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We signed a contract with these guys in June of 2003 when a salesman came by our home. It seemed like a decent deal- service charges of $50/month for 3 years in return for a security system and service for those months. We soon found that the service was a ripoff, as we didn't receive anything from it even when the alarm went off. That being said- we called in July of 2006 to see when we could cancel and what the termination fee would be. There was a stiff penalty involved (I can't remember how much), so we agreed verbally on the phone to have the service through our termination date of June 2007.
1st part of the scam: Fast forward to June 2007. My wife calls Northstar and tells them that we would now like to terminate our contract. They tell us that we can't cancel over the phone. We must write a written request to cancel the service. This is the first part of the scam- make the customer physically write a letter, and hope that the customer doesn't get in the cancellation request on time.
2nd part of the scam: When we talked to Northstar on the phone, the representatives NEVER mentioned that our written cancellation request had to be made 60 days prior to the cancellation date. So we wrote the cancellation notice and sent it in. I then received a letter back saying that they couldn't cancel the service in June 2007 because of this issue.
3rd part of the scam: The letter I received also stated that since they did not receive my cancellation notice in time, that my contract would be extended until June 2008!
Somehow they got a full extra year out of this contract. Do I have the time to fight it? No. It is not worth the money. I did tell them repeatedly over the phone that the extra $600 they made from me would sacrifice their business and reputation in my town and neighborhood, and I will spend the rest of my life destroying their reputation whenever the 'home security' subject comes up.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Northstar uses the absolute dirtiest tactics I've ever seen. Today I learned that my contract ended in May and that they automatically extended the contract by 18 months. Turns out that they don't send a notuce when your contract is ready to expire and giclve you the option to extend or cancel service and to top it of...you are supposed to send in a written letter to cancel 60 days prior in order to cancel...otherwise they automatically extend it for the 18 months...how is this legal...at best it's dirty and deceptive and downright disgusting. I will almost bet that nobody will ever remember when they read a lengthy contract 36 months prior and saw the small print...how much you want to make a bet that they don't ever receive your written request to cancel if you even remembered to mark your calendar. I paid this company faithfully for over 3 years and now in order to cancel I need to pay over $1300 to pay off the new extended term that I did not authorize. I will never do business with this hirrible company again and HIGHLY recomend that you do not either otherwise you WILL ultimately find yourself in this predicament. The sad part is that I was in the middlen of selling my home and moving my family during May and part of June so there was way too much stressful things to deal with...so despite not even living at the address I supposedly must pay this...a hard lesson to say the least...I've never experienced anything like this before.
Please Beware - Unethical and Devious Practices
My first security company was Vivent Though I had no problem with that company, I was persuaded by salespersons from Vision Security to switch to their company and receive lower rates. They even paid out my contract with Vivent. I signed a 60-month contract with Vision in 2012. Some time later, I received an undated letter from Northstar informing they had taken over my contract.
In July, 2016, technicians from Northstar arrived at my home unannounced to update my equipment. At completion of service, I was given what I thought was a two-page Schedule of Equipment and Services which I signed.
When I called to terminate the service on 1/18/2021, I was informed that I had signed a Supplemental Alarm Agreement extending my contract another 60 months. It turned out that tucked behind the Schedule of Equipment and Services was the form to extend my contract, which I had unwittingly signed.
I was informed I would have to pay and early termination fee of $795.45 in order to cancel the service. This sum covered 6 months remaining on the current contract in addition to the months remaining on the first contract. I was informed by the contract manager that if this amount was not paid, the debt would be sent to collections and that my credit rating would be impacted.
No service for over a month.
Called Cust Serv several times a day, always told the technicians will call me in a few hour or by the end of the day.
Called NorthStar Repair scheduling service several times and left message and no one has returned my call or Cust Serv calls to them.
This is ridiculous.
Violation of service agreement on your part
this is typical of the problems that I have encountered with these rip-off artists I do intend to go further what kind of reputable company refuses a request for a corporate telephone number and will not tell you (the customer) the name or extension of a corporate supervisor? this is pure scam the state BBB will be notified, and the consumer protection agency
I have had my alarm go off in the middle of the night twice in 3 months. Their attitude is that since I am past the 90 day install warranty that they will charge me a $35.00 fee to look at it. The agent on the phone was so helpful. I hope that if I send my cancellation now (a year ahead of tie) that They can't automatically extend my contract. I'll send the letter registered. I should have been a little worried when It took them over 90 days to actually get the contract right. DO NOT SIGN WITH NORTHSTAR.
My 76 and 86 year old grandparents just got talked into some sort of agreement yesterday with Northstar. I came by right in the middle of their meeting and was very confused by what was going on. They have had ADT since I was an infant and I am now 25 and they aren't known for just up and changing things like this. Now one day later I am reading all this crap. Can my grandfather stop payment on his check he wrote them? What should they do?
I just experienced the same situation. I signed agreements for two properties, May 1 and May 6, 2009. I emailed my cancellation notice March 8, 2014. Guess what? That was 8 and 5 days less than the required 60 day notice. So I was auto-renewed through November
1 and 5 respectively. Isn't that something? I'm going around my neighborhood to share my experience with other North Star customers. If I can save one from a similar situation, then at least I have that satisfaction. It is frustrating, but it is clearly in the contract. I think we all assume a 30 day termination notice. But this is a fundamentally deceptive practice
We have a contract with Northstar apparently for 60 months, when we where told that it was for a 36 month term ny the representative that came out to our home. Now we are moving to a new home and are required to take NS with us because our term isnt over for another 39 months and to terminated early it will be 2200.00. Im sorry I just dont think that is fair. The guy on the phone Blake sounded like he was eating while reading me their very scripted speech...I wonder if maybe taking this case to our attorney would even be worth it.
I'm glad I came across this board. It did not save me from signing a contract with Northstar Alarm Services as I've had one with them for 4 years but hopefully it will prevent others from making the same mistake I /we did.
I too tried to cancel my contract early and they actually don't have an opt out early fee. To cancel early, you have to pay the remaining amount on the contract and you still have to deal with writing a letter to cancel.
I typed up my letter today, 9 months early, to make sure they don't get me for any more time than I've already foolishly agreed to. I'll also be filing a complaint to the BBB but it sounds like that won't do much good (makes you wonder why the BBB has any credibility).
Avoid Northstar Alarm Services as they are just running a racket...
I agree as well...DO NOT SIGN A CONTRACT WITH THEM. I have serveral neighbors that had/are having the exact same problem and ALL of us have had to extend the contract. Not to mention that I have faxed the letter a bazillion times, emailed their billing department several times and I cannot get a response. I was trying to do it all via email, so I would have record and proof that I sent the cancellation in, but OF COURSE they will not respond. I'm sorry, but they should send out a notice 3-5 months prior to the expiration date so people have a chance to make the choice and not just scam them into it. They are one of the worst companies I have ever done business with. Not to meniton when they installed the system the keypad in our bedroom did not work after the tech left. We called and they wanted to charge an arm and a leg to come out and fix it - they installed it the day before! Then we had started with the cell phone service, because we didn't have a home phone and he told us we could switch if we ever got one and it would save us $20 a month. We ended up getting a home phone and when we called to have it switched, again, they told us it would cost a lot of money (don't remember the exact amount) to have it switched. We were NEVER told any of this when we signed up. They are a huge scam and rip off!
I agree. Never sign a contract with Northstar alarm. My contract isn't set to renew until the end of this month and they won't let not renew. So now I am stuck for another 18 months at over $40 a month because of this.
DO NOT SIGN A CONTRACT WITH NORTHSTAR SECURITY SYSTEMS!