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QUESTION: INTENTIONALLY FOCUSING CAMERAS ON NEIGHBOR
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Ken
    This is a genius idea to share such informative and educational content to people in the industry. Kudos to you.
    A quick question about a situation our client is in. He owns a building and next to it is another building. Dumpster area is between the two buildings. There've been a few times at least that fire happened in the dumpster due to cigarettes left there. Finally, they found that one of the unit owners from the next door building threw cigarette buds from their window down to the dumpster. He called police but the police said there's no proof. They want to install a camera to capture how the next door owner threw cigarette buds from his window. My question is will it invade the privacy of the next door unit owner if the camera will see his window (probably inside). If we don't cover his window, there's no way to see that the cigarette buds are from that particular unit?  
    Thanks a lot.  Please advise and keep me, 
anonymous
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ANSWER
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    Unless you believe the camera will be focused on the neighbor's bathroom or dressing room you can install the cameras.  You will be able to provide the data to law enforcement.  I suggest open and obvious cameras rather than covert.  The object is to stop the offensive and dangerous activity before it causes a fire, not necessarily to catch an inconsiderate idiot.
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QUESTION: CUSTOMER ASKS FOR REFUND
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Ken
    I have a customer asking for a refund.  Details:
    Commercial customer  purchase price was $4181.22, down payment was $3602.59, they paid $2000. She signed your Fire Alarm All in One Agreement.  I have paid for the fire alarm permit.  I have design, drafting, and processing time which I did all myself.  She's asking for a refund for the amount she paid.  Do I have to refund all, partial, or none.
    She saying they no longer want to open.
Thank you in advance.
Sincerely,
RC
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Answer
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    No refund is necessary, which doesn't mean the subscriber won't sue for a refund.  This is a commercial subscriber and therefore there is no 3 day notice of cancellation.  In fact, if you can show that you have additional profit you can sue to recover that.  However, you've collected 86% of the contract price and you haven't installed the system.  Ask yourself what your cost of completing the job will be.  If you can complete the job for under $580 then you can seek additional money.  But what if completing the job will cost you $1500 in equipment and labor.  Then if you give back the $1500 you haven't lost anything, other than keeping your men busy and the potential for RMR for inspection, monitoring and service, none of which you mention in your question.  If you did sign up that RMR then your loss on this contract is much more than the balance of the sale and installation charge.  
    You do mention that the subscriber is canceling because she isn't going to open.  That may mean that the sub is out of business before it gets started.  You may have a subscriber with no funds and not worth pursuing, which may also mean a subscriber that doesn't have the means to pursue you for a refund.  Sit tight.
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