Unbiased Central Security Group (CSG) Customer Reviews

(Added Aug 25/10) I have had Central for 3 years and feel the service is great. I moved (after one year with them) and they gave me a new system in my new house for free! (as stated in the contract.) I save lots money every month thanks to them and am very happy with the customer service. I read the reviews but I understand NO ONE can run a national company for the public without some sort of backlash.

(Added July 19/10) Central Security Group has very deceptive and unethical business practices. They also....(read the whole review)

(Added July 19/10) Horrible company, lousy customer service. I cancelled with a letter in 2005. I've still been paying because of being in contract with them and never once heard a word from them. I put a stop payment with my bank and NOW they contact me. And, even though I sent a letter, they said they never received it so they will send my account to a collection agency. Never have I delt with such a dishonest, crooked company.

(Added July 14/10) (CSG Dealer) Central Security Group is a wonderful company. I see so many complaints on here about the contract renewing, but all major companies have automatic renewels. The reason for the renewel is that it takes more than 36 months for Central to break even for the free system. At least Central answers their phones with a live operator every time instead of an automated system. Carl Grandberry was absolutely wonderful.

(Added July 1/10) DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT contact this company to secure....(read the whole review)

(Added June 12/10) After having ADT and Brinks for the last 10 years, it sure is nice to be with a company like Central Security Group. They have the fastest response times of any alarm company. The folks at Central are nice and professional. My alarm contract renewed for one year but I had already read that in my contract. It is not Central's fault if you are dumb. Just my two cents worth.

(Added June 2/10) I have got to side with the many complaints about this company. They are VERY shady in their practices!!! I cancelled my policy in writing as told that I needed to do, with the agreement that I would pay the rest of my contract as I signed I would. But they waited until within 30 days of my contract expiration to claim they had not received my written request to cancel my policy with them. They are liars, and very rude. Not customer oriented at all!! If you are looking into service with them, I would HIGHLY recommend that you go with another, more reputable company. I hope that at some point this company does what it is actually intented to do and protect its clients, instead of lie and steal from them.

(Added Apr 21/10) I wish I had found this website first before signing my contract. I was relocated within 150 of my previous residence and they do not provide service to the new location. Well guess what, I still have to pay for the remainder of my contract even though I don't live there anymore. That's right, I owe 32 more months of a 36 month contract. How ridiculous is this. What gets me is that when I inquired about service areas, I was told that they provide service nationwide and it also states that on their homepage. Well they don't in Paris, Texas. It's not that I want to discontinue service but believe me if I ever get moved again to an area that is serviced by CSG, they will not receive a call from me. My recommendation is to stay away from this company.

(Added Apr 6/10) Everyone vents here when they are upset, but the fact is that the 99% of people who are happy with Central Security just carry on in life with no need to vent. So reading these reviews are just rare occasions out of the thousands of happy campers who have Central Security. I recommend Central to everyone who wants to protect their family.

(Added Apr 6/10) (Updated July 19/10) Please read this and let me know if anybody knows of a class action lawsuit starting or if anyone is....(read the whole review)

(Added Apr 5/10) Faulty installation caused our land line phone system and security system to malfunction. AT&T lines into the home were tested good. Seven months went by with no ability to monitor. CSG continued to draft my bank account each month for payment. After several calls I was told that I had to notify them in writing to stop the draft, which I immediately did. Bank draft stopped, received a bill for over $800.00. Told them I would not pay it, they turned my account over to a collection agency. Asked that they repair the lines as a result of faulty install and I would continue service, they have refused. I'm now suing them. It's not the money, it's the principal. I can read a contract and so can my attorney; CSG is in breach of our contract by failing to provide monitoring. Frankly, I don't care how much I have to pay in attorney's fees, they will not get another dime of my money. Run, don't walk, away from this company.

(Added Mar 22/10) To all these consumers that are griping about the one year renewal clause should read their contracts. It says it on your contract IN PLAIN ENGLISH! It also says it on the certificate that you provide to your insurance. Every alarm company, i.e., ADT, Broadview, Protection One have automatic renewal clauses. You shouldn't sit there and smear the name of the company because you failed to read the contract while the 3-5 hour install was being performed.

