Complaint Review: Northstar Alarm Services

Automatic contract renewal

I signed a 3 year contract for home security monitoring July 25,2002. I have paid all payments.

I talked to Kent Griffith on March 14 and informed him that I would not renew. He said read your contract, I said do I need a Lawyer and he said no.

I sent a written notice dated May 31, postmarked June 1, stating that my obligations would be complete on or about July 25 and to please cancel.

He said no you can't cancel, your contract says 60 days written notice is required, your contract is already renewed, and he refused to reconsider.

I notified the Ohio Attorney Generals office, they tried to mediate but northstar refused.

Since this transaction was done at my home there was a cooling off period, moving the date from July 25 to midnight July 28. My letter to cancel dated May 31 looks like 59 days.

I researched this problem on the internet and the security industry uses this trap on there customers.

I must pay another 12 months to protect my name and credit.

They stopped this kind of business practice in New York. They cannot do this without written notice to their customer after the end of a contract.

And I bet they hope I miss the next time by 24 hours so that they can ripe me off for another 12 months.

There should be a law against this kind of business practice in Ohio.

My lawyer says if I take this to court I lose even if I win, because my loses will be less than $450.00 the payments are 36.95 a month.


Fred
Columbus, Ohio
U.S.A.