Re: An ethical conundrum... Opinions welcome!

[Jim <alarminex@xxxxxxx>]

On Nov 28, 2:04=EF=BF=BDam, 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. =EF=BF=BDThe old fire al=
arm
> systems are being monitored by a company that obviously cares more for
> the RMR than they do for the safety of their customer. =EF=BF=BDThere are=
 no
> test signals programmed! =EF=BF=BDThe service manager stated to me that t=
est
> 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.
> =EF=BF=BD 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). =EF=BF=BDThe alarm company's invoi=
ce
> supposedly has a reminder to "test your system monthly" and this is all
> they're relying on! =EF=BF=BDThe customer started refusing the invoices w=
ithin
> three months of the panel's disconnection. =EF=BF=BDGranted, he didn't se=
nd the
> company a proper notice. =EF=BF=BDThe company suspended service on both a=
ccounts
> last year (November). =EF=BF=BDAre they entitled to two years billing or =
just
> one? =EF=BF=BDShould any professional alarm dealer even offer to monitor =
a fire
> alarm system without a daily test signal? =EF=BF=BDI 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.