(Added Mar 22/10) Never, Never and Never sign contracts with Central Security Group. First of all, I agree with another customer, the salesperson is a liar. He lied to us that we can cancel the contract any time without penalty. Second, the customer service supervisor lied. We called them in 2009 and were told we needed to cancel it in March 2010. One week ago, we called and they said that we need to cancel it in Feb. We have to wait till 2011 to cancel the contract, because they have automatically renewed for one year withtout any notice. Third, they are really rude!!! Don't be trapped by this company. Unhappy customers get united to stop this unethical company to hurt the others. Tell the people you know about your worst experience with Central Security Group.

(Added Mar 22/10) (Updated July 19/10) I got an alarm system from this company about four months ago. Since then, the alarm....(read the whole review)

(Added Feb 25/10) Wow! Plain and simple CSG is paying for your alarm upfront so you don't have to pay $1000's. For that Central Security Group wants your service, for at least 3 years. This way they help you out and maybe save your life one day. If you feel you can't deliver on your end of the agreement don't agree to something. Instead use option #2. Option #2 is go buy a system pay for installation and you are free and clear and out the $$$$ upfront. Funny though, most companies will still have a contract for you to sign to monitor it! Nice free and clear system. This "I didn't know about somthing" response.. Hmmmm, READ WHAT YOU SIGN! And yes read it all I promise it will help you in life. The contract I signed today had a renewal clause it's written in plain English on the contract on the front in big bold letters. To emphasize this point it's included within the FIRST TWO SENTENCES! CSG has been in business for close to thirty years. And with an A+ on the BBB. Check complaints of other companies you will see how important this statement is. Read your contract BEFORE you sign it! Almost every complaint about Central Security Group could be avoided if you read your agreement. I assume this is what the other 99.9% of the happy people did.

(Added Feb 25/10) I have had the monitoring system from central security group for about 4 months now. So far I am very pleased by their customer service. I have had to call them couple of times for different purposes.

1.) When I accidentally unplugged the tech box and my cell module stopped working. I called them and they picked up almost instantly. The lady on the call patiently helped me to resolve the problem and tested the system before hanging up.

2.) When I accidentally opened my backyard door and my alarm went off, I dis-armed my system however I wanted to make sure that they did not send the police in, this time also they picked up almost instantly.

So far their customer service has surpassed my expectations. I did lot of research before selecting an alarm monitoring company and I am glad that I chose this company, I hope that they wont dis-appoint me in future.

(Added Jan 21/10) Central Security Group is highly unethical in their business practices. Any change to your service and you MUST sign another three year contract. The salesman that came to our home LIED!!! Not knowing that we have been lied to we call after having our service for a year to make the change, that we were told would be no problem and a small monthly fee would be added, to find out that installation for the change is $250 along with a service call fee of $89 and a monthly fee of $20 would be added to our monthly bill. Absolute BS from this company, they are LIARS!!!

(Added Dec 12/09) (Updated Mar 29/10) Another frustrated "customer"... we've tried multiple times to cancel our 3 year contract, which was up in June 2009. Our first call we "too early to cancel, call back in a couple months", then we try again to cancel. Nope we can't cancel because you have to be within 30 days of your contract expiration - call again at a later time. They didn't bother to tell us that if we forget to call by even a single day past the last day of the contract we get renewed for an ENTIRE YEAR. This company is very deceptive and after an obvious earnest effort to cancel, they screw us with YET another year and threaten collections if we don't pay - even though we've not stopped any payments (yet). I will never do business with this company again. And as a real estate agent, my clients often ask which company I use so they can get a referral for their services. You guessed it, I will be recommending other services in the future and offering up my personal experience. One wrong move and it will certainly cost them future business.
Update:
We still have not been able to cancel our service - EVEN AFTER WE SOLD OUR HOME. We're being billed for a service on a home we no longer own.... They still want to bill us through OCTOBER 2010. If they don't cancel it I
will block the charges as unauthorized. They are horrible, horrible, horrible and completely condescending over the phone. I will never EVER go anywhere near this company as long as I'm alive.

