** * ******* to ******* *** ****-******* ***** own ******* ***** *******. That *******, *******, ** a ********* ***** ** subscribe ** * ******* station ********** *******. 

***** *******

**%+ ** ******* ***** *********** are *** ****** ** an ********, *** ******* station *********** ****** ****** to ******* ** ***** alarm. ***** ****** **** **** originally ********* ** ** a *** ** ********* costs ********** **** ****** ********. In ******** ** ****** ****, many ************** ****** * fine *** ****** **** turn *** ** ** unfounded, ***** *** ******** to ** '***** ***** fines'. ***** *** ***********, with ****** *** ****** fines *** ***** *********, unless * ******** ***** company ********* **** * problem *** **** ***** and *********.

Simplisafe *******

********** **** *** **** clear the ****** *********** ** their *******. **** ***** **** a ******** *** ** email ******** **** ** research ** ***** *** whether ** *** ***** jurisdiction *** ** ***** permitting *********** *** **** the ******* *** ******** one **. **** ***** is *** ** * series ** ****** ********** sends ***** *** *********, making ** **** ** miss. 

********** '******' ***** ****** to ******* ***** ***** police ********** *** ****** out *** ******* ******.

********* ************ 

*** **** **** *** ****** process ****** **** ***** to *****, ** **** the *********** **** ****** requires. *** *******, **** jurisdictions ******* *** ***** subscriber ** ******* *** name, ********* ******, *******, and ***** ******** *********** about *** ******* ******* monitoring *******. **********'********* ******* ******* **** ** ******** for **** ***********. 

** **********'* ******, ***** customer ******* **** ******* answers ***** ********* ** their ********* *** ****** filling *** ***** ****** applications. 

Simplisafe ****** *********** ***** *********

**** ***** ************ ********* will ** ******** **** the **** *** ***** in *** ***** **** service. *********, **** *** able ** ****** * customer ******* **** **** to ***** *** ** alarm ****** *** *** to ** **. **** *** show ********* *** ** prevent ***** ****** ****** by **** *****. **** importantly, * ******** ***** company *** ******* * customer **** *** ********** certificate **** **** ** prevent ********** ** ***** alarm *****. 

** ********, * ********* installed * *** ****** will **** **** ** this. ***** ** ***** Simplisafe advises ***** ********* ** a ******* ***** ** check ***** ***** **** to *** ** **** need * ******, **** do *** **** *** local ********* ** ******* how ** *****, **** the ********** ***, ** how ** *****. *** they ********* **** *** be **** ** ******* a *********** ** *** alarm ********** ******* **** a ******* *** **** solved ** ***** ** stop *** *********** ** false ***** *****. 

*********

***** *** *** ********* **** Simplisafe's approach.

*****, ***** ** *** time *** ****** ** finding *** ******* * permit ** ******, **** the ********* *** ******** for * ****** **, what *********** ** ****** to **** *** *** permit ***********, *** **** the ****** *****, *** whether *** ********** **** pay * *** **** fee ** ** ** must ** ******* ********. None ** **** *********** is ************ **** ************ to ************. 

****** ** *** **** of ***** *********** ****** operating ******* * ******. Simplisafe ***** *** ********* multiple ******, **** ****** ***** an ************* ******. ** a ********** ** ******* enough ** **** ** ignore *** *****, **** run of ***** ** **** jail ****.*** *******, **** ** the ******* ** *** Angeles:

********* ** ***** ****** without * ***** ****** is * *********** ********** by * **** ** up ** $*,*** ** a **** ** ****** jail ** ****. ********* that *** ******* ** appear ** ***** *** be ******** ** *** additional ***** *** ******* assessments ** * ****** of *** ******** **** being ***** ** *** County ** *** ******* Superior *****. 

***** ********** *** ***** ***** alarm ***** **** ************ systems, ****** ********** * *** system ***** ***** *** not ********* *** ***. ** would ** *************** *** ********** to ***** ** ********* tool *** ********* ** look ** ** **** need * ******, **** information **** **** ** fill *** *** ******, and *** ** ***** for * ******. *********** installers *** **** ** give **** *********** ** their *********. ** ********** ** really "a ****** ***" **** need ** ** ****** handling **********.

Comments (12)

Avatar

Ethan Ace

IPVM | 03/17/17 02:26pm

Counterpoint: I was curious, so I asked multiple ADT customers if they knew permits were required in their municipality (they were all local, so I know that they are, in fact).

None of them had ever heard of an alarm permit. And I'd find it hard to believe ADT did it for them, considering there are typically fees involved, and personal information for contacts. So is this just a Simplisafe problem, or an industry issue?

