Reset Security Code

Danger Fourpence

I have a security alarm that was installed by a local installer. When I rang him a few weeks back to help with a notification I was getting he told me he was no longer working at it but had passed all of his customers through to another company. I rang them to get the engineer code but needless to say they're not quick to offer it up.

Can anyone tell me where I stand on this? Does GDPR come into play here? Shouldn't I be able to gain access to the information a company stores about me? Is there a master reset code I could used to override?

kub

Danger Fourpence wrote: »

I have a security alarm that was installed by a local installer. When I rang him a few weeks back to help with a notification I was getting he told me he was no longer working at it but had passed all of his customers through to another company. I rang them to get the engineer code but needless to say they're not quick to offer it up.

Can anyone tell me where I stand on this? Does GDPR come into play here? Shouldn't I be able to gain access to the information a company stores about me? Is there a master reset code I could used to override?

I understand your annoyance, the engineer code in your system is not at all unique to your system. Engineer codes are used by security system companies to protect the integrity of the programming in the system. Usually the engineer code is common across all of the systems they have worked on, hence companies are slow to give them out.

As to GDPR, what data do you feel a company has on you that has never been in your home ?


There is no master reset code.


You have 2 choices, ring back that company you contacted and request a service call by them to reset the engineer code in your system to the default code and perhaps to service the system while they are at it.


Your other choice is to contact another company and get them out to service your alarm. I would be very surprised if another company has an issue getting around an engineer code problem.

Danger Fourpence

kub wrote: »

I understand your annoyance, the engineer code in your system is not at all unique to your system. Engineer codes are used by security system companies to protect the integrity of the programming in the system. Usually the engineer code is common across all of the systems they have worked on, hence companies are slow to give them out.

As to GDPR, what data do you feel a company has on you that has never been in your home ?


There is no master reset code.


You have 2 choices, ring back that company you contacted and request a service call by them to reset the engineer code in your system to the default code and perhaps to service the system while they are at it.


Your other choice is to contact another company and get them out to service your alarm. I would be very surprised if another company has an issue getting around an engineer code problem.

I got sorted in the end, as in another company is going to install a new panel for me for the same price as the above company was charging to service it.

Regarding GDPR, if my original installer sold my panel's engineer code to this new company, don't I have a right to request this information?

kub

Danger Fourpence wrote: »

I got sorted in the end, as in another company is going to install a new panel for me for the same price as the above company was charging to service it.

Regarding GDPR, if my original installer sold my panel's engineer code to this new company, don't I have a right to request this information?

I am glad you got sorted, that is either a ridiculously cheap new panel or an outrageously priced service call.


As regards to GDPR, in my own scope of work i encounter this a lot in various sectors such as CCTV and Access Control, I have never experienced it with regard to Intruder Alarm systems.


The entire purpose of an engineer code in Intruder Alarm systems is to protect the programmed details and parameters of the actual Alarm system, the entire standard which such systems have to comply with depend on the integrity of same.
It is not a means used by alarm companies to lock customer loyalty to them, any credible engineer can get around other companies engineer codes.
With regard to the selling of your particular engineer code, the bigger question here for legal minds is, how could it be your particular code when it is more then likely a code that is also in all of that companies other customers alarm systems?