(Added Oct 24/09) I need to cancel my service because I am moving. My initial 3 yr contract is over. It turns out that the contract is automatically renew for an additional year at the end of the contract unless I contact them in writing. I guess that I should have read the fine print closer. The representative was very quick to quote the contract. Sounds like he does it all the time. AND, this is a side note...my house was broken into while they were monitoring. THEIR GLASS BREAK MONITORS DID NOT WORK!!!! And of course, they are not responsible.

(Added Oct 8/09) (Updated Jan 22/10) I have had this company for three years and had no problems. The service has been outstanding and the equipment works great. They are prompt at calling at alarm activation and answering questions. I now am renogiating my contract at a considerable reduction after price matching it to another company and still have my warranty.
Update:
I have renogotiated my contract for 7 dollars less for another year and still get the same prompt service. They did play hard ball with negotiations but we met in the middle. I would still recommend them to anyone.

(Added Sept 30/09) Wow...really bad experience with these folks. I would avoid at all costs. Highly unethical business practices following attempts at cancellation. When I called to resolve they attempted to blame me for the issue. They wouldn't send a copy of my contract. They would not return calls. They wouldn't explain the "automatic reupping" process. We hadn't heard from them in the year since we moved residences, but strangely they found us just 20 days after the "reup" took effect for another year at 300 bucks for a house we no longer own. Man, I wish I could generate revenue streams like that: getting paid for providing no services!! Sweeet!!!!

(Added Sept 9/09) Central Security Group (CSG) has the worst customer service I've ever experienced, and the company does not....(read the whole review)

(Added Sept 9/09) I was sold on CSG when I compared products, and then was offered 3 free months. Well, the 1st month I got charged. I called and they fixed it. 2 months later I got charged again. Called again, and they fixed it. A month later I was charged again. Called, again. Supposedly fixed, again. I am now dealing with this problem once more. They told me in June that I would actually get 3 months free and that I had a 0 balance on my account. Now they are saying I owed over $50. I would not ever use this company again. Spend the extra money for ADT or another reputable company. Terrible service!

(Added Aug 18/09) As I read these reviews, I wonder how many of them are legitimate customers. I'm willing to bet that 75% of these reviews are....(read the whole review)

(Added Aug 5/09) I had no problem with Central Security while I was in Houston. I had to go back to Mexico because of job changes, and Central wants me to keep paying even if I don't live in the country. I don't have a phone line and I don't have money to pay. Isn't that bad?

(Added July 27/09) At the Houston Home Show in February 2009 we signed a 3 year contract with CSG's Agent....(read the whole review)

(Added July 22/09) My husband signed an agreement with them when I was out of town, and ever since then we have had nothing but trouble....(read the whole review)

(Added July 16/09) Approximately six months ago we transferred our home security system to Central Security Group. The first installation technician apparently did not know how to program the system and thought that our previous system had some equipment failures. The second technician, who had installed our original system, came out the next day and corrected the installation and said that there was nothing wrong with any of the equipment. Since that time, the system has worked properly and is being monitored a lot better than our previous alarm company did. The only problem we have had is one the telephone system went out and the trouble light came on. Central even called us later to verify that everything was OK and to tell us that they had noticed the problem with the telephone system. The monthly charge of $19.95 is half what we were paying. So far, we are well pleased with Central Security Group.

(Added July 15/09) The lightning disabled our system and when we called customer service, the representative told us it would be be a week and two days for a tech to come out and reset the system. I was shocked! We did have warranty and if we needed him to come out the next day it would be an additional charge. I told her then we should just tell the burglers to wait till then to robb us right? She said do what you have to do. I feel trapped, going through another company is like starting over. We have no choice but to wait for them. Very very unhappy with their customer service.