I'm curious how intrusion companies normally go about this. Is there a clause in their proposals putting it on the customer? Do they go so far as to directly discuss it? I'm interested to hear what folks here have to say.

Undisclosed Integrator #3

In reply to Ethan Ace | 03/21/17 08:33pm

ADT will send you a link to the permit application if the county or town requires it.

Vivint does it for you and the user doesn't have to take any action.

 

 

Evelyn O'Brien Strader

In reply to Ethan Ace | 06/22/17 06:28pm

We actually fill out the paperwork for the customers that live in cities that require them.  If they do not send them in along with their check.......

Avatar

Brian Rhodes

IPVMU Certified | 03/17/17 02:36pm

In my area, I would venture that 95% of resi systems either aren't registered or don't meet the registration/license criteria.

From: Who Displays Residential Alarm Permits?

Undisclosed Integrator #1

03/17/17 06:45pm

Some of the first things I do when receiving a call from a new customer, to install a system, is to make sure I have an active business license in the municipality where the customer's home or business is located.  Your contractor's license and/or state alarm license does not mean you can skip the business license.

Next, I check the alarm ordinance, whether they have one, and what the requirements are for the alarm company.  Do they require an SIA CP-01 alarm panel?  Does the alarm company file the application for the customer? 

I've had customers who asked me to repair or upgrade a local (not monitored) alarm and they are adamant about not registering their alarm with the city/county. I've turned them down because the local jurisdiction penalizes alarm companies for working on unregistered alarm systems, regardless if they're monitored or not.

Also, when meeting with the customer I have the alarm ordinance and application in hand, printed from the municipality's website, which I give to the customer.  In my contract I mention the alarm ordinance and who's responsibility it is to secure a permit.

My quote always mentions whether an alarm permit is required and who's responsibility it is to register the alarm.

Avatar

Ari Erenthal

03/17/17 07:10pm

I've had customers who asked me to repair or upgrade a local (not monitored) alarm and they are adamant about not registering their alarm with the city/county. I've turned them down because the local jurisdiction penalizes alarm companies for working on unregistered alarm systems, regardless if they're monitored or not.

How is that enforced?

Undisclosed Integrator #1

In reply to Ari Erenthal | 03/17/17 07:50pm

It's one of those instances where I would not like to find out. 

Reading some of these ordinances, I've found that many are different in many ways.  I had one municipal ordinance that required the alarm company to email, fax or contact the police department each month with a list of ALL their customers in their city.  I did that for several months and finally  I emailed the officer handling the alarm permits and asked about the necessity of monthly lists of ALL customers.  She told me to discontinue this practice.

The city's that penalizes alarm companies for installing, upgrading or repairing an unregistered alarm have steep penalties.  How would they enforce this?  Possibly this way; the alarm triggers, sounding an outdoor bell or siren, the homeowner is not present, a neighbor calls the police.  If it is a false alarm the homeowner will be fined for operating an unregistered alarm, requiring them to fill out an application, the application usually asks who installed or serviced the system, and when the system was installed.  This is where my exposure to legal issues can be problematic.

Under the same scenario, the alarm turns out to be a real event and police reports are generated, these reports are routed to the person enforcing the alarm ordinance who makes inquiries and, ultimately, I am in the loop.

I don't think it is worth it for the alarm company to ignore this requirement.

Undisclosed Integrator #1

03/17/17 07:12pm

I'm curious if businesses like Simplisafe obtain a business license from each municipality in which they sell alarm monitoring services?  As a licensed contractor, I have to maintain a business license in multiple jurisdictions just to monitor my customer's alarm systems.  Is Simplisafe, and others like them, held to the same requirement?

Or, if Simplisafe is monitoring through a major Central Station, are they maintaining annual business licenses in each jurisdiction where their customers are located?

Undisclosed Integrator #3

In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1 | 03/21/17 08:38pm

Simplysafe uses COPS monitoring station and COPS is nationwide which maintains all the licenses and permits for each states.

Undisclosed Integrator #1

In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #3 | 03/21/17 08:50pm

So, are the licenses held by COPS, in all 50 states, business licenses? Or just a state alarm company operator license?

In addition to my state alarm company license, and contractors' license,  I'm required to hold a business license in every city and county where I have monitored customers.  Are these big Central Stations required to do the same?

Undisclosed Integrator #2

03/17/17 08:51pm

Delaware has a statewide permitting agency called Crywolf. We have to sign each customer up with them online and they provide a permit number, and thats it. No fees associated with signing up but I think how it works is the police send records of false alarms to this company who tracks this and fines the customer after a certain number of false alarms. 

Undisclosed #4

03/22/17 07:03pm

If a subscriber is unlucky enough to miss or ignore the email, they run of fines or even jail time.

