Vivint

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AWvsCBsteeeerike3
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Vivint

Post by AWvsCBsteeeerike3 »

Sucks.

I thought I'd posted on the board about them before, but nothing pops up in the search.

Years ago, one of their salesmen came to our door and almost had Mrs. AW sold when I got home from work. Basically, they install a doorbell with a camera and a camera in your house both of which you can access from your phone. The camera sends alerts when motion is detected when you're not home or something like that as well as when the doorbell is rang. They also install a new lock that can be controlled from your phone on one of your doors. And you sign up for a monthly fee for some amount of time. I don't know the exact details, but I said we needed a day or two to review it. Then there was the high pressure sales. Well, this deal is only good for this specific day because they are in the area. So, I looked up their reviews online and said, they didn't have good reviews. And, the guy had some answer. Blah blah blah. After about 10 minutes of this back and forth I had to literally kick him out of the house. Like he wasn't willing to leave unless we signed up.

Which left a bad taste in my mouht, but whatever.

Regardless, we didn't sign up. Fast forward a couple years and Mrs. AW really wanted the service and me not really caring did no research to try to find a better but more reputable firm. Throw on top of that AW Jr spends a little bit of time at home by himself nowadays and gets off the bus to an empty house for 30 minutes or so a day, and Mrs. AW really amped up the pressure right about the time Vivint showed back up with the same offer that we refused years ago.

And, I caved. Big mistake.

Today there was a notification that some [expletive] had gone wrong, the control panel had lost power and connection to the internet so it sent the automated message. I went home and started [expletive] with it. And, of course started talking with vivint.

They advised to do this that and the other, none of which worked. But, then I started looking at their work. For starters, where they spliced copper wires, they didn't cap them but left the copper wire exposed. I'm no electrician, but that...can't be up to code and seems like a fire hazard in the making. So, while I'm chatting with this vivint customer service rep I asked if he wanted pictures and he was like...nah, and said if we couldn't get power back to the control panel, he'd send out a technician. I again was like, dude, you've got exposed, presumably at one point, live wires. Presumably live still since no breakers or GFCI are tripped. He was like, nah, it'll be fine. Couldn't get the power on and a technician was scheduled. Then I noticed along the wiring route there was a point where the plastic casing around the wire was burnt and wire was exposed, I brought this up as well and the guy said he'd let the technician know.

Also, while looking at everything, I noticed they installed a screw through the EIFS which they specifically said they wouldn't do. It never held, imagine that, going back to the very beginning so the installer simply glued the doorbell to the EIFS which didn't hold as I tried to wriggle the doorbell free to see if any of the wire connections were bad. So, I told the guy about that as well. And, basically asked to speak to a supervisor, a request that was denied. Anyway, they're sending out a tech and I've initiated a home damage claim.

All that to say, vivint seems like a decent product but a terrible company.

And, is it just me, or...am I crazy to think the circuit the control panel is connected to needs to be shut off until this is resolved? And, to think leaving exposed splices is dangerous if not completely against electrical if not fire codes?

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MrCrowesGarden
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Re: Vivint

Post by MrCrowesGarden »

We got a Vivint security system when we first moved into our house three years ago. It really is a pretty good product, but we don't really use ours much unless we're out of town. I haven't had any of the issues you've had, thankfully.

The biggest complaint I have is they installed our alarm system incorrectly, and basically every door sensor was set to outside instead of inside. It's supposed to be that if you open a door while your alarm is set to home, you have a minute to get to the control panel and enter your code to turn it off before the alarm sounds. Ours didn't do that, so we tripped the alarm accidentally three times in the first week. It was an easy fix that just needed a system reboot, but it was tougher than it needed to be getting through to customer service.

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Jocephus
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Re: Vivint

Post by Jocephus »

sounds like a crummy company
$20 million settlement with smart home company Vivint shuts the door on a different form of identity deception

By: Lesley Fair | Apr 29, 2021 3:46PM
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs/b ... shuts-door

AWvsCBsteeeerike3
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Re: Vivint

Post by AWvsCBsteeeerike3 »

Looking at BBB, there are a ton of complaints of overcharging and just overall shady business practices. What a shame.

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Leroy
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Re: Vivint

Post by Leroy »

Shut it down. And let me have your home address.

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CardsofSTL
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Re: Vivint

Post by CardsofSTL »

I've never used one of these home security systems but the neighbors had Vivint for like a month and then ceremoniously burned the sign in their fire pit; so I think they hated it.

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BottenFieldofDreams
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Re: Vivint

Post by BottenFieldofDreams »

I'm terrible at everything, but I was able to install a system we bought at Costco with several cameras--and do so without it looking like giant spider webs all over the front of our house. The Ring stuff is even easier to deal with. I think there are plenty of DIY options. I'm looking for a door entry now.

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thrill
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Re: Vivint

Post by thrill »

Leroy wrote:
October 12 21, 2:11 pm
Shut it down. And let me have your home address.
Yes and one unrelated question...any cool vacation plans coming up?

AWvsCBsteeeerike3
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Re: Vivint

Post by AWvsCBsteeeerike3 »

If it makes you guys feel any better, we don't use it as an alarm system. It doesn't alert the police, that I know of at least, if someone breaks in. And, if it even has that capability, I certainly don't know how to set it.

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NDark
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Re: Vivint

Post by NDark »

when I moved about a year ago the new house has Vivint. I called to reset the security code and was told they couldn't and that since the system was old I had to buy a new one. The price was ridiculously high. I told them to go [expletive] themselves. There were multiple calls and [expletive] sales reps but to summarize they were all very rude and told me tough [expletive] basically.

I ripped all of the Vivint stuff out that day and ordered Ring. It is awesome. Took me about 3 hours to setup two key panels, motion detectors, a ton of contact sensors, cameras, doorbell, etc.

I highly recommend ditching companies like Vivint or ADT and doing it yourself. Felt like when I ditched cable.

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