House Alarm Bill??

macheda

Hi,

My house alarm went off last bank holiday Monday so I tried to contact my letting my letting agent for 2 hours to get the code to turn it off but he didn't answer or return my calls. I have asked for this code on numerous occasions in the last 3 months since I moved in.

I contacted the alarm company who stated that I could disconnect the alarm myself. After giving instructions I wasn't too comfortable doing this in case as it was not an alarm I was familiar with. As it was a bank holiday a call out charge of €115 was required for alarm company to come out and disconnect same.

I tried contacting the letting agent again for another 2 hours without success so I told the alarm company to come out to disconnect the alarm.

Am I liable for the €115 or can I claim it back off the letting agent ??

cheers for any help on this.....

3DataModem

macheda wrote: »

I have asked for this code on numerous occasions in the last 3 months since I moved in.

Based on what you said, seems like the agent's responsibility 100% to me.

ted1

How did the alarm go off? I presume a power cut, I'd ensure that the land lord paid for the call out.

Was the property advertised as having an alarm ? If so they must give you a code of else you can ring them up looking for a rent reduction as the you took the premises on the understanding that an active alarm was part of the package.

macheda

No idea why the alarm went off it def wasn't a power cut. apparently if I had the code the system would give me a reason why the alarm went off. Im not 100% certain but I think the property was advertised with an alarm included. Shir ill forward the bill on to the letting agent and we will see what happens.

Thanks for the replies much appreciated

StillWaters

macheda wrote: »

I contacted the alarm company who stated that I could disconnect the alarm myself. After giving instructions I wasn't too comfortable doing this in case as it was not an alarm I was familiar with.

What does this mean? Did they talk you through turning off the alarm?

ted1

StillWaters wrote: »

What does this mean? Did they talk you through turning off the alarm?

I imagine they told him how to open the panel, kill the mains supply and disconnect the battery.

StillWaters

ted1 wrote: »

I imagine they told him how to open the panel, kill the mains supply and disconnect the battery.

And how hard is it? I'd have given it a stab I think. I think if you were unwilling to follow the instructions by the alarm company it is unfair to expect the LL to pay.

ted1

StillWaters wrote: »

And how hard is it? I'd have given it a stab I think. I think if you were unwilling to follow the instructions by the alarm company it is unfair to expect the LL to pay.

Not very hard, but I'm an electronic engineer who is use to being around large and small electrical equipment. I would never expect someone who isn't electrical competent yo open a live panel.

Make It Happen 968

Why did you move in without alarm code?
Why did you not make a fuss when being fobbed off for 3 months?
I think you are liable since you ordered the service without prior approval from landlord. Id march up to that agents office with a 4x4

BostonB

Make It Happen 968 wrote: »

..Id march up to that agents office with a 4x4

How do you march and drive a 4x4 at the same time?

BostonB

macheda wrote: »

...Am I liable for the €115 or can I claim it back off the letting agent ??...

Who's name do the alarm company have?

macheda

StillWaters wrote: »

What does this mean? Did they talk you through turning off the alarm?

Yeah basically that was a bit more complicated than a normal alarm and I wasn't certain I'd get it right so didnt want to do more damage

macheda

Make It Happen 968 wrote: »

Why did you move in without alarm code?
Why did you not make a fuss when being fobbed off for 3 months?
I think you are liable since you ordered the service without prior approval from landlord. Id march up to that agents office with a 4x4

I moved in and the letting agent promised me the code in 48 hours. I've found out now he actually doesn't know what the code is. I've sent him emails texts phone calls on a regular basis to get the code. I tried contacting him for 6 hours on the day the alarm went off. It was an unbelievably loud alarm and I have nowhere else to go I had to get something sorted ASAP

macheda

BostonB wrote: »

Who's name do the alarm company have?

The letting agent. No dealings with land lord cause they are out of country

ted1

macheda wrote: »

The letting agent. No dealings with land lord cause they are out of country

Who do you pay the money to? If you pay it to the landlord then you have to withhold the VAT content. Otherwise you are responsible

Richard Dower

macheda wrote: »

The letting agent. No dealings with land lord cause they are out of country

Absent landlord?....that right there would have set alarm bells[no pun intended] ringing for me, i personally would not rent from a LL that isint even in the country!

macheda

ted1 wrote: »

Who do you pay the money to? If you pay it to the landlord then you have to withhold the VAT content. Otherwise you are responsible

I pay to the letting agent

Make It Happen 968

macheda wrote: »

I moved in and the letting agent promised me the code in 48 hours. I've found out now he actually doesn't know what the code is. I've sent him emails texts phone calls on a regular basis to get the code. I tried contacting him for 6 hours on the day the alarm went off. It was an unbelievably loud alarm and I have nowhere else to go I had to get something sorted ASAP

Estate agent sounds like a right weasel. I would pay rent less the fee for alarm disonnection. Never believe an estate agent or car dealer. In this world unfortunately its a risk to give them the benefit of doubt, and need everything in writing.

macheda

Richard Dower wrote: »

Absent landlord?....that right there would have set alarm bells[no pun intended] ringing for me, i personally would not rent from a LL that isint even in the country!

Yeah maybe, but it's a class apartment and took a chance on it. So you reckon I'm liable ?

macheda

Make It Happen 968 wrote: »

Estate agent sounds like a right weasel. I would pay rent less the fee for alarm disonnection. Never believe an estate agent or car dealer. In this world unfortunately its a risk to give them the benefit of doubt, and need everything in writing.

Yeah I agree with you, yeah I was thinking that but I'm paying the rent through direct debit.

Doom

StillWaters wrote: »

And how hard is it? I'd have given it a stab I think. I think if you were unwilling to follow the instructions by the alarm company it is unfair to expect the LL to pay.

