kenniewaters Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Relax, I am not about to ask about actual codes But I do want to discuss the following 'theoretical' situation: I engage a professional company to install, maintain and monitor an alarm system for my home. I pay for all the equipment and therefore feel that I own it. I pay a monthly maintenance and monitoring contract. After some period of time I become dissatisfied with their service. I discontinue their contract. I ask them to provide me with the engineer code for my panel. There are (I think) two possible situations: If my code is unique then I feel they should tell it to me. If they use the same engineer code for several customers then of course they will not divulge it. But they should come to my home and change the engineer code to an agreed number. They may also insist on removing/changing the monitor phone number that is programmed into the panel. They cannot refuse to do one or other of the above. Or can they? What is the view of forum members? Is my summary correct? Can they reset the panel to factory default condition - i.e. lose all the zone names and settings? Or do I own those settings since I paid for their setup. Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chorlton Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Just as you can refuse to shop with anyone they can refuse to work for anyone. What "should" be done is a matter of personal opinion, IMO, lol. What they "will do" is their choice alone. Look at it this way: you are free to leave but it will not be free (to them) to return and do any work. What if they are more than happy to change codes etc but for their standard call our fee??? C. (nice topic title BTW, lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
breff Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 In my opinion they should reset the code to default, but they are right to charge for it. Some say that the installing company own the rights to the programming so have a right to default the whole panel, this I personally don't agree with. The opinions I express are mine and are usually correct! (Except when I'm wrong)(which I'm not) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james.wilson Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Depends on the company, ourselfs we retain title to our intelectual property ie the programming. We also do not divilge the engineer code as this is what protects us, our insurance company and our other clients. I can only speak for ourselves but if the next company cant do anything without an engineer id be worried, also we would not give it out, and if you wanted us to default the panel there would be a charge. Usually though the new company woudl wipe the panel and start again. But it does vary from company to company. We have various council contracts that insist on us divulging eng code at termination, we did not agree to this, and would refuse to work under that condition. Any company that did give out its engineer code doesnt care much for the security of its other clients and is also against regs. securitywarehouse Security Supplies from Security Warehouse Trade Members please contact us for your TSI vetted trade discount. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenniewaters Posted July 23, 2008 Author Share Posted July 23, 2008 AH! OK! No problem with a callout charge. Would expect that. Sounds like from some of the comments that a company *would* use a common code for multiple customers. Not sure I would like that. But then if there are several engineers on the road, code management becomes difficult. Comments about IP rights also taken on board. Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james.wilson Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 kennie, an engineer code cannot unset a system, and under en regs your permission must be given for eng access, assuming you use a company that complies of course securitywarehouse Security Supplies from Security Warehouse Trade Members please contact us for your TSI vetted trade discount. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest anguscanplay Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Just to put the cat amongst the pigeons we would default it but not charge .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chorlton Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Just to put the cat amongst the pigeonswe would default it but not charge .... Oh lordy, lordy, lordy. I'm now 100% sure your only written procedure is "if james say X we do Y" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest anguscanplay Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Oh lordy, lordy, lordy. I'm now 100% sure your only written procedure is "if james say X we do Y" Jeff? - LOL nah its as the O/P says - its his system he paid for it, but as we retain the rights to the programme so I just don`t see it as fair (indeed the new unfair contract regs. covers this to some extent) and more as a " punishment charge.." bit like the banks used to get away with - so i`ll go and reboot to default AT A TIME TO SUIT ME plus it stops anybody else reading my code Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james.wilson Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 gus i know what your saying, thats just the way we do it. We are rarly asked for engineer codes or defaulting and the only times we are is when the new company dont know what they are doing. securitywarehouse Security Supplies from Security Warehouse Trade Members please contact us for your TSI vetted trade discount. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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