Sentry Alarm Systems

This is a 5 year review. Where to start…
I’m very familiar with security alarms and have had multiple companies for over 25 years. That being said, they’ve been all great except this one. I moved to the Monterey area and was going to use ADT but I felt like I should give back to the community and use a «family» owned business to support the community.
Bill was the guy who came to my house. Very nice, great salesman! Suckered me. Told me my house is old (which it is) and quoted me over $ 4100 for install. This is on a house! Does it really matter if its old?!? I went with it because he had a great pitch (was a police officer, had great stories). He made promises about his equipment. Said that I could upgrade to the «special» motion sensors that would allow my kids run around with motion sensors on. My wife and I fell for it! When his installers came they had no idea what I was talking about. So they set it up, and of course in the middle of the night my 4 year old gets up in the middle of the night and the alarm goes off (horrible night, my son couldn’t sleep in his bed for a week). Those sensors go off with humans because of the height, not the weight (hence why dogs have a weight limit on motion sensors to go off). The owner of the business who does the sales does not know his own equipment. He thought if it could work for big dogs, why not kids!!! I had to figure that on my own. They came and made «adjustments» but it never worked. So we dropped the motion sensor deal while we were at home and just used the motion sensors while we were away.
I always test my alarms intermittently to make sure they work. 3 months after install, I was able to walk around my house no problem and the sensors would not detect me. I called them and they told me it would be a service charge to come over. I told them its been less than 3 months and I paid $ 4100. I had issues that first year in which they had to come 3 times to make adjustments (not to mention the number of calls in which we tried to fix it over the phone). Every time they tried to charge me $ 80 some dollars for service charge and I told them I want to talk to a manager and they then dropped it.
I signed a 5 year contract so I had to stick with it. In the 2^nd year of my contract, there was a time in which the motherboard made a loud beep every minute at 1am. woke up our whole house. They had no idea what to do over the phone. The on call service man was unreachable. They even called the owner that night (from what their operator told me). My whole house is awake. They then got a hold of the service man (around 45 minutes later), but he couldn’t get a service man to me for 90 minutes. And of course its a SERVICE charge to come in the middle of the night!!! Well I broke out the manual and was able to disable the alarm. This was all a 2 hour debacle. All they had to do was do an «update» on their end and fix it the next morning.
I’m on autopay with my credit card annually. My credit card expired (which is normal on every credit card!!!) and they notified me. Which is great and I gave them my updated credit card. But they wanted to charge me for a declined credit card transaction!!! I had to take to the manager to drop it! I told them its not a bounced check!!! I told them ALL credit cards have an expiration date and all customers who have autopay will have this issue. I have a ton of autopay services and when a credit card expires, they call or email me and we change it. They said they understand, but its their policy. So my advice is to NOT enroll in their autopay. Just get the bill annually.
Honestly I have never written a 1 star in my life for anything. But this deserves it. The company I work for has some of the same issues. I used to get a call everytime power went out in my house, now it is really hit or miss. I have had times when the alarm has gone off by accident, and they don’t call. But there are times when they do call! Its just a hit or miss, and hopefully its a hit if it is a true break in (or fire!!!). The best protection is the loud alarm that goes off and wakes up the neighborhood, which any alarm will do. But to pay $ 4100 for the equipment and then have the most expensive annual service for is ridiculous.
My 5 years is almost up…

I had a system installed by a private contractor when I purchased my home 25 years ago and paid for the monitoring separately. Sentry purchased my previous monitoring company many years ago and until recently I was satisfied with their monitoring. If I needed some hardware adjustment, I contacted an independent contractor with experience.
Recently, I decided to offer Sentry the business since they were after all monitoring my home and the previous contractor retired. Bad mistake.
After requesting two smoke detectors be added to the current system, Steve Hahn contacted me and claimed I had to have an independent fire alarm system and my current system wouldn’t do. Said I needed to get a city permit, etc., and he would not authorize adding them until I did or until I got the Fire Department to say otherwise.
After much time spent doing so, I did get the Fire Department to give me an email to forward to Steve Hahn that this was not necessary.
His next response was to try to upsell me a wifi smoke detector that would supposedly be read by my non-​wifi enabled alarm system at a tremendous price and the fantastic deal of a 3-​year contract at far more than I am paying now.
I admit that I am spoiled because I have no contract with them and pay a low price per year.
I have decided that this company is trying to do business by dishonest means and I intend to contact the Better Business Bureau about their practices.
I believe that the folks in charge of the monitoring and the technicians are honest people, but the sales staff and S. Hahn are not doing the company any favors.
I’ve also been in touch with another monitoring company. While more expensive than what I am paying now and requiring a two-​year contract, I am seriously considering the switch. I don’t care to do business with dishonest people.

