KEN KIRSCHENBAUM, ESQ ALARM - SECURITY INDUSTRY LEGAL EMAIL NEWSLETTER / THE ALARM EXCHANGE You can read all of our articles on our website. Having trouble getting our emails? Change your spam controls and whitelist ken@kirschenbaumesq.com ****************************** Central station notifies customer of cancelation of monitoring June 13, 2025 ******************* Central station notifies customer of cancelation of monitoring ******************* Ken I swapped from one monitoring station to a different one. It took a few years as I had to go work on systems. I changed them to the new monitoring station then canceled the old one. The old monitor station was sold about 4-5 times I think in the past 5-6 years (why I changed). This past fall they sent a letter to one of my customers that had three accounts with me saying its accounts were no longer monitored; the customer did not renew its account this Spring. Is there any legal action that could be taken toward the central station for doing this? Justin ******************** Response ******************** The "deal" between you and the central station is stated in the Dealer Agreement. The central station may also have a direct contractual relationship with the customer if there is a written contract between them [in addition to your contract with the customer or perhaps you don't even have your own contract with the customer. You need to read your contract with the central station to determine what rights it has to communicate with your customers and under what circumstances. You also should get and insist on having attached to the Dealer Agreement the Rider to Central Station Dealer Agreement. That Rider addresses all the issues I think, and you should think, important to you. Reputable central stations [see list in The Alarm Exchange] will agree to the Rider to Central Station Dealer Agreement. If your central station won't agree then find a new central station. Most Dealer Agreements give the central station the right to notify the customer if monitoring has been canceled or not paid for, and signals continue to come in. If the central station has its own contract with the customer then that contract may permit, in fact expect, direct communication regarding cancellation of the monitoring service. If the account was no longer communicating with the central station and the central station knew that you terminated the account, it has no legitimate reason to communicate with the customer. If you can prove that the customer canceled with you, even non-renewed, because of the central station's communication [which you probably cannot] you might have a claim. Though I have opined that a contract in renewal is worth as much as contracts in original term that is not the case here because its not in the context of selling the account with the rest of the portfolio, but suing on this one account and had no term left. Chances of recovery for this one account, this single instance of "wrongdoing" [maybe breach of contract] is not worth pursuing. What is worth your time is making sure your central station is listed on The Alarm Exchange. Those listed companies should, I hope, know better than to call your customer under the circumstances you describe. *********************** STANDARD FORM AGREEMENTS: To order up to date Standard Form Alarm / Security / Fire and related Agreements click here: www.alarmcontracts.com *************************** CONCIERGE LAWYER SERVICE PROGRAM FOR THE ALARM INDUSTRY - You can check out the program and sign up here: https://www.kirschenbaumesq.com/page/concierge or contact our Program Coordinator Stacy Spector, Esq at 516 747 6700 x 304. *********************** WEBINARS: https://www.kirschenbaumesq.com/page/alarm-webinars *********************** ALARM ARTICLES: You can always read our Articles on our website at www.kirschenbaumesq.com/page/alarm-articles updated daily ******************** Wondering how much your alarm company is worth? Click here: https://www.kirschenbaumesq.com/page/what-is-my-alarm-company-worth *********************** THE ALARM EXCHANGE - the alarm industries leading classified and business exchange - updated daily ************************* PODCASTS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ken-kirschenbaum-presents/id1794851477 ************************* Getting on our email list / Articles archived: Many of you are forwarding these emails to friends or asking that others be added to the list. Sign up for our daily newsletter here: Sign Up. ************************** Ken Kirschenbaum,Esq Kirschenbaum & Kirschenbaum PC Attorneys at Law 200 Garden City Plaza Garden City, NY 11530 516 747 6700 x 301 ken@kirschenbaumesq.com www.KirschenbaumEsq.com