(Added May 2/09) I had this alarm installed in December of 2006. I have had some problems and a few events that I think should warrant the breaking of the contract....(read the whole review)

(Added April 24/09) I've read some of the issues people had had with this alarm company, I honestly have to say that I haven't had any problems. I knew first hand that it was a three year contract, the installer explained in detailed how to use the system and thankfully didn't left me a mess. On a false alarm, cops responded very quickly and CSG responded withing the first 2 minutes. Now I'll be trying to cancel, let's hope I don't encounter the same problems some of you had, I really don't have the patience and that collection BS doesn't fly with me. I'm cancelling because I found a company in Houston that offers it at $16.95 using my cellphone, and CSG can't match the price.

(Added April 24/09) I was contacted by Central Security Group on 4/14/09. They led me to believe they were only a different unit of ADT monitoring out of Oklahoma and that my response time would be better. Then on 4/16/09 the technican came by and, using ADT's equipment, reprogrammed my system. I found out later from ADT that I had been tricked into switching.

(Added April 21/09) Make sure if you sign up with this security system company you check the permit costs with your city first. The representative told me that my city did not charge for a permit. Turns out they did. $25... no big deal right? But the fact that they would not refund a measly $25 even though it was their fault that their list was not updated... just made me mad. Oh and good luck trying to talk to their customer service people. I waited like 3 wks before someone even called me back... of course she wasnt much help when she did finally call.

(Added April 1/09) All comments are similar, so is mine. An honest attempt to cancel service. Company didn't receive letters we wrote for cancel request, etc. Then they conveniently get the letters after the auto renewal kicks in. I actually paid the 32.99 mo for several months after the unit wasn't functioning just to keep these guys off my back. They wouldn't do a service call just to get everything back to working unless we paid the balance that kicked in after the auto renewal. Long story short, I am mailing a check to their debt collector who has been continually threatening to put a lien on my home. $303.75 is worth it just to get away from this headache.

(Added Mar 12/09) This is the third alarm company I have used, and by far the worst. I never signed a contract with this company, they bought out the company I signed with. When I tried to cancel they told me the same line everyone else on here is saying. This is a vary shady dishonest company, and I will never use or recommend them ever. They did however have a fast call back when the alarm went off.

(Added Mar 9/09) This is the most dishonest and worst alarm company in....(read the whole review)

(Added Mar 6/09) All major alarm companies contracts are auto renewal. Read before you sign. These guys are the best I've had. I have been with 3 other providers in the past. In reading these reviews you really see how many idiots are really out there.

(Added Mar 6/09) Anyone buying an alarm system, needs to realize the system is only as good as the company installing it. Since CSG only....(read the whole review)

(Added Feb 11/09) I have had a contract to install and monitor a house alarm system with this group for five months....(read the whole review)

(Added Jan 26/09) I have had CSG for 18 months now and have only had 1 problem with the system, a contact fell off my back door about 6 months ago....(read the whole review)

(Added Jan 6/09) A few weeks ago my son accidentaly set off our alarm system. I had the police out at my house in what seemed to be about 5-10 minutes. I have heard about companies that take that long before they even call you, I was pleasantly suprised about the quick response.

(Added Jan 5/09) By far, the worst company I have ever dealt with. They do have an "Automatic Contract Renewal". Make sure you cancel 30 days prior to the expiration of your current contract or you will get screwed with another year. Their billing department is rude, they refuse to transfer to a supervisor, they hang up on you and they use foul language. My worst expirience was with a lady named ***** in Billing Department. They got me so frustrated and unhappy that I ended up paying the remaining six months I had left and cancelling my contract. My recommendation is to avoid this company by all means.

(Added Oct 17/08) Me and my wife are currently going through a divorce and along with that a move to a new location along with....(read the whole review)

(Added Oct 6/08) (Updated April 4/09) Just a bad alarm company!!! Our home was badly damaged during Hurricane Ike. Our phone lines have not worked since Sept 13 and I have tried in vain to cancel the last two quarters of our three year contract since we can not live in the house and they can not monitor the house because we have no phone. I have called for six consecutive days and I receive the same message. You are under contract - I will need a manager to call you back. No one ever calls back. Very frustrating. Do not use this company under any circumstance.
Update:
Nothing has been resolved. The company has referred me to a collection agency. I prefer taking this to small claims court and hope to file a class action lawsuit for other consumers who have been treated unfairly.