Re: An ethical conundrum... Opinions welcome!

[Frank Olson <use_the_email_links@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Jim wrote:
> On Nov 28, 2:04�am, Frank Olson
> <use_the_email_li...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> We're hip deep in a major fire alarm system upgrade on two residential
>> high-rise towers with an interconnected parkade. �The old fire alarm
>> systems are being monitored by a company that obviously cares more for
>> the RMR than they do for the safety of their customer. �There are no
>> test signals programmed! �The service manager stated to me that test
>> signals are an additional cost which the customer opted not to send.
>> The company is charging the customer $22.00 a month for "basic" service.
>> � The communicators haven't been transmitting for over two years (that's
>> when the electrician removed them from the wall and placed them neatly
>> in the corner of the electrical room). �The alarm company's invoice
>> supposedly has a reminder to "test your system monthly" and this is all
>> they're relying on! �The customer started refusing the invoices within
>> three months of the panel's disconnection. �Granted, he didn't send the
>> company a proper notice. �The company suspended service on both accounts
>> last year (November). �Are they entitled to two years billing or just
>> one? �Should any professional alarm dealer even offer to monitor a fire
>> alarm system without a daily test signal? �I shudder to think of the
>> possible liability issues involved.
>
> Frank do I presume correctly that commercial fire alarms are
> "required" to have daily reporting in your area?  Are there not
> inspections by AHJ's? Are there not mandates that commercial fire
> alarms comply with certain codes? If so, how does a client and or an
> alarm company decide not to abide by them and not be complicit in
> having/owning/operating or installing a non compliant/illegal alarm
> system?
>
> If  you feel you must  install a new system in this location I'd
> suggest that you cross all your "T's" and dot all your "I's" and make
> sure you've got all your money up front. Your main concern, I would
> think, is that you might be letting your self in for some kind of
> legal involvement if the first alarm company insists on collecting the
> balance of their contract after the building owner has signed your
> contract and/or while your installation is underway, with you only
> partially paid.  You could be waiting a long time to get paid .... for
> your partial installation, if ever, and in addition, have to defend
> yourself as party to a lawsuit ta-boot.
>
> I know you'd hate to walk away from what sounds like a lucrative job
> but ...... from your brief description of both the owner and the other
> alarm company .... it sounds kinda shakey to me.


First, I'm not worried about not being paid.  There's a generous
progress payment schedule that's being very strictly monitored by both
the client's bank and his new partner.  He's not going to get to play
any games with us.

It's not a matter of my feeling they need a new system.  They're under
order to install it.  As for the old alarm company, they're welcome to
come and collect their junk anytime they want.  I lost all sympathy with
them when I discovered they even stooped to offering this kind of
"non-service".  As far as I'm concerned this amounted to nothing more
than a "money-grab".  The owner may just as well have burned the $22.00
a month for all the good it did him.