Cellmate #1: Whaddya in for?
Cellmate #2: Burglary job, and you?
Cellmate #1: Burglary install job.

 

 

Read this IPVM report for free.

This article is part of IPVM's 6,538 reports, 881 tests and is only available to members. To get a one-time preview of our work, enter your work email to access the full article.

Already a member? Login here | Join now

Related Reports

SimpliSafe Business Security Launched Examined on Sep 22, 2020
SimpliSafe has launched "SimpliSafe Business Security" that the company...
Forced Door Alarms For Access Control Tutorial on Aug 17, 2020
One of the most important access control alarms is also often ignored....
ISC News Fakes Fever Screening, Falsely Quotes FDA on Jun 18, 2020
ISC News, the Reed publication behind the ISC East and West trade shows, has...
FDA Defines Correct Operation of "Fever Cameras" on May 26, 2020
The US FDA has now defined the correct operation of "Thermal Imaging...
Dahua Taunts Australian Government, Continues To Sell Illegal Fever Cameras on Aug 10, 2020
Dahua is effectively taunting the Australian government by continuing to sell...
Uniview Deep Learning Camera Tested on Jul 14, 2020
Uniview's intrusion analytics have performed poorly in our shootouts. Now,...
Sunell Panda Cam Body Temperature Measurement Camera Tested on May 14, 2020
Sunell is far less well known than its gargantuan domestic competitors Dahua...
School District Admits Not Following FDA Guidelines With 144, No Blackbody, Hikvision Fever Cameras on Aug 21, 2020
The Baldwin County School District has admitted it is not following FDA...
Axis Compares Fever Camera Sellers to 9/11 on Sep 18, 2020
Axis Communications, the West's largest surveillance camera manufacturer, has...
Clinton Public View Monitor (PVM) Mask Detection Tested on Jul 09, 2020
Face mask detection, or more specifically not wearing one, is expanding...
Access Control Levels and Schedules Tutorial on Sep 29, 2020
Configuring access levels and setting up schedules is central to maintaining...
Avigilon Face Mask Detection Tested on Jun 24, 2020
Face mask detection or, more specifically not wearing a face mask, is an...
FLIR A Series Temperature Screening Cameras Tested on Jun 04, 2020
FLIR is one of the biggest names in thermal and one of the most conservative....
FDA "Does Not Intend to Object" To Unapproved Fever Detection Cameras If No 'Undue Risk' on Apr 17, 2020
The US FDA has declared it will not go after the many companies marketing...
Dartmouth College Deploys K3 Temperature Screening on Sep 29, 2020
While Dartmouth College has a $6+ billion endowment, the College has bought...

Recent Reports

New Products Show Fall 2020 continues tomorrow with Genetec, Milestone, Avigilon, Microsoft and more! on Sep 29, 2020
IPVM's sixth online show continues tomorrow and will feature New Products...
Avigilon / Motorola VS Virtual ISC West on Sep 29, 2020
ISC West has historically been so dominant that no player would think of...
Dartmouth College Deploys K3 Temperature Screening on Sep 29, 2020
While Dartmouth College has a $6+ billion endowment, the College has bought...
Hanwha AI Object Detection Tested on Sep 28, 2020
Hanwha has added detection and classification of people, cars, clothing...
Favorite Access Control Manufacturers 2020 on Sep 28, 2020
200+ Integrators told IPVM "What is your favorite access control management...
OnTech Smart Services Partners With Google and Amazon To Compete With Integrators on Sep 25, 2020
A pain point for many homeowners to use consumer security and surveillance is...
The Future of Metalens For Video Surveillance Cameras - MIT / UMass / Immervision on Sep 25, 2020
Panoramic cameras using 'fisheye' lens have become commonplace in video...
Hikvision Sues Over Brazilian Airport Loss on Sep 24, 2020
Hikvision was excluded from a Brazilian airport project because it is owned...
China General Chamber of Commerce Calls Out US Politics on Sep 24, 2020
While US-China relations are at an all-time low, optimism about relations...
Verkada Disruptive Embedded Live Help on Sep 24, 2020
Call up your integrator? Have someone come by the next day? Verkada is...
IP Networking Course Fall 2020 - Last Chance - Register Now on Sep 23, 2020
Today is the last chance to register for the only IP networking course...
Drain Wire For Access Control Reader Tutorial on Sep 23, 2020
An easy-to-miss cabling specification plays a key role in access control, yet...
Norway Council of Ethics Finds Hikvision Human Rights Abuses "Ongoing" on Sep 23, 2020
Hikvision's involvement in "serious human rights abuse" in Xinjiang is...
IPVM Camera Calculator User Manual / Guide on Sep 23, 2020
Learn how to use the IPVM Camera Calculator (updated for Version 3.1). The...