Unbiased Central Security Group (CSG) Customer Reviews

(Added June 28/08) I have now had my system for over 1 year. I had to sign a 3 year contract with this company. The system included land-line and cell phone backup. The install was done incorrectly so that the cell phone back-up was taking down the entire system when losing coverage momentarily. Every time I called to have this problem taken care of, the first thing they talk about is a $79.00 service fee, even though the system never worked properly. To this day my system is limited to landline only just so it works at all. I am still promptly charged for landline and cell back-up on a monthly basis.
Do I recommend Central Security Group? No.

I have been with Central Security Group since March 2005. I have had monitoring with Protection One & Monitronics in the past and Central is by far the fastest response time. There is no waiting 2 weeks for service on my alarm system either. Any one looking for a new alarm company Central is the way to go.

I secured the services of this security company in December 2005. I understood based on discussions with the sales person that the contract was good for one year. In January 2007, I notified the company via telephone that I wanted to terminate their services. I was told that this would not be a problem, but to follow up with a letter. In March 2007, I did so. In April 2007, I was notified by CSG that I could not terminate the contract because it was "automatically renewed" for one year due to my failure to notify in writing by January 2007 of my wish to terminate. CSG representatives quickly pointed out that this was in my contract. I have never heard of "automatic renewal" in any contract. Indeed, I did notify CSG of my wish to terminate via phone in January during the cancellation period and in this discussion, I was never informed that the letter needed to be received in the month of January in order to meet contractual obligations. In my subsequent conversations with a CSG representative in April in my attempt to clarify why I could not terminate the contract, I was informed that my monthly payment could be reduced from $32 to $20. I was informed that this reduction was due to my paying off the security equipment that was installed in my home. I was also informed that I paid off the equipment in January 2007. When I asked why CSG did not inform me of the payoff in January 2007 so that my monthly service fee could have been reduced at that time (when I originally called to terminate), I was told that I should have been informed at that time, and that no other reason could be provided. My issues are twofold: This "automatic renewal" (for one year) stipulation should have been explained by the CSG service representative in December 2005. In addition, it should have been discussed in my termination conversation with CSG in January 2007. I should also have been informed in January 2007 that I needed to expedited my termination letter to CSG or face automatic renewal; neither of these occurred. "Automatic renewal" has never been part of any contract that I have signed in the past, and since it is not a common business practice, should have been explained by CSG representatives.

Certainly, I have entered into contracts where one can cancel at any time after fulfilling the year obligation, however, this "automatic renewal" that CSG incorporates in their contracts is, in my opinion, a shady business practice. Secondly, if the security equipment installed in my home was paid off in January 2007, why was I not notified that my monthly payment could have been reduced starting in February 2007? In addition, why was the "automatically renewed" contract renewed at the original montly fee of $32 and not $20? The CSG representative that I talked with in April 2007 did not have an answer for these questions, and only responded by saying that these issues should have been discussed. She immediately informed me that in order to reduce my contract to the lower rate of $20 that I would again have to initiate a new one year contract with CSG at the lower rate. Again, indicative of shady business practices. In my view, I have met my contractual obligations in good faith. Due to CSG representatives lack of knowledge and failure to convey much necessary information regarding my contract in January 2007, I was automatically renewed to a new contract at a deceptive rate.