Home security frustrates family

CHESAPEAKE, Va - A Chesapeake couple claims in a moment of need, their security provider let them down.
Then, months after fire destroyed their house, the company kept taking their money.

"She said your house is on fire. My heart was in my throat. I'm screaming, my kids, my kids," Shelley Kirby recalled as she sat in her newly renovated home.

She said she'll never forget the panicked call at dinner when her house was on fire, and her five children were inside. Shelley and her husband Jim rushed to their home in Chesapeake after that call in May. They believe the dog knocked over a candle burning downstairs, while their teenage daughter checked on her younger brothers upstairs.

Alarms sounded, the kids needed to get out. After several minutes they did, and 17-year-old daughter Brittany called 911.

However, in the first few seconds, when the fire was spreading, the Kirby's expected another call would have been made - according to a contract they'd had with APX Alarm Security Solutions for more than a year.

"This company claims they are monitoring your home and you are safe because you're paying this fee and they have this equipment in our home. You count on that, you depend on that," Shelley said. "They were supposed to call dispatch immediately."

The Kirbys called 10 On Your Side because they claim APX did not call 911 the night of the fire. Yet, the company kept charging them for monitoring services, even after the fire - until 10 On Your Side got involved.

We checked out APX. We found complaints, hundreds of complaints about a range of issues. There were 455 complaints about contracts, 122 for service and 293 regarding billing or collection issues. More than 1600 complaints in a 3 year period earned APX an 'F' rating from the Better Business Bureau.

A representative from the Utah-based company told WAVY.com those complaints represent a small percentage of the more than one million people the company comes into contact with. APX Communications Director Stuart Dean also pointed out that those "complaints were all resolved." He added that J-D Power and Associates recently re-certified the APX call center for customer satisfaction.

According to Lisa McGhee with Virginia's Department of Criminal Justice, which regulates private security services (PSS), the PSS Division is investigating complaints against APX. However, McGhee said she could not disclose details of an ongoing investigation.

Through a Freedom of Information Act request to the Chesapeake Police Department, 10 On Your Side obtained the log from the night the Kirby's house burned. It confirmed the only 911 call about smoke and flames in their home on Janell Court, was the one made from the residence. There was no record of a call from APX.

Dean of APX said it's not yet clear what happened. "We are still investigating whether the system was activated or armed properly," he explained. "I think it's important that while we are still looking into this, our customers should feel very satisfied and confident that we'll be able to respond to any need they have."

The Kirby's said they called several times to tell APX their home was charred from the floors to the ceilings and they were forced out for three months. They called to let the company know fire damaged their security system box. And eventually called to simply cancel the home monitoring contract that was still costing them 40 dollars a month.

Jim explained his frustration saying, "There's no ability to provide that service. There's no equipment. There's no hook up to their company. There's nothing, and it's been this way since the night of the fire!"

Ten on Your Side was with the Kirbys during a phone call they placed to APX in October. During the call they spoke with three APX employees. When they asked about the status of their account one representative told them, "We do have a lot of notes on your account, but as far as alarm history, we don't have anything for the last three months." Shelley interrupted, "However, there are still funds being taken out of my account every month and the panel is sitting on my table burned."

At one point a representative told the Kirby's a technician could re-install the system, but "[they] would be billable for labor and the cost of the equipment destroyed."

Once Jim and Shelley hung up, Jim explained "I just think it's a complete lack of morals and lack of ethics when you can charge a customer after you stated on the phone it was noted we had a fire."

When 10 On Your Side took the Kirby's frustrations to APX, Stuart Dean told us the company will release the Kirby's from their contract. "Due to the hardship the Kirbys have had to encounter due to the fire and having to move out of their home, we are certainly canceling the remaining balance of their contract. And we are reimbursing them the last four months of payments... it seemed the fair thing to do."

The billing issues now resolved, the Kirbys can now move forward with rebuilding their home, and lives. However, the Kirbys say they didn't realize they were signing a five year contract until after a salesman left their home. They also never checked out the company with the Better Business Bureau.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when making home security decisions:

• Check the Better Business Bureau - know the company's track record
• Read the Contract. Understand how long it is, and what you can do if you're not happy with the service.
• Finally, if you have a problem, contact Virginia's Department of Criminal Justice Private Security Services division. The number is 804-786-4700.

Private Security Services will not investigate account disputes. But, investigators can impose penalties if they find a company has not provided promised services.