After our house was burglarized two years ago, we contacted Steve Hahn of the Oakland office, who promptly had us set up with a useful alarm. The service has been efficient and professional. I would recommend Sentry to anyone needing a home alarm system.
Zvi K
Daly City, CA

If you are looking for a burglar and or fire alarm service, keep looking. It’s no wonder they have as few stars as they do. Their customer service is horrible, that is the only word I can use to describe it accurately. It would be better if you got India when you call them instead of the condescending people who answer the phone a grill you with 20 questions before they transfer you to the department you’ve ask to talk to. If for some reason you do decide to do business with them, they make you sign a contract (read other reviews with out explaining the details or 5 year commitment, and then guess what, it automatically renews, so you can never get out of it without the blessing of the «owners» who of course you can never get transferred to.
Heads up Sentry, it’s not just about the best pricing, it’s who can provide the product and service that is at least expected, if not a bit surprising better than what’s expected.

Shame on me for not reading the contract carefully. I was told by the sales rep that it was a two year agreement, but the document actually said five. I’m paying them off and canceling the contract. Good riddance, and I’ll be looking for an ethical provider in the area.

After 6 years of paying their fees, the house was finally broken in to. The alarm went off and no one came. Enough said, new provider. Suggest you do the same.

We had a horrible experience with this company! Buyer beware! The female service representative we had was pushy and aggressive. She did not explain things thoroughly as to how monitoring works, what you pay for, etc. as she was just interested in making the sale. We ended up having a problem due to a lack of understanding on our part which was due to a lack of explanations on their part and they don’t take any responsibility or care at all what so ever when things go crosswise. They ignore correspondence, both phone messages as well as email, so don’t bother contacting them. Additionally, the owner has no desire in the reputation of the company or how they get their money, or what the customer says, just so long as they get paid. I would suggest you use another company in your area, there are plenty to chose from.

We bought a house on the peninsula that had an alarm previously installed by another company and contacted Sentry to get the alarm up and running and change the codes, etc. They came out and got everything fixed for us right away. My contract is for two years. We’ve set it off accidentally a couple times, and had more service to add a couple options, and each time the service has been very good — friendly and knowledgeable techs and the women I’ve talked to at the office have been exceptionally competent and nice. I would recommend their service.

I got Sentry Alarm right after my house was broken into in Salinas. I immediately called them. Their territory representative came to my house and I signed for the service then and there.
1 ½ goes by and I found myself in a position where I needed to sell my home. At this point I contacted Sentry Alarm and they notified me that I had signed a 5 year contract. There were several conversations that I wont go into detail with but ultimately their initial response was if I wanted to terminate the contract I had to pay the full amount (roughly $ 1,400). I was completely shocked that I had signed a 5 year agreement. The sales representative never told me that my agreement was contractual for 5 years. I had signed the contract on the spot and relied on good faith. I even paid over $ 1,000 for the alarm system so its not like they gave me a discount for the equipment.
To make a long story short the owner gave me 3 options.
1. I could pay half the 5 year bill ($ 750)
2. I could roll over the account to my new residence
3. Make it a contingency for the new homeowner to have to take over my contract
If you are thinking of using Sentry Alarm I would highly discourage you. The tactics they used during my dealings was just shy of used car salesman tricks. If you do sign with them make sure you refuse a 5 year agreement. I think anything over a 1 year agreement (if you pay for all the initial fees of equipment and installation) deplorable. Shame on them.