Monitronics Alarm Review: Company Not Familiar With Local Laws

I have an alarm system installed by Platinum Protection, Orem, UT, but monitored by Monitronics International, Dallas. Neither company has a clue about the law in Fort Worth, TX and my safety was compromised when my security alarm was activated because Platinum had told Monitronics that Ft Worth "law" required a private security officer be dispatched BEFORE police/ambulance/fire be called. This was repealed on 11/18/2003 - more than five years ago, but they insisted, over and over, that was the law. (See FW Ordinance #15750, Chapt. 12 of 11/18/2003). I have had this system for a year and had never activated it for an emergency before.

Private "Security Officer" came to the corner across the street and one house down from me and "looked" at my house. He did not come anywhere near the house, nor did he knock, no police or fire were ever called. He did come back about four hours later - far too late had my emergency been critical. I am 77, live alone on a fixed income and, if this is the only way I have of summoning help, I'm a goner! Because of that, I want to cancel this service and get one which really might protect me.

These two companies keep saying the other one owns my contract - that one had sold it to the other one, back and forth, so as to avoid responsibility. AND both insist that the entire amount for THREE years be paid before they will release me from $40+ payments, deducted monthly from my checking account, per their "Legal Departments. (I, personally, think their "Legal" would be better served researching various laws so these two companies could, maybe, get it right occasionally and quit being so greedy with such sorry customer service).
I have reported Platinum (July 2009) to the Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing, Utah Division of Commerce, P. O. Box 84114-6741, Salt Lake City, UT, Attention: Wayne Holman, Chief Investigator. Mr. Holman says that ONLY Utah residents get to complain to his office, then have his office investigate (Utah residents, DO complain if you have had problems with Platinum Protection, a UTAH-BASED company - you can also do this on line).

I have also filed a report with the like TX state department re Monitronics, and suggest anyone who is having difficulty with them do the same even if your issue is not recent. (If it's been resolved to your satisfaction, never mind, but I truly doubt any issue with Monitronis has EVER been resolved to the customer's satisfaction and Platinum is not much better).

Update (Added Jan 21/10):

Despite all my efforts, which also included writing registered letters (return receipt requested) to both Monitronics and Platinum Protection (the latter company failed to sign the return receipt), it was necessary to involve the Fort Worth Star-Telegram newspaper's Watch Dog columnist, Dave Lieber.

Fortunately, I had copies of everything I'd done, dates and times, had asked for names and recorded them, etc. I forwarded all to him; he found even more information and contacted the companies. He was told the same thing I had been told, but later a Platinum Protection VP called him. My contract with them (and with Monitronics, who, at the time were, they said, "just monitoring") was cancelled with no additional payment from me required!

Without Dave Lieber's intervention, neither of these companies would have done anything and would not have been required to by any other entity (Better Business Bureaus, Utah or TX governmental agencies). To me, he really is a hero!!

(The article he wrote, which appeared in the Star-Telegram, may be found at: www.star-telegram.com)