LL should pay as where in the contract would it say you have to be able to disconnect the alarm if the agent in not available. As you repeatedly stated...'I think' never did you say 'I know'.
I bet if they did try and disconnect it and ****ed it up, LL woukd come looking for money to repair it.

Richard Dower

macheda wrote: »

Yeah maybe, but it's a class apartment and took a chance on it. So you reckon I'm liable ?

Honestly i have no idea, i have been i three rented premise since 1996, none of them had an alarm. 1996-2000, 2000-2003, 2003-2013.....good tenant me

Richard Dower

Thing i dont understand is.....why did you never get the alarm code????
If i moved into a place with an alarm it would be the first thing i would do!

I mean, if you go out you're gonna set the alarm right?....come home you disable it right?

macheda

Richard Dower wrote: »

Thing i dont understand is.....why did you never get the alarm code????
If i moved into a place with an alarm it would be the first thing i would do!

I mean, if you go out you're gonna set the alarm right?....come home you disable it right?[


I think you missed one of my posts. The letting agent doesn't know what it is. I've pestered him. I don't know what more I can do to get it.

I don't get the last part of your post ???

Richard Dower

macheda wrote: »

Richard Dower wrote: »

Thing i dont understand is.....why did you never get the alarm code????
If i moved into a place with an alarm it would be the first thing i would do!

I mean, if you go out you're gonna set the alarm right?....come home you disable it right?[


I think you missed one of my posts. The letting agent doesn't know what it is. I've pestered him. I don't know what more I can do to get it.

I don't get the last part of your post ???

Do you switch on/arm the alarm when you leave the house?...or is the alarm just installed and not armed/switched on?

A power failure could certainly have triggered the alarm in that event....cant the alarm company reset the alarm?

Every alarm has a reset switch, a code to reset it to factory defaults....the alarm company who installed it would know this. When you install a house alarm it normally comes loaded with a default code....say 0000, they recomend you change the code to something else, something you remember.

But most people leave it at default....the point is, the alarm can be reset, it can be programmed with a code of your choosing. The alarm company who installed it should help you with this.

As for paying the call out fee, if you tried several times for the reset code, and the letting agent didnt know it....they should foot the bill for the call out. The alarm is a fixture/fitting....its a security device outside of your control, literally it would seem.

macheda

Richard Dower wrote: »

macheda wrote: »

Do you switch on/arm the alarm when you leave the house?...or is the alarm just installed and not armed/switched on?

A power failure could certainly have triggered the alarm in that event....cant the alarm company reset the alarm?

Every alarm has a reset switch, a code to reset it to factory defaults....the alarm company who installed it would know this. When you install a house alarm it normally comes loaded with a default code....say 0000, they recomend you change the code to something else, something you remember.

But most people leave it at default....the point is, the alarm can be reset, it can be programmed with a code of your choosing. The alarm company who installed it should help you with this.

As for paying the call out fee, if you tried several times for the reset code, and the letting agent didnt know it....they should foot the bill for the call out. The alarm is a fixture/fitting....its a security device outside of your control, literally it would seem.

Yeah it's installed and just not armed. The power in the rest of the apt didnt go so I don't know why it went off ?

Yeah I said that to the person that called out to disarm alarm. He said he couldn't reset it but I might ring them again to see what story is.

Yeah I've emailed the letting agent him a copy of the bill so we will see what happens

pwurple

Ahh, you paid it yourself and are looking for reimbursement. When things like this happen I usually ask tenants to send the invoice directly to me, so that my name is on the invoice (for tax purposes). It is the landlords responsibility, but it is a little awkward now with reimbursement situation. I am surprised the agency didn't advise you to send the invoice to them directly.

I rent as well, and have a landlord who lives in singapore... They have a decent agency, so it doesn't matter at all. This must be a first letting if the agency doesn't have that code.

djimi

Richard Dower wrote: »

Absent landlord?....that right there would have set alarm bells[no pun intended] ringing for me, i personally would not rent from a LL that isint even in the country!

Dont be ridiculous. My landlord lives in America and she is excellent; responds to any issue we have pretty much immediately. Youre as likely to have issues with a landlord who lives in the next street over; probably more so in fact as a distant landlord is more likely to employ an agent.

Cathmandooo

You did the right thing emailing the agent the bill, it's not your responsibility.

Do you have contents insurance by the way? You should have a read the terms and conditions of it. There can be a clause in it that the insurance is null and void if there is a house alarm present but not activated. It could be the same for the house insurance but that's the landlord's responsibility.

Eric Cartman

ted1 wrote: »

. I would never expect someone who isn't electrical competent yo open a live panel.

to be fair alarms in most houses would have a circuit breaker to themselves or have a fuse wall plate beside them , telling the OP to remove one of these then waiting 20 mins for the SAB battery to die would have been the easiest, no opening a panel, no callout charge.

but even opening the panel and pulling the fuse on the power supply side would be easy enough for most people with a little instruction.

murphaph

Richard Dower wrote: »

Absent landlord?....that right there would have set alarm bells[no pun intended] ringing for me, i personally would not rent from a LL that isint even in the country!

Even if he was the only one in your area who'd take you under the RAS? Wind your neck in there Richard. I'm an "absent" landlord with RAS tenants who are delighted to have me as their landlord and who know they'd be living in much poorer conditions if it wasn't for me and the hassle I've gone through with the local authority to get the property under RAS primarily for them (house is easily rentable in Dublin). I'm not looking for a round of applause by the way, just highlighting that your prejudice against non-resident landlords is just that, prejudice.

You shouldn't be so quick to judge. Perhaps the OP should seek an Irish bank as a landlord?!

fasttalkerchat

I think you did the right thing. Just make sure you continue to pester them in case it happens again and the alarm company refuse to come out because they didn't get paid for the last time yet.